Shiritsa ordinary. Herb amaranth photo healing properties

Shiritsa - amaranth

In Russian, this plant is called shiritsa, and its Latin name translates as "immortal". Indeed, hard, prickly amaranth inflorescences retain their color and shape for a long time in dry bouquets.

The English call it pigweed, which means pig weed. Indeed, amaranths are readily eaten by all domestic animals. Greens and seeds of many types of amaranth have long been used as food. In America, before the arrival of Europeans, amaranth was the second most important grain crop after corn. And in some places the first. Amaranth is much less thermophilic than corn, so in more severe areas it became a staple food. Its seeds contain 7.9% fatty oil, 19% protein, 41% starch, 2% sugar, 10.9% fiber. Groats and flour were prepared from amaranth, bread was baked and porridge was cooked. Amaranth leaves were boiled and eaten like spinach.

1 - amaranth (amaranth) thrown back; 2 - bluish amaranth

A lot of food was used different types, for example, amaranth prickly, hybrid, tailed, tricolor. The last two species are now more often bred as ornamentals because of the interesting coloration of these plants. Not all, however, amaranths come only from America. It is believed, for example, that tricolor amaranth comes from tropical Asia, one of the most common in our country - panicled amaranth grows in India and the Himalayas. Amaranths easily run wild and become weeds.

The appearance of the common or upturned amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus) is well known to everyone who has ever weeded potatoes. Amaranths are plants that appear relatively late, they sprout when the soil warms up properly, and develop slowly at first. As a result, they bloom only at the end of July and until September. The upturned amaranth is usually a fairly large plant, reaching 1 m in height, although it may be less, depending on the growing conditions. Stems erect with spread or raised branches, leaves on long petioles, ovate or ovate-oblong, obtuse, with a short nose, wavy along the edge, with protruding veins, wedge-shaped towards the base. Inflorescences at the ends of the shoots and in the axils of the leaves in the form of green hedgehogs. Seeds are small, black, very shiny. The whole plant is covered with short hairs. Shoots of this amaranth are slightly reddish and smell like beets, for which it is sometimes called beetroot or rubella.

Often found in the Moscow region and another type of amaranth - bluish amaranth (A. lividus). It is a soft, greenish-bluish plant with decumbent or ascending stems, slightly translucent and reminiscent of glass. The leaves are also wavy, ovate, with a notch at the top. Inflorescences are short, capitate, soft, almost balls in leaf axils. This plant is most commonly found in the south.

Sometimes one more species comes across - white amaranth (A. albus). It is similar to the common one, but differs in that it has a whitish stem, and all inflorescences are located only in the axils of the leaves.

All shiritsy are delicious boiled, as an addition to soup, in the form of mashed potatoes or simply boiled greens, stewed. Of course, you need to take some leaves or young non-flowering twigs. Raw amaranth is not that tasteless, but too rough and harsh, so it can only be added to a mixture of other herbs. This does not apply to the bluish shiritsa.

The caudate shiritsu is bred for seeds, which is quite often found in flower beds. The yield of seeds in the north is 1 ton per hectare, in the south up to 6 tons. This is due to the fact that one amaranth plant produces up to 700 thousand seeds. For such fertility, many types of amaranth are listed as quarantine weeds.

One of the oldest grain crops in the mountain agriculture of North and South America, Tibet and Ethiopia was sullen amaranth (A. cruentus). They can replace cereals and seeds of our usual amaranth. She even has such a name - Tatar millet. The leaves of the common amaranth are used in folk medicine as a weak diuretic, an aqueous infusion of leaves for colitis and diarrhea, as a hemostatic and for hemorrhoids. The decoction is said to help with headaches.

Recently, amaranth has become a fashionable cultivated plant. But before you start breeding it on the site, you should take a closer look at the wild species. All amaranths are excellent fodder plants for livestock and poultry. The high content of proteins and unpretentiousness in culture make them very promising plants. In any case, if these weeds have appeared on your site, get at least some benefit out of it. Amaranth flour can be added to baked goods, it gives the products a slight nutty flavor, and you can get flour in a regular coffee grinder. To obtain flour, even special varieties with white seeds have been bred (in ordinary amaranths they are black and shiny), which do not spoil the appearance of baking.

