Special Edition: Super grains!
Amaranth
Cultivated for nearly 8,000 years since it was first discovered in Mesoamerica, amaranth is a gluten-free pseudo-cereal, meaning it’s not a true grain. At about 13-14% protein, it easily trumps the protein content of most other grains. It also contains lysine, an amino acid missing or negligible in many grains. Amaranth also contains more than three times the average amount of calcium and is also high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. It’s also the only grain documented to contain vitamin C. Very little research has been conducted on amaranth’s beneficial properties, though it has shown potential as a cholesterol-lowing whole grain in several studies conducted over the past 14 years.