Shiritsa thrown back useful properties. Shiritsa (Amaranth)
An annual plant, common amaranth is a weed that many have seen in vegetable gardens and fields, on roadsides. Not everyone knows that traditional healers consider this herb to be a medicinal plant containing many useful substances that a person needs.
Description
Common amaranth, candlestick, rubella, amaranth - all these are the names of one plant that are used in different regions of our country. And that's not all: the plant is known as velvet, cockscombs, axamitnik. It refers to with small red flowers, which are collected in inflorescences - dense, spicate-paniculate, rather long. Common amaranth flowers remain on the plant for several months.
This is an ancient plant that began to be cultivated in South America as a grain crop. In Spain, it was considered a flower of evil spirits, because it was forbidden there. Common amaranth appeared in Europe in the 16th century, and in Russia in the 19th. In Sweden, even a special order for shiritsa was established.
It's an annual herbaceous plant, having a tall thick stem up to one meter high with oblong-lanceolate, alternate, pointed leaves covered with purple-red spots. Flowering begins in August with small flowers that gather in paniculate spike-shaped inflorescences. Common amaranth blooms until frost.
The seeds of the plant are shiny small black grains. To date, about a hundred species of plants belonging to this family are known, which grow in moderately warm regions. Most of them are weeds.
Some types of amaranth are a valuable food crop. Today, ornamental varieties have been bred that adorn garden plots in the fall. Dried flowers of this plant evoke pleasant memories of summer in a long cold winter. Translated from Greek, amaranth is translated as "unfading flower". Under natural conditions, amaranth can be found in China and India.
The use of amaranth
In many countries of Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa, amaranth is classified as a fodder and medicinal plant. Flour is made from grains and confectionery, beverages. Fresh and dried leaves are fried, steamed and canned. In Asian cuisine, common amaranth herb is used as a delicious vitamin supplement for salads, fish, and meat. In Greek cuisine, amaranth shoots are poured with olive oil, lemon juice is added and used as a side dish for fish dishes.
IN traditional medicine used as a means to strengthen the body. Chinese healers use amaranth seed oil to treat tumors and fight aging. The amaranth oil contains a unique element, squalene (we will talk about it in more detail below). Common amaranth seeds are recommended to be used as additives in diet foods: bakery products, cereals, confectionery and
Shiritsa flour has biological value, it is a source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins C and PP. It does not contain gluten and may well become the basis of the diet for patients with celiac disease, without the addition of wheat flour. In Russia, this plant is grown as an ornamental and for animal feed. Getting into the garden, field, common amaranth, the photo of which you can see in this article, is growing rapidly. It is considered a weed that is very difficult to control.
Common shiritsa: useful properties
Despite the fact that amaranth, or amaranth, is a weed plant, and in the past it was most often used for livestock feed, people noticed it over time. beneficial features began to use it for treatment. Each part of common amaranth has a rich biological and chemical composition:
- proteins, including albumins and globulins;
- fats;
- dietary fiber (fiber);
- carbohydrates;
- tocotrienol form of vitamin E;
- carbohydrates;
- squalene;
- amino acid lysine;
- flavonoids (rutin, quercetin and trefolin);
- phospholipids;
- ascorbic acid;
- B vitamins;
- retinol (vitamin A);
- niacin;
- pectins.
The plant contains a huge amount of micro and macro elements: calcium and potassium, manganese and magnesium, fluorine and sodium, zinc and iron, copper and selenium. Leaves and seeds of common amaranth contain a fatty oil saturated with associated acids (oleic, stearic, linoleic, palmitic). The roots contain:
- amaranthine;
- isoamaranthine;
- isobetanine;
- betanine;
- alkaloids.
Squalene
It is especially necessary to dwell on this substance, which is part of the plant. Squalene is a triterpene hydrocarbon belonging to the group of carotenoids. Its feature is to help with oxygenation of the cells of the body.
Taking an active part in metabolism, squalene affects cholesterol levels. Moreover, it has antimicrobial properties. This substance is often used in cosmetology. Its pronounced anti-aging properties are used in the production of anti-aging cosmetics.
Common shiritsa: medicinal properties
Due to the rich vitamin and mineral composition and high energy value, folk healers and traditional medicine doctors actively use this amazing plant in their practice. Preparations based on it are indicated for the treatment of:
- some diseases of the genitourinary system;
- children's nocturnal enuresis;
- restoration of the body with anemia, beriberi and loss of strength;
- painful sensations with hemorrhoids;
- atherosclerosis;
- overweight and obesity;
- diabetes mellitus, as a prophylactic;
- neurosis.
How is recovery going?