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 necessary for a person.

Description

Common amaranth, beetroot, 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 ancient plant, which 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. The dried flowers of this plant evoke Nice memories about 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 watered olive oil, add lemon juice and use as a side dish for fish dishes.

In folk medicine, they are 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 traditional healers and doctors of traditional medicine actively use this amazing plant in their practice. Preparations based on it are indicated for the treatment of:

• some diseases 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. This therapeutic bath is 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 (tea). 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.

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 all corners 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 the Warsaw Agricultural University to a Mapuche village in Chile. From there he brought amaranth seeds.

Character and habits: botanical characteristics and ecological requirements

Species Shiritsa (Amaranhtus) belongs to the family Amaranthaceae, order Clove (Caryophyllales) 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 some perennial species 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. The optimum temperature for the growth and development of amaranth is + 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 the intensive growth of the crop).
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 t seeds/ha, in Ethiopia - up to 6 t 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, as well as white rust (pathogen Albugo bliti).

Why is it needed, this amaranth

Recently, amaranth seeds are more and more often called the “grain of the 21st century”, since 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 coronary heart disease. 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 in rats have shown that squalene increases the activity of the enzyme cholesterol acetyltransferase, 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 the seeds and leaves of different types of amaranth. These substances promote the binding and absorption of fatty acids and cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby 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 stick strict diet based on amaranth oil, then body weight is reduced, 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 carried out in Poland, at the 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, supplements, as well as various cosmetics. 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 stomata in leaves / Airways/ are closed 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 hair, 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 editor

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 will become.

Among the many weeds, amaranth can be noted, which is quite common in our area. How does she look? What do you need to get rid of weeds in your garden? Despite its medicinal properties, it has no place in the garden.

Description of the weed

Shiritsa, its other name is amaranth. Compared to uprooting other weeds, such as dandelions, quinoa, upturned amaranth is quite difficult to remove. This herb was brought to China, India, Europe from South America over a century ago. Under natural conditions, the grass was torn and eaten by the natives. The grass is also called "Inca bread" because its small seeds were ground and used as flour. In Spain, the flower was associated with evil spirits, so plants were not planted in this country.

In Asia, amaranth is put in salads, grass is used as a seasoning for meat. In Greece, olive oil, lemon juice are poured onto the grass and amaranth is put as a side dish for fish.

The note! Young amaranth leaves can be added to salads, they contain a lot of iron, ascorbic acid and carotene.

Infusions from the herb of amaranth are drunk with diarrhea, constipation, diseases of the stomach and intestines. For cooking, collect the grass, cut it finely. Pour 1-3 tbsp. spoons of herbs in a glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, then filter. The drink is divided into 3 parts, the infusion is drunk three times a day before meals.

In case of skin diseases, the prepared dried amaranth is finely chopped, 400 g of grass is poured into 2 liters of boiling water in a saucepan. Then boil for 15 minutes. Then leave for half an hour and pour into the bath. The bath is taken three times a week. The upturned amaranth grows only 1 year, the stems can be up to 1 m high. The amaranth, in the photo the plant has a straight stem, has a slight pubescence on it, and a long red rhizome in the form of a rod, extending to a depth of more than 2 m.

The weed amaranth perfectly tolerates drought, as the root can absorb moisture from great depths. As the photo shows, amaranth grass has large diamond-shaped leaves. In the photo, the amaranth has grayish-green leaves on the outside, and on the lower part they are reddish. The grass has petioles and veins with reddish stripes. She has black shiny seeds up to 1 mm in diameter, they germinate in early spring at a temperature of 5 degrees.

The note! The buds open from June to October. One plant can have both female and male red small flowers. They are collected in long inflorescences in the form of panicles.

Fruits are in the form of a box in the form of eggs. They are grayish green and contain black seeds. From 1 plant, up to 1.7 million seeds can be obtained. The number of seeds depends on the lighting, without sunlight, the plant produces much less seeds.

Control measures

With a favorable summer, up to 1 thousand stalks of amaranth grow per 1 m². Culture well withstands frost, drought. Grass grows on any land.

