Start Date
2024 12:00 AM
Abstract
Demand for culturally preferred leafy greens in the United States is rising rapidly due to increased awareness among cultural groups about their culinary heritage and the desire for diverse and healthy diets. This demand is further amplified by the disproportionate effects of food insecurity on minoritized ethnic populations. The health and nutrition of immigrant populations in the US tend to deteriorate over time due to acculturation, as these communities replace their traditional diets and cultural practices with American ones. Leafy green amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is an economically and nutritionally significant crop among ethnic minority communities in the Northeastern US and globally. Amaranth is a heat-resistant, drought-tolerant crop with strong resilience to climate change and abiotic stress. It is an excellent supplement to locally grown spinach in summer due to its similar flavor and nutrient density. Its rapid growth allows it to adapt quickly in urban and peri-urban settings with limited agricultural resources. However, production is limited by inconsistent germplasm, a lack of standardized growing practices, and a general lack of mainstream consumer awareness of this nutritious leafy green. Consumer surveys were disseminated along the Eastern US from 2010-2022, identifying amaranth as one of the top 10 desired leafy greens among Asian Indian, Chinese, and Mexican consumers. Once the market demand was established, variety trials of globally collected amaranth seeds took place from 2021-2022, beginning with 97 lines collected from the USDA-GRIN seed bank, the World Vegetable Center, American commercial lines, and Rutgers advanced breeding lines. From the original 97 distinct lines, 37 lines were selected for continued evaluation based on field performance, cultural preference, and nutrient density. Our leafy amaranth selections meet or exceed the iron, magnesium, and protein levels in spinach, creating the opportunity for a locally sourced substitute in the summer. Several of these amaranths are available to use and others are now poised for further selection and breeding in order to develop improved varieties for introduction into urban spaces with large migrant and diaspora communities with aims to increase healthy eating habits through culturally preferred food choices.
Keywords
Culturally Preferred Produce; New Leafy Greens; Nutrition and Human Health; Climate-Resilient crops; Food Security; Orphan Crops
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Rosen, Tori; Govindasamy, Ramu; Ayeni, Albert; and Simon, James E. (2024). "Amaranth greens as a model for nutrient-dense, culturally preferred produce in an urban setting," Urban Food Systems Symposium. https://newprairiepress.org/ufss/2024/proceedings/8
Amaranth greens as a model for nutrient-dense, culturally preferred produce in an urban setting
Demand for culturally preferred leafy greens in the United States is rising rapidly due to increased awareness among cultural groups about their culinary heritage and the desire for diverse and healthy diets. This demand is further amplified by the disproportionate effects of food insecurity on minoritized ethnic populations. The health and nutrition of immigrant populations in the US tend to deteriorate over time due to acculturation, as these communities replace their traditional diets and cultural practices with American ones. Leafy green amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is an economically and nutritionally significant crop among ethnic minority communities in the Northeastern US and globally. Amaranth is a heat-resistant, drought-tolerant crop with strong resilience to climate change and abiotic stress. It is an excellent supplement to locally grown spinach in summer due to its similar flavor and nutrient density. Its rapid growth allows it to adapt quickly in urban and peri-urban settings with limited agricultural resources. However, production is limited by inconsistent germplasm, a lack of standardized growing practices, and a general lack of mainstream consumer awareness of this nutritious leafy green. Consumer surveys were disseminated along the Eastern US from 2010-2022, identifying amaranth as one of the top 10 desired leafy greens among Asian Indian, Chinese, and Mexican consumers. Once the market demand was established, variety trials of globally collected amaranth seeds took place from 2021-2022, beginning with 97 lines collected from the USDA-GRIN seed bank, the World Vegetable Center, American commercial lines, and Rutgers advanced breeding lines. From the original 97 distinct lines, 37 lines were selected for continued evaluation based on field performance, cultural preference, and nutrient density. Our leafy amaranth selections meet or exceed the iron, magnesium, and protein levels in spinach, creating the opportunity for a locally sourced substitute in the summer. Several of these amaranths are available to use and others are now poised for further selection and breeding in order to develop improved varieties for introduction into urban spaces with large migrant and diaspora communities with aims to increase healthy eating habits through culturally preferred food choices.