Decoctions and infusions of the plant are used to treat skin lesions, dental diseases (periodontal disease, stomatitis), healing ulcers of the gastrointestinal system. Shiritsa stimulates:
- saturation of organs and tissues with oxygen;
- immune system to resist viruses;
- formation and development of cancer cells is prevented;
- blood is cleansed of infections;
- heavy metals and toxins are removed;
- visual acuity improves;
- accelerates recovery after serious illnesses and radiation therapy;
- regenerative functions are activated.
Shiritsa-Based Recipes
The healing properties of common amaranth are used in many preparations based on this plant. We will introduce you to some of them.
A decoction of the roots
To prepare this remedy, you will need fifteen grams of dry crushed raw materials, which are brewed with boiling water (200 ml). Then the container with the grass is placed in a water bath and boiled for thirty minutes. Within ten minutes, the composition is allowed to cool and filter. Take the remedy for a third of a glass twice a day.
Leaf infusion
Twenty grams of dry leaves pour 250 ml of hot boiled water. Boil in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Forty-five minutes, the remedy should be infused, after which it should be filtered and you can take the composition of a third of a glass twice a day.
Leaf infusion (fresh)
Pour one tablespoon (tablespoon) of chopped grass leaves with 200 ml of boiling water. Wrap the container and let the product brew for about forty minutes. Strain and take with honey a quarter cup for acute pain in the stomach three times a day.
Oil of amaranth
This substance, obtained from grains, is rich in squalene. It contains vitamin D, which is necessary for the full synthesis of the hormone. In addition, it is useful for human skin, has many medicinal properties. Shiritsa seeds are rich in vitamin E - the best antioxidant. Oil from grains of amaranth surpasses sea buckthorn in all respects.
Bath decoction
Pour chopped dry grass (400 g) with two liters of boiling water and boil for another fifteen minutes over low heat. For half an hour, let the product brew and pour it into the bath. Such therapeutic bath recommended three times a week for skin diseases. The duration of the procedure is no more than half an hour.
Vodka tincture
Pour vodka over dry grass of common amaranth (flowers and leaves) and place in a dark place for two weeks. Strain and take a spoon (tea) diluted in a small amount of water before meals for diseases of the genitourinary system.
Lime juice
At diabetes, gastritis, pain in the liver, folk healers recommend taking amaranth juice mixed with homemade sour cream and cream. Juice is prepared as follows. Juice is squeezed out of fresh leaves, after passing them through a meat grinder or chopping with a blender. You can use a juicer.
The juice is mixed in a 1:1 ratio with cream. It should be taken three times a day for a spoon (table) after meals.
Enuresis treatment
A tablespoon (tablespoon) of crushed amaranth inflorescences, along with seeds, must be poured with 250 ml of boiling water and placed in a water bath for twenty minutes. After the specified time, leave the product to cool completely. Then strain and take a spoon (tea) with 50 ml of water. Take three times a day thirty minutes before meals and before bedtime. The course of treatment is designed for two weeks.
Rejuvenating Blend
This is a unique composition that removes toxins and other harmful substances from the body. To prepare it, you will need amaranth, St. John's wort, birch buds and chamomile, one spoon each (tablespoon). Brew two tablespoons of the collection with 500 ml of boiling water, let the composition brew for three hours and strain it. The mixture is taken twice a day, one glass each - in the morning on an empty stomach and at night, adding a spoonful of honey (a teaspoon). Before taking the infusion should be warmed up. Re-admission of this anti-aging mixture is carried out no earlier than two years later.
Contraindications
Like all medicinal plants, amaranth has limitations in taking drugs based on it. These include:
- cholelithiasis;
- pancreatitis;
- gluten enteropathy;
- urolithiasis disease;
- individual intolerance;
- cholecystitis.
The upturned amaranth is popularly considered a weed, but not everyone knows that it also has a number of medicinal properties that have been used in the treatment of certain diseases since ancient times. Basically, amaranth is used in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and as a hemostatic agent.
Amaranth upturned is an annual plant, growing up to 0.9 m. The rhizome of the amaranth is pinkish in color. You can recognize the amaranth by the flowers - they are small, yellowish-green in color.
Shiritsa cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Found in all areas. The amaranth family includes 4 more species that are found throughout the country. Grows in vegetable gardens and fields, in the area of roads. Considered a weed.
Edible parts: leaves; seeds.
Culinary uses of amaranth:
young leaves- Raw or cooked like spinach. They have a mild flavor and are often mixed with stronger flavored leaves. Amaranth is rich in iron and is also a good source of vitamins A and C.
seeds- Raw or cooked. They were ground into powder and used as a substitute for cereals, and some people add it to salads. The seeds are very small, about 1mm in diameter, but are easy to harvest and very nutritious. The taste will improve significantly if the seeds are roasted before grinding. They are often added to cornmeal. The seeds can be cooked whole and become jelly-like, so some of the seeds will pass straight through the digestive system without being assimilated.
