The Mayas, Incas ...

Amarantus

was acknowledged by
the Incas and Aztecs
as a holy plant -
in Europe it was used
as a decorative plant

In Latin America

Amarantus called in Poland amaranth or Amaranth (read– Amaranth the same as the name of the firm) belongs to the group of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.
The Maya civilization was probably the first which cultivated amaranth. Before the discovery of America it had been alongside with corn potatoes and beans the basic crop and was acknowledged by the Incas and Aztecs as a holy plant. It played an important role in religious ceremonies of South American Indians. They made deities out of Amaranth dough with addition of human blood and cakes which were supposed to give more strength and bravery to the worriers Indians baked rolls made zoala (gruel) and tortillas as well as drinks from amaranth. Young shoots and leaves of amaranth were used as vegetables and spices.

... and in Europe

After the ban of amaranth cultivation which was introduced by Spanish conquerors for political and religious reasons the importance of the plant radically dropped in those areas.

The Spanish brought the seeds of amaranth to Europe though and in the XVI and XVII centuries it became a decorative plant of.

European gardens at first and later on was eaten as porridge Amaranth was cultivated in Germany India and Ceylon in the Himalayas central China and eastern Siberia.

Nowadays amaranth is grown on a large scale in the countries of both Americas in south-eastern Asia and in Africa.

Amaranth - an important nutritional source