Synonyms/Common Names/Related Substances:

• Achis, achita, acid red 27, African amaranth, African spinach, alegra, amarante, amaranth grain, amaranth hybrid, amaranth seed oil, amaranth tender, Amaranthaceae (family), amaranthoideae, Amaranthus acanthochiton, Amaranthus acutilobius, Amaranthus albus, Amaranthus arenicola, Amaranthus australis, Amaranthus bigelovii, Amaranthus blitoides, Amaranthus brownie, Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus californicus, Amaranthus cannabinus, Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus chihuahuensis, Amaranthus chlorostachys, Amaranthus crassipes, Amaranthus crispus, Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus deflexus, Amaranthus dubius, Amaranthus edulis, Amaranthus fimbriatus, Amaranthus floridanus, Amaranthus gangeticus, Amaranthus graecizans, Amaranthus greggii, Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Amaranthus leucocarpus, Amaranthus lineatus, Amaranthus lividus, Amaranthus mantegazzianus, Amaranthus minimus, Amaranthus muricatus, Amaranthus obcordatus, Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus paniculus, Amaranthus polygonoides, Amaranthus powelii, Amaranthus pringlei, Amaranthus pumilus, Amaranthus quitensis, Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus rudis, Amaranthus scleropoides, Amaranthus spinosus, Amaranthus standleyanus, Amaranthus thunbergii, Amaranthus torreyi, Amaranthus tricolor, Amaranthus tuberculatus, Amaranthus viridis, Amaranthus watsonii, Amaranthus wrightii, amaranto, amarantos, arowo jeta, ataco, Australian amaranth, azorubin, bayam, bayam bhaji, bayam hedjo, bigelow's amaranth, biteku teku, bledos, blero spinach, bondue, bone-bract amaranth, brown's amaranth, buautli, bush greens, C.I. 16185, C.I. Food Red 9, California amaranth, calaloo, calalu, California pigweed, callaloo, careless weed, chihuahuan amaranth, Chinese spinach, choito, coimicoyo, common amaranth, common waterhemp, crispleaf amaranth, cuime, E123, efo tete, elephant head amaranth, FD&C Red No. 2, Florida amaranth, foxtail amaranth, fringed amaranth, fringed pigweed, fuchsschwanz, golden grain of the Gods, green amaranth, greenstripe, Gregg's amaranth, guegui, hinn choy, huautli, Indian spinach, Joseph's-coat, khada sag, kiwicha, komo, kulitis, lady bleeding, large-fruit amaranth, lenga lenga, linoleic acid, livid amaranth, love-lies-bleeding, lovely bleeding, mat amaranth, mchicha, Mexican grain amaranth, millmi, mystical grains of the Aztecs, oleic acid, pale-seeded amaranth, palmer pigweed, Palmer's amaranth, palmitric acid, pendant amaranth, pigweed amaranth, pilewort, Powell amaranth, Powell pigweed, prickly amaranth, Prince-of-Wales-feather, Prince's feather, princess feather, Pringle's amaranth, prostrate amaranth, prostrate pigweed, purple amaranth, quilete, quinoa de castilla, quintonil, ramdana, red amaranth, red cockscomb, red-root amaranth, redroot pigweed, Reuzen amaranth, rough-fruit amaranth, sandhill amaranth, sangorache, seaside amaranth, sharp-lobe amaranth, slender amaranth, smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, southern amaranth, spinach grass, spiny amaranth, spleen amaranth, spreading amaranth, squalene, stearic acid, super grain of the Aztecs, surinam spinach, tall amaranth, tall waterhemp, tampala, tassel flower, thorny amaranth, thotakura, Thunberg's amaranth, tidal-marsh amaranth, Torrey's amaranth, Trans-Pecos amaranth, tropical amaranth, tumble pigweed, tumbleweed, vegetable amaranth, velvet flower, vitamin E, Watson's amaranth, white pigweed, wild beet, wild blite, Wright's amaranth, yin choi.

Clinical Bottom Line/Effectiveness

Brief Background:

• Amaranth (Amaranthus L.) is grown in Asia and the Americas and harvested primarily for its grain, which is used as a food source. The three species of amaranth grain most commonly used are Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus cruentus, and Amaranthus hypochondriacus (1). Amaranth grains are used as an ingredient in foods such as bread, pasta, and infant food.
• Amaranth oil has been shown to significantly decrease total levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL in humans when administered in conjunction with a hyposodium antiatherogenic diet (HAD), which may be beneficial for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (2;​3;​4;​5;​6;​7;​8). Amaranth oil, in conjunction with an antiatherogenic diet, has also shown antioxidant and immune stimulant properties in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia and ischemic heart disease (9;​10) and in animals (11). However, in other study in adults with high cholesterol, the inclusion of amaranth into a low-fat diet had no significant effects beyond what was achieved in the group that received only the low-fat diet (12). Therefore, although amaranth appears to have a positive effect on lowering cholesterol, this effect may be a result of incorporating a heart healthy diet and may not be due solely to amaranth. Animal studies also have indicated that amaranth oil may reduce diabetic complications by lowering blood sugar levels (13;​14).
• Clinical trial data is currently limited regarding the efficacy of amaranth oil for any indication. High quality research is needed before recommendations can be made.

Dosing/Toxicology

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Precautions/Contraindications

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Interactions

Most herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested for interactions with other herbs, supplements, drugs, or foods. The interactions listed below are based on reports in scientific publications, laboratory experiments, or traditional use. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy.

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Mechanism of Action

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History

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Evidence Table

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Evidence Discussion

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Products Studied

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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