Applications of Amaranth
The plant is used for traditional medicine as a hemostatic agent for some pulmonary, intestinal, hemorrhoidal and uterine bleeding. Sometimes it is recommended to take water infusions medicinal herb with diarrhea, pain in the intestines or constipation.
How to use shiritsa
Astringent leaf tea as an astringent. It is used in the treatment of heavy menstruation, intestinal bleeding, etc. The infusion is used to treat hoarseness.
Grind the grass of amaranth upturned, add from 1 to 3 tbsp. l. in a full glass of boiling water, leave for about an hour, after which it is necessary to strain. Take during the day 3 times, before meals (divide the intake of the resulting composition into 3 times in even parts).
1 tbsp add dry crushed leaves to a glass of water, then boil for 2-3 minutes, after insisting for 1 hour, and be sure to strain. Take half a glass 3-4 times a day, before meals.
Other uses
Yellow and red dyes are obtained from the whole plant. Like many other Amaranthus species, this plant can be harmful and even fatal when fed to cattle and pigs in large quantities. However, when supplied in moderation, it is considered an exceptionally nutritious food.
Photo of the shiritsa thrown back and how to fight?
This plant is considered a weed, so it is extremely common throughout the territory. Not everyone knows that the amaranth family amaranth can be used in folk medicine, and they want to get rid of the annoying weed plant as soon as possible.
There are some ways:
- Thorough seed cleaning.
- Use of herbicides.
- Cut the grass before flowering.
You can always choose the option that you like - use in traditional medicine or destroy amaranth as a weed. Also, you should always consult your doctor about the intake and doses. Be healthy!
Shiritsu (Amaranhtus) was grown by the Inca and Aztec tribes along with corn, potatoes and beans. The seeds of this plant, which are also suitable for the production of flour, can be put on a par with corn and cotton in value.
From prohibition to flourishing
Shiritsa or amaranth is one of the first crops grown by man.
When, while in Warsaw, I asked Dr. Hazem Kalai what he had wonderful, what it would be interesting to tell the readers of Ukraine about, and even so as to give them the idea of a new business, he answered without hesitation:
— Amaranthus.
— Shiritsa? What's so wonderful about her?
And Professor Hazem Kalai told.
The history of this plant is intricate: amaranth, as a culture, was banned in the sixteenth century. Given the fact that the ancients also used amaranth in magical and pagan cults, the cultivation of this plant, as a symbol of paganism, was forbidden by the Spanish monks during the conquest of Central and South America by the conquistadors. At the same time, amaranth came to the territory of the old continent, where it first quickly spread as a weed, and only after centuries became a cultivated plant. A new revival of amaranth as a field crop began in the 70s of the last century, mainly due to the valuable nutritional properties of the plant. Amaranth is now widely used in agriculture, food and pharmaceutical industries. Amaranth fields can be found in almost every corner of the world - in South America, Southeast Asia: India, Nepal, the Himalayas, China, Ceylon and Africa: Mozambique, Uganda and Nigeria. In addition, amaranth is grown in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, in Kazakhstan and in Western Europe - in Germany, Slovakia and Poland. The cultivation of amaranth in Poland began 10 years ago, after a visit by Professor Emil Nalborczyk from Warsaw agricultural university Mapuche Indian villages in Chile. From there he brought amaranth seeds.
Character and habits: botanical characteristics and ecological requirements
The species Amaranhtus belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, Caryophyllales order, and includes about 60 species, of which only a few are suitable for cultivation as cultivated plants. Most of the species of this family are weeds, their seeds and leaves are unsuitable for food (for example, the well-known upturned amaranth - Amarantus retroflexus). Most species of this genus are annuals, but there are also some perennial species of amaranth. The height of the amaranth varies, depending on the species, from 0.3 to 3 meters.
Species from the Shiritsev family (Amaranthaceae) are characterized by a different shape. Stems can be straight, curved, branched, but always without lateral processes. Plants can be covered with fine hairs, bristles, long outgrowths, or remain naked. The color of the stems and leaves, depending on the species, can be green, red, purple, or one plant can combine different colors in color. The inflorescence of amaranth consists of small "balls" of flowers in the axils of the leaves, spike-shaped. The color of the inflorescence is also varied - it can be golden, green, red, pink, purple and brown. The seeds are small, from 0.9 to 1.7 mm long, but in cultivars it is larger - from 1.5 to 2.14 mm. The color of the seeds varies depending on the species and subspecies of amaranth, which is the main defining feature for distinguishing amaranth cultivars. Although in the botanical classification, the color of the seeds is not used to determine. Amaranth can be grown at different altitudes, even at an altitude of 3000 m. As for the type of soil, amaranth is a picky plant, it can grow on sandy and clay soils, with a pH level above 8.5 or slightly acidic (pH 6.0). This culture tolerates well the lack of moisture, the high content of metals in the soil. Optimum temperature for the growth and development of amaranth - + 26- + 28. °C, development stops at a temperature of + 7 °C. The growing season of amaranth usually lasts 90-130 days, but can be up to 160 days.
