Amaranth Greens / Bayam

Name: Amaranth greens, known as bayam in Malay and Indonesian, callaloo in the Caribbean, chaulai in India and yin choy in Chinese (Amaranthus spp., including A. tricolor and A. dubius). They are not the same as spinach, though the Malay word bayam is also used loosely for spinach.

Description

Amaranth is an ancient crop of the Americas, grown by the Aztecs for its grain, and as a leaf vegetable it spread to Africa, India and Asia, where it is now a staple. The leaves come in green and red or purple forms, and the red types stain cooking liquid a bright colour.

The leaves are tender and mild, with a flavour a little like spinach, and cook in a couple of minutes. In Southeast Asia, bayam is stir-fried with garlic or cooked in clear soups, and in the Caribbean, callaloo is stewed with coconut milk.

Main nutrition value

Amaranth greens are rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron and folate, and are higher in iron and protein than many greens.

How best to be consumed

Amaranth greens cook quickly, and are best not overcooked.

1. Stir-fry with garlic, or with chilli and dried shrimp, in the Southeast Asian style.
2. Add to clear soups, such as Chinese and Filipino-style broths.
3. Stew with coconut milk, onions and thyme for Caribbean callaloo.
4. Wilt into dals and curries, as in Indian chaulai saag.
5. Use young leaves raw in salads, and remove thick stalks from older plants.

Overconsumption could cause…

Amaranth greens are safe in food amounts.

1. Oxalates, which matter for people prone to kidney stones when eaten in very large amounts, and which reduce the absorption of calcium and iron from the leaves.
2. Possible effects on warfarin and similar blood-thinning medicines because of the high vitamin K content, so keep intake steady rather than avoiding them.
3. Foodborne illness from poorly washed leaves, so rinse well, especially bagged and ready-to-eat salad.
4. Possible effects on mineral absorption from the oxalates when eaten in very large amounts.

GroupsLeafy Green VegetablesAmaranth family (Amaranthaceae)Low fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in potassiumRich in vitamin CRich in vitamin KFresh

Related foodsSpinachBeet GreensBaby SpinachSwiss Chard / SilverbeetChicoryShungiku / Chrysanthemum Greens

Wikipedia — Amaranth, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth