A pseudocereal is one of any non-grasses that are used in much the same way as cereals (true cereals are grasses). Their seed can be ground into flour and otherwise used as cereals. Examples of pseudocereals are amaranth (Love-lies-bleeding, red amaranth, Prince-of-Wales-feather), quinoa, and buckwheat.

Pseudocereals are effective supplements to conventional cereals. The protein contents of pseudocereals like quinoa, amaranths and buckwheat are much higher than cereals, and the quality of proteins is also much improved containing higher amount of lysine which is lim- iting in cereals. The amino acids composition in pseudocereals is outstanding, with a high content of essential amino acids. In particular, methionine, lysine, arginine, tryptophan ...

If you live in India, don’t even go looking for quinoa. Eat Amaranth (available easily and cheaply as ‘chaulai’. Gluten free, fibre packed and a complete protein, this 'pseudocereal' is actually a seed. One cup of uncooked amaranth has 31% of your daily need for calcium, 14% for vitamin C, and a whopping 82% for iron.

It's great for everyone but especially good for people with PCOD/insulin resistance/high cholesterol levels.

I like mine toasted in muesli. Have you had this super food? Tell me: sonamyadav@juverne.com

In Mexico, amaranth is often popped like popcorn and mixed with honey, molasses or chocolate to make a popular treat in “alegría” (meaning “joy”). How fitting.

Buckwheat groats, called kasha, are sold in whole and granulated form. Kasha can be baked, boiled, or steamed to serve as an alternative to rice and potatoes. Buckwheat flours have been used extensively in pancake mixes as well as in various breads. The Japanese mill buckwheat groats into flour for use in the production of soba noodles, a major part of the Japanese diet. Buckwheat flour is the primary ingredient in such European dishes as polenta and Zganci.

Amaranth Muesli