A.Retroflexus (breadth upturned)
A.Hybridus (width hybrid)
A.Lividus (bluish breadth)
How they do it in Mexico and Poland
The soil for sowing amaranth should be well prepared, crumbly, warm and slightly moist. It is recommended to fertilize in the same way as corn. According to Mexican farmers, they use the following fertilizers for amaranth:
Nitrogen - 90-100 kg/ha (divided application - the first before sowing, the second - during intensive crop growth).
Phosphorus - from 60 to 70 kg/ha.
Potassium - 60 - 70 kg/ha.
Sowing of amaranth is best done when the soil warms up at a depth of 5 cm to a temperature of 10-13 ° C, as a rule, in the second decade of May. Sowing can be done by hand or with a seed drill. If using a planter, amaranth seeds should be mixed with sand or semolina to ensure even seed placement and seed rate. Seeding rate can be from 0.5 to 5.0 kg/ha, can be sown in row spacings of 20-30 cm or 50-70 cm, at a depth of 1 cm. standing. You can harvest amaranth after the first frosts in October or November, because in conditions of low temperatures (below -5 ° C), the plants begin to dry out. You can use conventional grain harvesters. The yield of amaranth largely depends on the variety and the area where it is grown. For traditional varieties grown in Mexico, the yield is 0.8-1.5 tons of seeds/ha, in Ethiopia - up to 6 tons of seeds/ha. The price of received amaranth seeds is usually at least 3 times higher than the purchase price of wheat.
Culture care. Easy and inexpensive
Insects that would seriously damage amaranth are not yet known. Of the diseases that affect amaranth, the most harmful are leaf spots (dominant - Phoma longissima), root rot caused by growing on wet soils, and also white rust (pathogen Albugo bliti).
Why is it needed, this amaranth
IN Lately amaranth seeds are more and more often referred to as the "grain of the 21st century" because its seeds are more valuable than wheat in terms of nutrient content. Amaranth seeds are characterized by a high content of protein, lysine and other amino acids. The value of amaranth proteins exceeds the biological value of milk proteins. The seeds also contain a large amount of iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, which are one of the important elements in the diet of pregnant women and diets in the treatment of diseases of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. The seeds are characterized by a high content of vitamins B and A, E and C, their content is twice as high as in fiber and oat bran. Also, amaranth seeds contain the enzyme tecotrienol, which is an inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis, which makes this crop promising for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The seeds also contain the substance squalene (about 5-8% of the total oil content of the seed), which stops the aging process and is used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
The green mass (leaves, stems) of all cultivated amaranth species can be used as animal feed; such feed improves the quality of meat and reduces the percentage of obesity in animals. Under favorable growing conditions, up to 100 tons of green mass can be obtained from one hectare. 100 tons of amaranth green mass is 5 tons of pure protein, which in its nutritional value higher than soy protein.
A 2007 study by Bednarczyk and Pasko showed that amaranth seeds or oil can be used to treat people suffering from hypertension and ischemic disease hearts. The reason is that amaranth contains three components that regulate cholesterol biosynthesis: squalene, fiber (fibrous substances) and substances that inhibit trypsin synthesis.
Squalene is one of the main metabolites (substances) involved in the biosynthesis of cholesterol in the liver; it has been proven that it inhibits the activity of key enzymes in cholesterogenesis, that is, it slows down the process of cholesterol formation. According to another hypothesis, squalene inhibits intestinal absorption of fatty acids and cholesterol. Experimental studies on rats have shown that squalene increases the activity of the cholesterol acetyltransferase enzyme, which leads to the accumulation of esters in the liver and prevents the release of free cholesterol into the blood. Squalene also has antioxidant properties.
Fibrous substances are found in large quantities in seeds and leaves. different types amaranth. These substances promote the binding and absorption of fatty acids and cholesterol in gastrointestinal tract thus preventing them from entering the bloodstream. In addition, during the transformation of fibrous substances in the stomach under the influence of microflora, acids (acetic, propionic, butyric) are formed, which inhibit the biosynthesis of cholesterol in the liver.
Trypsin inhibitors stimulate the secretion (production and release) of the enzyme cholecystokinin, which increases the flow of bile into the duodenum. This accelerates the decomposition of cholesterol in the liver, bile acids. And, as a result, a decrease in the content of cholesterol in the blood.