Shiritsa, how to get rid of a weed? Control measures can be:

1. Mechanical.
2. Chemical.
3. Biological.

mechanical pull-out

This is the most commonly used method for removing grass. First, in autumn and spring, they dig deep into the ground, and then pull out the stems along with the rhizomes.

It is impossible for the grass to begin to bloom, so it is pulled out during the season as often as possible. You can dig the soil not with a shovel, but with a pitchfork, then you will remove the amaranth roots whole, do not cut them into small pieces, otherwise new shoots will sprout on those pieces of roots that remain in the ground. And you can use a cultivator, walk-behind tractor, tractor.

biological method

In order for the common amaranth to grow, it needs good lighting. Therefore, if it is dark for a long time, then it can destroy the shoots and roots.

To darken, you can put mulch, for example, cardboard, roofing felt, boards, black film. If you mulch the space where the amaranth grew with a material that does not let the sun's rays through, then the seeds will not germinate. In addition, it will be quite hot under such material, so the amaranth sprouts will burn out. But this method will require a fair amount of patience, as the plants may not die in one growing season. Another disadvantage of this method is that if earth accumulates on the surface of the covering material, then amaranth seeds can get into it.

But the covering material should be chosen carefully, since under the dark film the soil will become very hot, and the roofing material can release harmful resins.

Note! Instead of these materials, you can use organic mulch, pouring it with a layer of 5-10 cm. This is the bark of trees, pine and spruce spruce branches, sawdust.

But you need to remember that fresh sawdust oxidizes the soil. And also they do not saturate the earth with nutrients, but draw them out. Therefore, sawdust is mixed with fertilizers or poured into a compost heap for 1-2 years, and only then used. During this time, bacteria appear on the sawdust, saturating them with useful substances.

It is highly recommended in the spring to mulch the beds with needles from pines or Christmas trees. If it is placed near strawberries, then it will protect the berries from gray rot, they will remain clean after showers. But the needles also oxidize the earth, so ash is poured onto the soil, which, on the contrary, reduces acidity.

If you decide to put the bark, then it should be crushed into pieces 1-5 cm in size. The bark is perfect as a mulching material under trees and shrubs.

Mulch Benefits:

• with it, the site becomes more beautiful, neat;
• it suppresses the growth of amaranth, its seeds do not spread over the site;
• the soil is protected from compaction, erosion and erosion by rainstorms;
• it protects the soil from excessive water loss and moisture evaporation;
• in winter, mulch retains heat in the ground, so plants planted in spring grow faster;
• berries and vegetables do not fall directly to the ground, so they do not rot;
• it protects the soil from the appearance of slugs, snails;
• organic mulch rots and then enriches the earth, it activates the activity of worms.

Depletion of amaranth

This can be done if you have a small area. Constantly cut the weed with the shiritsa upturned, that is, the stems that rise above the ground. Since in a culture the stems and roots are interdependent, if the stems die, the roots may also die. If you do this very often, then the amaranth will die.

Sowing green manure, herbs

This method is used near tree trunks and between bushes. Grass is sown in these spaces. You can sow the area near vegetable plantations with marigolds and marigolds, as they not only prevent amaranth from growing, but also repel pests from vegetable crops.

And on a flower bed it is better to sow a perennial aquilegia. You can sow green manure - rye, mustard. When the plants sprout, they are covered with a dark film and left until spring. Then the grass will perepreet under the film and serve as fertilizer, and besides, the amaranth will not be able to sprout.

Chemical method

Shiritsa weed, how to fight with chemistry? Herbicides can only be used on amaranth growing near fences, on paths in the garden, and also where there are no plantings.

Herbicides used:

• Tornado;
• Hurricane;
• Roundup;
• Glyphos;
• Lapis lazuli and others.

But when applying, remember that herbicides are toxic, poison from them accumulates in the ground and plants.

Prevention measures

Don't forget about preventive measures. When lining the mulch under the plants, do not use dry grass with seeds. Do not add fresh manure when fertilizing the soil, as amaranth seeds can sprout even after a cow's stomach, and fresh manure can be infested with helminths.

