What is amaranth?

Amaranth is a plant native to Mexico, with edible seeds typically consumed in ways similar to grains, but it’s a pseudocereal, like quinoa, buckwheat, and chia.

Mayans and Aztecs consumed its seeds and leaves, and its use was complementary to that of corn.

Called the “grain of the gods,” it played a primary role in religious ceremonies, and on festive days it was mixed with corn flour and used to create idols.

It was precisely this connection with the gods that led to its near extinction; its cultivation was banned by Catholic Spanish inquisitors, who replaced it with European seeds.