A diet using amaranth oil helps to reduce the frequency of headaches, reduce fatigue during physical exertion. Also, this oil helps to normalize blood pressure, in people with high blood pressure it is reduced by 20%. If you adhere to a strict diet based on amaranth oil, then body weight decreases, on average, by 300 g per day. All these exceptional qualities of the plant are well known to specialists in the pharmaceutical and cosmetology industries, which creates a steady demand for raw materials and semi-finished products from amaranth.
A. Cruentus (crimson amaranth)
A.Caudatus (tailed amaranth)
A. Deflexus (inclined breadth)
The importance of amaranth in the field of environmental protection
Shiritsa (amaranth) refers to plants with C-4 type of photosynthesis, that is, to those plants that intensively and in large quantities bind carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is important in the context of global warming. In addition, the cultivation of amaranth can prevent wind erosion of the soil; in addition, amaranth cleanses the soil of heavy metal ions. These data were confirmed by studies conducted in Poland, in Technical University in Kosice. It was found that this plant has the ability to adapt to environmental conditions and grow and develop normally in conditions of severe soil contamination with heavy metals. Ions of heavy metals and nitrates accumulate in the amaranth root system, which is not used in industry.
In addition, the results of the experiments show that most types of amaranth can be used as a raw material for the production of biofuels. To do this, the amaranth crop is harvested using a combine used to harvest flax. The collected plants are dried, pressed into cubes or briquettes, which are already directly used for the production of biofuels. The energy intensity of amaranth is 14 MJ/kg at a moisture content of 17%.
Another ecological aspect associated with amaranth; since amaranth contains a significant amount of squalene, which is widely used in pharmaceuticals, and until recently it was obtained only from sharks and whales, now amaranth can be safely used as a source of this valuable material, while preserving the biodiversity of the oceans.
Sowing of amaranth with a seeder SPZ-1.5
View of the field after sowing the width
Shoots of width on the 3rd week after sowing
Amaranth plants on the 7th week after sowing
Beginning of flowering
Full bloom of amaranth
Wax ripeness of amaranth seeds
Inflorescences with mature seeds
Harvesting amaranth
Amaranth products on the market
Today on the European market you can find many products from amaranth, these are food products, and additives, as well as various cosmetical tools. Food products - flour, soups and fried amaranth seeds. Amaranth oil is used as an additive to yogurt, kefir, ice cream, salads and desserts. Also, amaranth oil is used in cosmetology as a means to smooth wrinkles. The internal use of amaranth oil is also shown for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and for strengthening the immune system.
For lunch and dessert
Amaranth and Leek Soup
Ingredients: amaranth leaves or roasted seeds, herbal decoction, leek, olive oil, spices: salt, pepper, nutmeg, chopped green onion.
Boil amaranth leaves over low heat for 10 minutes in a broth with vegetables, leeks, then fry in amaranth oil. Add to boiling soup and cook together for a few minutes. When ready, add spices and finely chopped green onions.
Amaranth with vegetables
Ingredients: amaranth seeds, olive oil, carrots, leeks, celery, parsley, peppers, potatoes. Spices: salt, pepper, thyme.
Boil amaranth seeds for about 15 minutes. Fry vegetables in olive oil, add water and boil over low heat. Then add boiled seeds and simmer, add spices, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Dessert with amaranth and nuts
Ingredients: honey or corn syrup, butter or margarine, chopped walnuts or peanuts, amaranth seeds.
Honey or syrup, butter or margarine, heat up, mix, add nuts and amaranth seeds. Mix well, then pour into a thin layer in a baking dish and, after cooling, cut into small pieces.
References and Ukrainian amaranth experiments
The use of amaranth as a silage crop provides an increase in protein production in silage per unit of land area by 16-17%, and lysine - by 2.4 times. In amaranth silage, compared to corn silage, the protein content (in terms of 1 feed unit) increases by 1.7 times, reaching a level of 90-100 g when using mixed crops of amaranth and corn, which is the zootechnical norm for most farm animals. The use of amaranth silage instead of corn silage in the diet of young cattle contributes to an increase in average daily weight gain by 16%, and in the diets of pigs, up to 20% of concentrated feed can be replaced with amaranth silage. All this gives grounds to assert that the widespread use of such a valuable fodder crop for ensiling in the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine will contribute to solving the problem of fodder, increasing the production of livestock products.
Amaranth may also be of interest for agricultural production because, compared to other crops, it requires a small amount of water to create a unit. organic matter: approximately half as much as wheat and barley, and 2.5-3 times less than beans, alfalfa, sunflower. In comparison with corn, labor costs for ensiling amaranth are half as much, the protein content is twice as high, although the yield of amaranth is almost the same as that of corn. Labor and operating costs in growing amaranth for both green fodder, grain, and especially silage are lower than when growing corn.