When you want to make a compost heap, do not put mature grass with seeds there, but put grass that has not yet begun to bloom. After collecting fruits, vegetables, sow free places with green manure. Cut small amaranth plants with flat cutters.

amaranth upturned, common amaranth, or amaranth upturned - Amaranthus retroflexus

Class dicots, family Amaranth.

A weed of the amaranth family. Late spring annual. The homeland of shiritsa is the eastern and central regions of the United States. Grows and develops everywhere. Colossally clogs fields, orchards and orchards, meadows. Abundant on humus, permeable, nutrient-rich, and above all nitrogen, soils. The upturned amaranth is especially aggressive and harmful in tilled crops and late sowing. On loose soil, strongly developed plants grow, which inhibit the growth of cultivated plants.

The root of the amaranth has an upturned rod, can grow to a depth of 135-230 cm, has a pink-beet shade. The stem is erect, has pubescence. Its height is from 20 to 150 cm. The stem is light green or reddish in color.

The leaves are placed alternately, oblong or ovate-rhombic in shape. The flowers are collected in oblong, dense paniculate spicate inflorescences, yellowish-green in color. The fruit is a shiny, lenticular, black seed squeezed on the sides. The weight of 1000 seeds is up to 0.4 g. Seedlings have oblong cotyledons. Their length is from 6 to 10, and their width is from 1.5 to 2.5 mm. Shoots of bluish-green color, with anthocyanin pigment.

Seed germination temperature: minimum 6-8, optimum 26-36°C. Seeds give the best shoots in the dark from a depth of no more than 3 cm. And in the first year of their ripening they almost do not germinate. Also, in the fields, the amaranth, which is upturned, can appear in two phases: in spring, as a rule, seeds germinate covered with soil, and in summer, at high temperatures, both covered with earth and those on its surface sprout.

From one plant, common amaranth, you can collect up to 1 million seeds. Seeds can be viable up to 40 years.

The upturned amaranth is a very aggressive weed and clogs the soil quite strongly. Up to 1000 seedlings can be counted per 1 m 2.

For the destruction of amaranth thrown back, layer-by-layer tillage is used. Young seedlings can be easily destroyed by surface tillage. Also, this plant is controlled by most herbicides that inhibit the process of photosynthesis, based on several active substances: bromoxynil, nicosulfuron, imezatapir, 2,4-D, dicamba, thifensulfuronmethyl, glyphosate, rimsulfuron.

shiritsa upturned photo

Amrita is the drink of the gods, and we know the herb from which it was made as "amaranth". Mara - the goddess of death (among the ancient Rus-Slavs and Aryans), the prefix "a" means negation in the language.

Amaranth literally means "bestower of immortality."

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 free radicals on the cell. In addition, squalene easily penetrates through the skin into the body, affects the entire body and is a powerful immune stimulant.

The unique chemical composition of 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, peptic ulcer of the 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 the resorption of malignant tumors, thanks to squalene, a unique substance that is part of it.

Squalene was first discovered in 1906. Dr. Mitsumaro Tsujimoto from Japan isolated an extract from the liver of a deep-sea shark, which was later identified as squalene (from Latin squalus - shark). From a biochemical and physiological point of view, squalene is a biological compound, a natural unsaturated hydrocarbon. In 1931, professor at the University of Zurich (Switzerland), laureate Nobel Prize Dr. Claur proved that this compound lacks 12 hydrogen atoms to reach a stable state, so this unsaturated hydrocarbon captures these atoms from any source available to it. And since water is the most common source of oxygen in the body, squalene easily reacts with it, releasing oxygen and saturating organs and tissues with it.

Deep-sea sharks need squalene to survive the severe hypoxia (low oxygen) when swimming at great depths. And people need squalene as an anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial and fungicidal agent, since it has long been proven that oxygen deficiency and oxidative damage to cells are the main causes of aging of the body, as well as the emergence and development of tumors. Entering the human body, squalene rejuvenates cells, and also inhibits the growth and spread of malignant tumors. In addition, squalene is able to increase the strength of the body's immune system several times, thereby ensuring its resistance to various diseases.

Until recently, squalene was extracted exclusively from the liver of deep-sea sharks, making it one of the most highly scarce and expensive products. But the problem was also that there is not so much squalene in the shark liver - only 1-1.5%.

