Amaranth
Scientific names: Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus paniculatus, Amaranthus dubius, Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Amaranthus frumentaceus, Amaranthus leucocarpus, Amaranthus roxburghianus, Amaranthus spinosus, Amaranthus tricolor, Amaranthus mangostanus
Family: Amaranthaceae
Alternate names: Alegría, Amarante, Amarante-Grain, Amarante-Grain Géante, Amaranto, Chua, Huantli, Huatlí, Kantanoty, Khaddar-Chaulai, Lady Bleeding, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Lovely Bleeding, Pilewort, Prickly Amaranth, Prince's Feather, Rajgira, Ramdana, Red Cockscomb, Red Spinach, Rhamdana, Royal Grain, Smooth Amaranth, Spiny Amaranth, Tandulja, Velvet Flower
Actions: Blood pressure lowering, Cholesterol lowering, Hypoglycemic
Background
Amaranth is a plant. The seed, oil, and leaf are used as food. The entire plant is used to make medicine.
Amaranth is used for ulcers, diarrhea, swelling of the mouth or throat, and high cholesterol, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
In foods, amaranth is used as a pseudocereal.
Amaranth is used for ulcers, diarrhea, swelling of the mouth or throat, and high cholesterol, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
In foods, amaranth is used as a pseudocereal.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: The seed, oil, and leaves of amaranth are LIKELY SAFE when used in food amounts. Taking amaranth as a medicine is POSSIBLY SAFE when used for 3 weeks or less.
It is not known if using amaranth as medicine is safe or what the possible side effects might be.
It is not known if using amaranth as medicine is safe or what the possible side effects might be.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if amaranth is safe to use as a medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Possibly ineffective Effectiveness definitions
- High cholesterol. In people with high cholesterol, eating a low-fat diet that includes amaranth oil or muffins enriched with amaranth doesn't seem to lower cholesterol any better than simply following a low-fat diet. In overweight adults, taking amaranth oil daily does not appear to affect good cholesterol levels and may actually increase bad cholesterol levels.
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions
- Low levels of healthy red blood cells (anemia) due to iron deficiency. Early research in children shows that eating bread made from amaranth grain daily increases healthy red blood cell levels.
- Stomach ulcers. Early research shows that amaranth oil doesn't help stomach ulcers in people already being treated with medications.
- Diarrhea.
- Swollen mouth and throat.
- Other conditions.
Dosing & administration
The appropriate dose of amaranth depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for amaranth. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
It is not known if Amaranth interacts with any medicines. Before taking Amaranth, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Action
Amaranth contains chemicals that act like antioxidants.
There is interest in using amaranth for high cholesterol because some research in animals suggests that it might be able to lower total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol, while raising "good" HDL cholesterol. But amaranth doesn't seem to have these benefits in people.
There is interest in using amaranth for high cholesterol because some research in animals suggests that it might be able to lower total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol, while raising "good" HDL cholesterol. But amaranth doesn't seem to have these benefits in people.
Products
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Per 5 g:
Practitioner product
Per 5 g:
- Amaranth powder
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Wheatgrass powder
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder
- Urtica dioica (leaf) powder
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Artichoke inulin
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
- Malus (Apple)
- Citrus limon (Lemon)
- Quinoa (sprout) powder
- Sea mineral complex
- Taraxacum officinale ext.
- Silybum marianum ext.
- Rosmarinus officinalis ext.
- Opuntia ficus indica (cladode) (Prickly pear)
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Stevia rebaubiana (leaf) ext.
- Mint flavour
- Medicago sativa
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (sprout) powder
RRP: $134.95$94.47Save: 30%
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Per 30 g (Creamy Vanilla):
- Amaranth powder
- Pea protein isolate
- Vaccinium corymbosum powder
- Rubus idaeus powder
- Euterpe oleracea (berry) ext. (Acai)
- Medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
- Natural flavours
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) (Flaxseed)
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Sunflower seed
- Quinoa powder
- L-leucine
- L-isoleucine
- L-valine
- L-glutamine
- Levocarnitine (L-carnitine)
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Fagopyrum esculentum powder
1 kg Creamy Vanilla
RRP: $79.99$70.39Save: 12%
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Per 35.5 g (Chocolate):
- Amaranth powder
- Pea protein concentrate
- Oryza sativa (Rice protein)
- Hordeum vulgare
- Wheatgrass powder
- Quinoa powder
- Medicago sativa
- Malus (Apple)
- Vaccinium corymbosum
- Vaccinium macrocarpon
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Coriandrum sativum
- Petroselinum crispum
- Cynara scolymus
- Raphanus raphanistrum (Wild radish)
- Taraxacum officinale
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Apium graveolens
- Beta vulgaris
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato)
- Brassica oleracea var. italica
- Armoracia rusticana
- Brassica oleracea var. viridis
- Nasturtium officinale
- Ocimum basilicum
- Piper nigrum
- Mentha spicata
- Theobroma cacao (Cocoa powder)
- Natural flavours
- Malpighia glabra ext. dry
- Cordyceps sinensis
- Ganoderma lucidum
- Lentinula edodes
- Grifola frondosa
- Trametes versicolor
- Cannabis sativa (seed) powder
- Agaricus subrufescens
- Stevia rebaubiana
RRP: $64.96$58.47Save: 10%
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Per 10 g (Berry):
- Amaranth powder
- Beta vulgaris powder
- Lithothamnion tophiforme (Red algae)
- Phyllanthus emblica
- Glycine
- Curry leaf extract
- Psidium guajava (Guava)
- Citrus limon (Lemon)
- Ocimum tenuiflorum
- Bixa orellana
- Soy lecithin
- Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui berry)
- Adansonia digitata (Baobab)
- Choline bitartrate
- Rosa canina powder
- Laminaria digitara (Kelp)
- Millet (sprout)
- Quinoa powder
- Larix spp.
- Coconut water powder
- Cysteine hydrochloride
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Citrus bioflavonoids extract
- Tocopherols concentrate - mixed (Vitamin E)
- Inositol
- Natural blackcurrant flavour
- Mushroom powder
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
- Thaumatin
- Ananas comosus (Bromelain)
- Magnesium phosphate tribasic
- Zinc sulphate monohydrate
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Sodium molybdate
- Citric acid anhydrous
- Natural raspberry flavour
- Natural cranberry flavour
- Chlorella vulgaris powder
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Fagopyrum esculentum powder
- Salvia hispanica (seed) powder
Practitioner product
Per bar (Cayenne Chilli):
- Amaranth powder
- Beef
- Sea salt
- Vitis vinifera (Currents)
- Coconut aminos
- Acetic acid (Vinegar)
- Spices
- Lactic acid
- Capsicum spp.
12 bars Cayenne Chilli
$64.95
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This monograph was last reviewed on 22/02/2023 11:00:00 and last updated on 10/12/2014 22:50:36. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