Consumer society ARGO
Amaranth has long been successfully produced in the Mykolaiv region (“Amaranth of Ukraine”, http://www.amarant-ukr.com.ua/), “Kharkiv-1, medicinal” is cultivated here - the biomass yield is 3 times higher than corn and gives more than 200 tons of biomass with grain. In some experimental areas, a result of 300 tons was achieved. Amaranth has amazing biological qualities:
- Amaranth has two types of roots: fibrous, superficial, which uses moisture from the upper layers of the soil, and taproot, which extracts moisture for the plant from a depth of 7 meters, especially during critical dry periods.
- At high temperatures the stomata in the leaves / airways / close and do not allow moisture to evaporate. This is the strength of this plant, that it can withstand drought and does not die.
- This is perhaps the most high-protein plant, surpassing soy, buckwheat, cow's milk in protein content, not to mention cereals. Of the 20 types of all amino acids that exist in nature, amaranth includes 18.
Kherson Institute of Agriculture of the Southern Region
Amaranth "Ultra" is an annual grain crop of the spring type of the Amaranth family. The tap root penetrates to a depth of 7 m.
The plant reaches a height of 1.6 -1.7 m. The stem is powerful, erect, irregularly rounded. The leaves are placed alternately, they are whole, at the base elongated into a stalk, oval and lanceolate.
The tops of the leaves are notched and slightly pointed. The inflorescence is a complex, branched, golden-colored straight volute 35-45 cm long.
Flowers are small.
The pollination system is mixed.
Amaranth seed is similar to cereal seed.
After harvesting amaranth, carrion does not germinate on the field. The plant tolerates drought well, but dies at a temperature of zero degrees.
Begin sowing amaranth after May 15. For sowing, experts recommend using the Klen seeder.
The application rate of the machine is 0.5 kg, while the use of other seeders gives a consumption rate of 1 kg.
For every 500 plants of the culture, there is 1 mutant of two meters in size, which must be destroyed before flowering.
Amaranth varieties Ultra, Sam and Lera differ in yield and growing season.
Prof. Hazem Kalai, Dr. Carolina Bosa, Ph.D. Agnieszka Grochowska
Hazem M. Kalaji, Karolina Bosa, Agnieszka Grochowska
Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Agriculture, Poland
And finally - from the editorial
It should be noted that the prices for amaranth products and amaranth grain are usually called fantastic ... So (data from four years ago) a liter of pharmaceutical amaranth oil in Europe cost more than 700 euros, a liter of food - 12 euros, a kilogram of flour - 8.6 euros, and so on, but, of course, any agro-industrialist, before growing a crop, must take care of future sales. Prices, channels, duties, etc. today are certainly different from last year. Unless, of course, there are no ideas to grow a fodder crop for your own animal husbandry ... Nevertheless, amaranth is a very interesting crop, especially for small farms that need differentiation in the market and the ability to survive next to huge holdings, doing what holdings do not do. will become.
The amaranth plant has another name: common amaranth. It refers to annual crops. And he "came" to us from America. There are over 900 species of this plant in the world, among which about 80 varieties are used for various purposes by people.
Amaranth grows everywhere, but most of them grow in the subtropics and tropics.
Description
Amaranth plants are annual and perennial, but all varieties have something in common: the stems are erect, branched and quite strong. The stems sometimes reach a height of 2.5-3 meters. And the thickness of the stems can reach 10 cm.
Its leaves are beautiful and are ovate or elongated in appearance, and more often green or slightly purple with a green tint in color, and are arranged alternately on the stems. There are also such varieties of amaranth, the leaves of which have reddish-purple hues and resemble diamonds in shape. Sometimes amaranth is red-green with bright yellow dots. Amaranth flowers are small, collected complex inflorescences that hang down or stand straight. The fruits are in the form of round boxes. The color of the amaranth flower can be white, purple-red or burgundy.
Some varieties
The most famous varieties of amaranth are paniculate, tailed, white-seed and dark red. The tailed or panicled, sad or multi-colored amaranth looks most beautiful in flower beds and front gardens.
Some varieties are weeds and are very difficult to grow in vegetable gardens and beds.
Amaranth is used as feed for cattle and birds. Pets fed with fruits and leaves of amaranth grow better and get sick less. The plant has little greenery. It grows back very quickly after being cut. Just don't mow it too low. Do not touch the bottom leaves.
Application in cooking
For the dish, younger leaves or fried plant seeds, vegetable broth, onion, olive oil are used, but refined sunflower oil, seasonings, salt, pepper, green onion can be used.
Soup is prepared like this:
- amaranth leaves are boiled on a small flame for 10 minutes with vegetables;
- chopped onion, fried in oil;
- onions are added to the soup and boiled for another five minutes;
- at the end, spices and chopped green onions are added.