The unique antitumor properties of squalene and such great difficulties in obtaining it have forced scientists to intensify their search to find alternative sources of this substance. Modern research found the presence of squalene in small doses in olive oil, wheat germ oil, rice bran, and yeast. But in the process of research, it turned out that the highest content of squalene in the oil is from amaranth grains. It turned out that amaranth oil contains 8-10% squalene. This is several times more than in the liver of a deep-sea shark.

In the course of biochemical studies of squalene, many other interesting properties. So, it turned out that squalene is a derivative of vitamin A and during the synthesis of cholesterol it turns into its biochemical analogue 7-dehydrocholesterol, which becomes vitamin D in sunlight, thereby providing radioprotective properties. In addition, vitamin A is much better absorbed when it is dissolved in squalene.

Then squalene was found in the human sebaceous glands and caused a whole revolution in cosmetology. After all, being a natural component of human skin (up to 12-14%), it is able to be easily absorbed and penetrate into the body, while accelerating the penetration of substances dissolved in the cosmetic product. In addition, it turned out that squalene in the composition of amaranth oil has unique wound healing properties, easily copes with most skin diseases, including eczema, psoriasis, trophic ulcers and burns. If you lubricate the skin area under which the tumor is located with amaranth oil, the radiation dose can be significantly increased without the risk of getting a radiation burn. The use of amaranth oil before and after radiation therapy significantly accelerates the recovery of the patient's body, since getting inside the body, squalene also activates the regenerative processes of the tissues of internal organs.

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.

The Indian name for amaranth is ramadan (granted by God). Amaranth is a clear confirmation of the truth: the new is the long-forgotten old. The plant that fed the population of the American continent eight millennia ago now stands before us in the form of a stranger. We have received some facts about economic importance amaranth for the last Aztec empire ruled by Montezuma in the early 16th century AD. The emperor received 9,000 tons of amaranth as a tax. Amaranth has become an integral part of many ritual actions in which paint made from it was used. Obviously, this was the reason that the Inquisition declared the plant a hell of a potion, as a result, the Spanish conquistadors literally burned the Huatli crops, destroyed the seeds, and punished the disobedient with death. As a result, amaranth almost disappeared from Central America.

But no fear of the conquerors could force the Indian tribes to abandon the cultivation of huatli. Especially in hard-to-reach mountain villages. And it's not even in pagan rituals. Bread made from maize (corn) suppressed hunger, but caused intestinal inflammation and pain. The addition of huatli to the dough deprived the peasants of suffering.
It is not surprising that Mexico, the USA, the countries of Central and South America began to cultivate amaranth in large areas.

UN Food Commission for Food and healing properties recognized amaranth as a culture of the 21st century.
They make delicious bread from amaranth and add the plant to soups. Satiety comes from a small plate, but at the same time there is 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 for nothing that amaranth greens are equated with the most high-calorie seafood products - squid meat, because, in addition to protein, the most valuable amino acid for the human body - lysine is 2.5 times more than in wheat, and 3.5 times more, than in corn and other high-lysin cereals.

Amaranth is a wonderful 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 is also a wonderful product. It is used in the first and second courses, dried, salted and sour like cabbage, pickled for the winter, soft drinks are prepared.

Amaranth oil has the highest price among vegetable oils and animal fats, surpasses sea buckthorn oil by 2 times in all respects and is used during the complex treatment of radiation sickness, and germinated seeds are similar in composition to mother's milk.

Amaranth has effective medicinal properties. Scientists explain this by the fact that especially strong biofields are inherent in amaranth seeds. Rickets chickens after two days of feeding with amaranth remains from seeds (chaff) immediately recovered. All owners of rabbits in the neighborhood had a case of animals - both adults and young animals. And those who used amaranth as food did not have a single one.

cultivation

It is advisable to sow amaranth for green mass with row spacing of 45 cm, thinning the crops after they reach a height of 20-25 cm. Leave 10-12 plants per running meter. If sowing 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 degrees.

After germination, the main concern is not to let the weeds drown them out. Care is needed for up to three weeks, then the amaranth itself oppresses its competitors. Its roots are strong and can penetrate to soil water, taking not only moisture, but also the necessary mineral elements, which contributes to the formation of powerful biomass. Thus, amaranth can play the role of an ameliorant and provide valuable feed with high-quality protein.

