Have you been to Mexico?

Mexico is well known for having rich culture and traditions. This country also has an incredibly diverse geography and is the cradle of many common foods that you consume today on a daily basis. Thousands of years ago, civilizations such as the Aztec and Mayan, domesticated important plants such as corn, chia, tomato, pumpkin, chocolate, vanilla, beans, among many others. However, amaranth had special place in the diet of these culture.

Amaranth, like many other key elements of the indigenous cultures of the Americas, stopped being produced on a large scale until it was almost extinct due to the underestimation of its nutritional value by the arriving Europeans.

In recent years, many studies have revealed the tremendous nutritional content hidden in the tiny grain. Despite its promising health benefits, amaranth is a crop that is still little known in the world, its production is not attractive enough for the corporate agro-industrial system.

Is amaranth the same all over the world?

Currently, amaranth is produced in several countries in Africa, Asia, South America and to a lesser extent in Europe, yet it is sold as a product of "Aztec origin" (Mexican).

However, the majority of the species, strains and varieties of amaranth that are harvested in those countries are not the same as those that are grown in Mexico. Incredible ancient varieties and strains of amaranth are grown in Mexico such as "Mixteca", "Mercado", "Mexicano", "Azteca", among many others. These varieties of amaranth have better nutritional content compared to those grown outside of Mexico.

Who are the amaranth producers in Mexico today?

In present-day Mexico, specifically in the ancient Aztec lands, small producer families have carried the tradition of cultivating and harvesting the oldest and best species of amaranth in the world for hundreds of years.

Producers are concentrated in the central region of Mexico. Many of them are at the south of Mexico City (Xochimilco-Tulyehualco), where some of the best farmlands of the Aztec civilization were located.

Amaranth bars are handcrafted by small groups of producers and are offered locally.

The production of amaranth does not generate as much profit as many other crops, especially if it is produced using traditional artisanal methods, requiring more intensive work and attention to detail. For this reason, the living conditions of these small producers are compromised and many of them abandon this special heritage to migrate and find work. Those who choose to remain and carry on this ancient tradition do so to preserve their identity and celebrate the benefits that amaranth has to offer.

Amaranth is a highly energetic and nutrient-rich food. By purchasing it directly from producers we are helping to combat poverty in the region, migration, and environmental degradation.