Vegetables with amaranth seeds
For cooking, seeds, oil, carrots, onions, celery greens, parsley with bell pepper and potatoes. Salt, pepper and thyme are taken as spices.
Amaranth grass seeds are boiled for about a quarter of an hour. Vegetables are fried in oil, poured with warm water and boiled over a small flame. Then seeds and spices are added to the vegetables and boiled for another 10 minutes.
Dessert with nuts
For dessert, you need some honey, margarine, chopped nuts and seeds of an amaranth plant.
Honey and margarine are heated, mixed, adding nuts and slightly boiled amaranth seeds. Mix well, then pour a thin layer into a baking dish, and then cool and cut into small pieces
How to prepare?
This plant is usually harvested only at the end of summer. Only at the end of August does it completely fade, and its seeds ripen. But some varieties of plants need to be harvested in the winter. This is done by hand at home or by a combine harvester if the plant is being harvested in an agricultural field. Stems together with flowers can be stewed and canned, fermented. Shiritsa does not lose its properties and can be stored during freezing and in the freezer more than a year. Some of the seeds are left for planting.
Diseases
The plant is generally resistant to a variety of pests and diseases, therefore there are practically no serious damage to the plant by pests and diseases. But there is harmful leaf spot and white rust. There is also root rot. But all these diseases affect plants living on moist soils. Amaranths do not like high humidity. They prefer dry weather. Therefore, when caring for a plant in a country house or in a garden, you should not be too zealous in watering.
At the same time, references to a wonderful plant are also found in the Slavic world, from time immemorial. they actively ate in Rus', only it was called a shrimp. From the seeds of this plant, our ancestors made flour and baked bread, and also made the famous Spelled. In his reforms, Peter 1 forbade the cultivation of amaranth and the use of amaranth bread, which was previously the main food of the Russian people, which destroyed longevity in Rus' (according to legend, the elders lived for a very long time, even the figure of 300 years is mentioned).
The word AMARANT. Mara is the goddess of death, and the prefix "A" means negation in the language - for example, moral-immoral, etc., linguists are aware.
So it turns out that AMARANTH literally means denying death, or rather granting immortality!!! The word AMRITA - literally we get the same mrita - is death, the prefix "a" is negation.
Pro amaranth and his products (many good things, this is just a part):
The healing properties of amaranth have been known since ancient times. Amaranth oil is a well-known source of Squalene.
Squalene is a substance that captures oxygen and saturates the tissues and organs of our body with it. Squalene is a powerful antitumor agent that prevents the destructive effects of cancer on the cell. free radicals. In addition, Squalene easily penetrates through the skin into the body, affects the entire body and is a powerful immunostimulant.
Unique chemical composition of amaranth determined the infinity of its use as a remedy. The ancient Aztecs used amaranth for feeding newborn children, warriors took amaranth grains with them on difficult campaigns as a source of strength and health. Being a real pharmacy, amaranth was used to treat the royal nobility in ancient India and China. Currently, amaranth is successfully used in different countries in the treatment of inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system in women and men, hemorrhoids, anemia, beriberi, loss of strength, diabetes, obesity, neurosis, various skin diseases and burns, stomatitis, periodontitis, peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum, atherosclerosis. Preparations containing amaranth oil reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, protect the body from the effects of radiation exposure, promote resorption malignant tumors, thanks to squalene - a unique substance that is part of its composition.
Amrita–drink of the gods, the nectar of immortality, also the herb from which it was made.
The word AMARANT. Mara is the goddess of death (among the ancient Rus Slavs and Aryans), and the prefix “A” means negation in the language - for example, moral-immoral, etc., linguists are aware.
So it turns out that AMARANTH literally means denying death, or rather granting immortality!!! The word AMRITA literally gets the same thing - mrita is death, the prefix "a" is negation.
In addition to the wonderful culinary properties that Amaranth oil has, it contains a number of unique substances, trace elements and vitamins, the benefits of which for the body can hardly be overestimated.
The healing properties of amaranth have been known since ancient times. Amaranth oil is a well-known source of Squalene.
Squalene- a substance that captures oxygen and saturates the tissues and organs of our body with it. Squalene is a powerful antitumor agent that prevents the destructive effects of free radicals on the cell. In addition, Squalene easily penetrates through the skin into the body, affects the entire body and is a powerful immunostimulant.
Unique chemical composition amaranth determined the infinity of its use as a remedy. The ancient Slavs and Aryans used amaranth for feeding newborn children, warriors took amaranth grains with them on difficult campaigns as a source of strength and health. Being a real pharmacy, amaranth was used for treatment in ancient Tartaria (the country of the Aryans). Currently, amaranth is successfully used in different countries in the treatment of inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system in women and men, hemorrhoids, anemia, beriberi, loss of strength, diabetes, obesity, neurosis, various skin diseases and burns, stomatitis, periodontitis, gastric ulcer and duodenum, atherosclerosis. Preparations containing amaranth oil reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, protect the body from the effects of radiation exposure, promote the resorption of malignant tumors, thanks to squalene, a unique substance that is part of it.