For regions with risky farming, amaranth is very promising, because. in drought conditions it is able to produce constant yields, and in optimal conditions - high yields of biomass and grain.

When collecting amaranth for medicinal purposes, it must be remembered that it can be used for greenery 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 they are still growing, and then eat, harvest for the winter and for the manufacture of medicinal preparations

The kernels are 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.

Reference "Northern gardener" : In Rus', this plant was called not amaranth, but amaranth. Shiritsa can still be remembered by our grandmothers. Several varieties of amaranth still grow everywhere today as a weed.

A few recipes for eating shiritsa:

SALAD: 200 g of amaranth leaves and 200 g of nettle leaves, 50 g of wild garlic leaves (can be replaced with young winter garlic leaves), pour boiling water over, chop, salt, season vegetable oil or sour cream.

Shchi: in 500 ml of meat or chicken broth with boiled potatoes, add 400 grams of amaranth leaves and 100 g of sorrel leaves (before that, put the leaves in boiling water for 3 minutes); cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat, break up 2 raw eggs, lightly beat and pour into the broth, stirring constantly; when serving, add sour cream to taste.

SAUCE: in a deep bowl, bring 300 g of cream to a boil, put 200 g of finely chopped young amaranth leaves into the cream; add 100 g of grated soft cheese and 5 g of ground black pepper to the hot mixture, put on a small fire again, stir until the cheese is completely melted.

CUTLETS: fry 50 g of amaranth seeds, mash boiled potatoes (100 g) and peas (100 g), grate carrots (50 g); mix all products thoroughly with the addition of 2 raw eggs; make small cutlets, roll them in breadcrumbs or flour, fry in vegetable oil.

GREENS CUTLETS: prepare minced meat from 200 g of blanched amaranth leaves (dip for 3 minutes in boiling salted water, chop), 50 g of mashed non-sharp cheese with a clove of garlic and 50 g of white bread pulp, 2 tablespoons of wheat flour; add 2 raw eggs, ground black pepper and salt to taste in minced meat; if necessary, dilute with a little cream; Roll cutlets in breadcrumbs, fry in olive oil.

CUTTERS: prepare minced meat from 200 g of fried seeds or amaranth flour, 150 g of minced meat (beef, poultry meat), 2 eggs, salt to taste; roll the formed meatballs in wheat flour, lightly fry over high heat. Stew in tomato sauce with fried onions and carrots.

TEA: a tablespoon of fresh or dried amaranth leaves and flowers (can be replaced with seeds) and half a teaspoon of lemon balm or mint brew 100 g of water heated to 70 degrees; hold in a sealed container for 5-7 minutes, add boiling water to 200 g; sugar or honey - to taste.

DRINK "VICK": Rub 4-5 large ripe tomatoes through a sieve (previously remove the skin from them). Pour a glass of sour bread kvass or Tan (Ayran, Koumiss) fermented milk drink into the resulting puree, add 7-8 crushed amaranth leaves, a quarter of a dessert spoon of black ground pepper. Beat the mass until smooth. The drink is ready to drink. It is especially recommended to the male population as a folk "green viagra".

Annual herb amaranth is a common weed found everywhere in fields, gardens, and roadsides. Few people know that traditional medicine reveres it as a medicinal plant, because it contains a large number of substances useful to humans.

Shiritsa belongs to the Amaranth family, throughout the summer it blooms with small yellow-green flowers, which are collected in dense, elongated panicle inflorescences.

Traditional medicine uses all parts of this medicinal plant in its recipes. Harvesting of medicinal raw materials should be carried out from mid to late summer.

The chemical composition of the plant

The seeds and leaves of amaranth contain fatty oil, which is saturated with related acids: stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic. The roots of a medicinal plant can boast of the presence in their composition of amaranthine, isoamaranthine, betanine, isobetanine. In addition, the plant contains alkaloids.

The use of amaranth in folk medicine

Shiritsa is able to effectively stop bleeding, so traditional medicine advises using it in case of bleeding of very different localization: uterine, intestinal, hemorrhoidal, pulmonary. An extract from dried amaranth has a bactericidal effect, and an infusion of its leaves is a diuretic.

