An Introduction to the Characteristics, Edible Uses and Precautions of Wild Amaranth

Wild amaranth is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Amaranthus in the family Amaranthaceae. It mostly grows in fields, along roadsides, on wasteland and around houses, and is one of the common wild vegetables in rural areas. Its appearance is similar to cultivated amaranth, but the plant is usually taller and more slender, with smaller leaves that tend toward green and a fresh fragrance peculiar to wild vegetables. Common wild amaranths found in various places include redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), wrinkled-fruited amaranth (Amaranthus viridis) and spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus); different species differ slightly in leaf shape and plant height.

The tender stems and leaves of wild amaranth are edible, and those picked from spring to early summer are generally the most tender. In folk practice it is often stir-fried, made into soup, or blanched and served as a cold dish, and in some regions it is also used to make dumplings or vegetable balls. This kind of wild vegetable contains fairly rich calcium, iron and various vitamins, and its nutritional value ranks relatively high among leafy wild vegetables. When picking it, tender tips and leaves are best, as the stems become fibrous and poor in texture once they age.

Before eating, it is advisable to blanch it briefly in boiling water, which both removes part of the oxalic acid and makes the texture more tender. People with weak digestion should not eat too much at one time, and when gathering it for food, care should also be taken to avoid field edges and roadsides that have just been sprayed with pesticides, so as to ensure it is clean and hygienic.

Besides being eaten as a wild vegetable, the tender stems and leaves of wild amaranth are also often used to feed pigs and chickens, and it is a traditional source of green fodder in rural areas. It is highly adaptable and reproduces quickly, and is often cleared as a weed in farmland, but in many places it is also a seasonal delicacy on the table in early summer.