Healing properties of amaranth known from ancient times. In ancient Slavic medicine, amaranth was used as an anti-aging agent. It was also known by the ancient peoples of Central America - the Incas and Aztecs. Among the ancient Etruscans and Hellenes, it was a symbol of immortality. Indeed, amaranth inflorescences never fade.
It is good and tasty to make bread and add it to soups, especially mushroom soups - you will lick your fingers, you get saturated from a small plate, as it is very satisfying, but you don’t get better from it, but on the contrary, you get a feeling of lightness in the body.
Amaranth seeds are small, like poppies, and the height of the plant is over 2 m. And if it grows alone, then one plant occupies an area of almost 1 m. precious seeds, reddish or golden giant! The yield of amaranth is fantastic - on fertile lands - up to 2 thousand centners of high-quality green mass and up to 50 centners of seeds per hectare.
Amaranth is drought-resistant and frost-resistant in the presence of a high agricultural background does not require top dressing, and animals eat it completely. He is the champion in protein content. It is not without reason that amaranth greens are equated with the most high-calorie sea products - squid meat, because, in addition to protein, the most valuable amino acid for the human body - lysine, it contains 2.5 times more than wheat, and 3.5 times more than in corn and other high lysine cereals.
Excellent food for pets and birds. If you feed it with green mass (up to 25% of other feeds), piglets grow at 2.5, and rabbits, nutria and chickens grow 2-3 times faster, cows and goats significantly increase milk yield and fat content. The green mass of amaranth is fed to pigs with a small amount of turf, and the animals grow rapidly, gaining up to 60 kg of live weight in 4 months.
A large amount of vitamin C and carotene makes amaranth food especially valuable and has a good effect on animals and birds, so they do not get sick.
Amaranth is well ensiled, but it is better to do it in a mixture with corn, sorghum. Since there are a lot of sugars in the green mass of corn, and a lot of protein in the green mass of amaranth, the silage from them is much more nutritious than from the amaranth itself.
But amaranth It's also a great product. It is used in first and second courses, dried, salted and fermented like cabbage, pickled for the winter, soft drinks are prepared that cost more than Pepsi and Coca-Cola.
Amaranth oil has the highest price among vegetable oils and animal fats, in all respects superior to sea buckthorn oil by 2 times and is used during complex treatment radiation sickness, and germinated seeds are similar in composition to mother's milk.
Scientists have found that amaranth also has effective medicinal properties. Scientists explain this by the fact that especially strong biofields are inherent in amaranth seeds, which determine its miraculous healing properties. Or such a fact. Rickets chickens after two days of feeding with amaranth remains from seeds (chaff) immediately recovered. And further. All owners of rabbits in the neighborhood had a case of animals - both adults and young animals. And those who used amaranth as feed did not have a single one.
Especially effective for successful beekeeping.
Pantry squirrel, culture of today and the future - this is how biologists of the world call this plant. Experts from the UN Food Commission recognized it as a culture that will help provide the growing population of our planet with high-quality protein.
It is advisable to sow amaranth on green mass with row spacing of 45 cm, then thinning the crops after they reach a height of 20-25 cm, leaving 10-12 plants per linear meter. If for seeds - then with row spacing of 70 cm, leaving 4-5 plants per linear meter. Sowing dates are the same as for corn, when the soil warms up to 8-10 gr. C heat.
After germination, the main concern is to prevent weeds from drowning them out. Care is needed for three weeks, then the amaranth itself oppresses all its "opponents". Its roots are strong and can penetrate to the soil water, taking away not only moisture, but also the necessary mineral elements, which contributes to the formation of a huge biomass. Thus, amaranth can play the role of an ameliorant and provide valuable feed with high-quality protein.
For regions with risky agriculture, it is very promising, because. in drought conditions it is able to produce constant yields, and in optimal conditions - high yields of biomass and grain.
Gathering amaranth from therapeutic purpose, it must be borne in mind that it can be used for greens already when the plants reach a height of 25-30 cm; leaves can be collected from the lower tiers of plants throughout the summer until late autumn, while it is still growing, eaten, harvested for the winter and for the manufacture of medicinal preparations
Grain should be harvested when the top leaves turn creamy and the seeds show signs of easy shedding. It is necessary to dry the greens under a canopy, in drafts, without access to sunlight.
Amaranth should be stored in a dry, dark and well-ventilated place, preferably hung in linen or paper bags.