Infusions based on amaranth are used to treat ailments of the digestive system: diarrhea, constipation, colitis, and also as a remedy for pain in the intestines. With the help of this medicinal plant, they also treat:

• chronic inflammation of the uterus;
• jaundice;
• rishtu;
• headache;
• dysentery;
• various tumors.

Young shoots of amaranth are consumed orally to saturate the body with essential vitamins. In addition, amaranth is used on the farm as a feed for poultry; seeds of a medicinal plant are used for these purposes.

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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, beetroot, 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 herbaceous plants with small red flowers, which are collected in inflorescences - dense, spike-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.

This is an annual herbaceous plant with 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 and confectionery products, drinks are made from grains. 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 folk medicine, sprouted grains are 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 for use as additives in dietary products: bakery products, cereals, confectionery and pasta.

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.

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Common shiritsa: useful properties

Despite the fact that amaranth, or amaranth, is a weed plant, and earlier it was most often used for livestock feed, people eventually noticed its beneficial properties and 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. This therapeutic bath is 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

For 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 (tea). 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.

Amaranth - Divine gift or
great grass

Shiritsa in science is known as Amaranth, which means unfading, because shiritsa is one of the frost-resistant plants. In Asian sources, wild amaranth is interpreted as "Majid" - the Great Grass, and cultural samples of amaranth are popularly called "cockscomb" all over the world.

Amaranth for more than eight thousand years among the South American and Mexican Aztecs and Incas was the main food, which, under the yoke of the Spaniards, they forgot it. The invaders forbade them to sow amaranth. Recently, at the initiative of the UN, the Americans began to widely cultivate amaranth. But there is a fear that American geneticists, like corn and rapeseed, have not modernized amaranth either.
But among the hill tribes of India, Pakistan, Nepal and China, amaranth is found as a grain and vegetable crop to this day. In these places, young amaranth leaves are cooked like hot dishes from spinach, and dried leaves are prepared for soups for the winter. And oils are squeezed out of the grains, and the body of amaranth goes like high-quality feed for their livestock for a whole year in the form of silage, which smells like a pleasant apple smell.
The divinity of Amaranth wandered to the Asians, probably from the Indians. They called him Ramadan - a divine gift. As if ramadan is synonymous with majid. Amaranth leaves gently treat all types of inflammation, and does not have an unpleasant taste and complications after taking the medicine. Quickly stops all bleeding and heals internal and external ulcers. Especially amaranth oil contains a lot of tocopherol and squalin, which are not found in such more not in one vegetable or animal fat. By the way, before squalin was finished off from shark fat, which was contained dozens of times in smaller quantities, and cost hundreds of times more. Since squaline cannot be artificially created, therefore, its only main source is amaranth oil. At the same time, amaranth is a very highly profitable crop. Up to 50 grains of amaranth can be harvested per hectare.
Squaline is such a valuable lipid for health, which lowers blood cholesterol levels, destroys excess free radicals, improves the taste and quality of food, and also because of the content a large number tocopherol and squalin, amaranth oil is the most valuable nutrition for pregnant women and children. Shiritsa oil inhibits the growth of cancer cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi are destroyed under the action of squalin, blood composition improves, squalin in combination with tocopherol has a rejuvenating effect on the human body as a whole.
Decoctions, infusions, tinctures, amaranth oils are used in folk medicine in different countries in the treatment of inflammatory processes of the genitourinary, respiratory and digestive systems in women, men, the elderly and children. Also used in the treatment of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, anemia, beriberi. Shiritsa is also useful for loss of strength, diabetes, obesity, neurosis, various skin diseases and burns, stomatitis, periodontitis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Especially amaranth oil with St. John's wort oil treats burns without scarring. The greatest effect from the use of amaranth oil is obtained in the treatment of cardio vascular diseases and atherosclerosis. If patients with cardiosclerosis or cerebrosclerosis take 25 grams of amaranth oil every day in the morning and evening for a year, their blood circulation improves and ischemia of the heart and brain disappears, and these patients are saved from further misfortune of heart attack and stroke or sudden death. Extend their lives for many years.