Amaranth flour: plenty of iron on paper, a mixed record in the blood

In a randomized trial in 499 Kenyan infants, 9 months of complementary foods built on germinated amaranth lowered hemoglobin by 0.9 g/dL compared with a fortified corn-soy blend (95% CI 0.5 to 1.3 lower). The comparison was a fortified food, and the authors read the result as poorly absorbed iron. A second trial points the other way. In Southern Ethiopia, 100 anemic children aged 2 to 5 ate 5.3 oz (150 g) a day of bread made from 70 percent amaranth and 30 percent chickpea, with the grain soaked, germinated and fermented at home to lower its phytate. After six months 32 percent were anemic against 56 percent on maize bread (adjusted risk ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.77), while iron deficiency itself did not change significantly. On paper the flour is rich. Across 8 USDA samples it averaged 7.56 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g), with single samples running from 3.68 to 13.3 mg.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Across 8 USDA samples, amaranth flour averaged 7.56 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g), but samples ranged from 3.68 to 13.3 mg, a more than threefold spread. — USDA FoodData Central Foundation Foods, Flour, amaranth, 8 analyzed samples (n = 8 samples) Evidence E source
  Iron 7.56 mg (range 3.68 to 13.3), magnesium 232.7 mg (84.7 to 276), calcium 135.2 mg (35.8 to 160), fiber 7.2 g (2.42 to 9.16), protein 13.2 g per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What your body absorbs

• In an RCT of 499 Kenyan infants, complementary foods based on germinated amaranth for 9 months lowered hemoglobin by 0.9 g/dL against fortified corn-soy blend, pointing to poor iron absorption. — 499 infants from 6 months, nine monthly rations of germinated amaranth based foods (71 to 82.5% amaranth) or fortified corn-soy blend (n = 499) Evidence B source
  Hemoglobin -0.9 g/dL (95% CI -1.3 to -0.5) for WinFood Classic and -0.4 g/dL (95% CI -0.8 to 0.0) for WinFood Lite vs CSB+, no difference in fat-free mass or length

What cooking and storage change

• In a cluster RCT of 100 anemic Ethiopian children aged 2 to 5, six months of bread made from soaked, germinated and fermented amaranth cut anemia to 32% against 56% with maize bread. — 100 anemic children aged 2 to 5 years in Southern Ethiopia, 150 g bread a day (70% amaranth, 30% chickpea) for six months (n = 100) Evidence B source
  Anemia 32% vs 56%, aRR 0.39 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.77), hemoglobin +8.9 g/L (95% CI 3.5 to 14.3)

Safety, limits and interactions

• The first reported case of anaphylaxis to amaranth flour was a 60-year-old woman who reacted within 5 minutes of eating Rajgira (amaranth) seed flour, confirmed by skin prick and oral challenge. — one 60-year-old woman in India (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Anaphylaxis within 5 min, positive skin prick test and oral challenge, high specific IgE, three IgE-binding protein fractions
• A review of allergy reports on traditional Mexican milpa foods listed amaranth among only 13 of 71 foods with an identified allergen, mostly profilins and lipid transfer proteins. — 71 foods of the Mexican milpa diet, PubMed reports matched to WHO/IUIS allergen list (n = 71 foods) Evidence C source
  51 of 71 foods with allergy reports, 13 with identified allergen including amaranth, profilins in 61.5% and nsLTP in 53.8%

What is still unknown

• A meta-analysis of 10 amaranth food interventions in 1225 people found no significant overall rise in hemoglobin. — 10 randomized and quasi-experimental studies since 2000, mostly young children and lactating mothers (n = 1225) Evidence C source
  Standardized mean difference 0.08 (95% CI -0.11 to 0.26), I2 57.1%

The bottom line

Pooled together, the trials leave the question open. A meta-analysis of 10 amaranth food studies in 1225 people, mostly young children and breastfeeding mothers, found no significant overall rise in hemoglobin (standardized mean difference 0.08, 95% CI -0.11 to 0.26). It carries a lower level than the two trials because it mixes randomized and non-randomized designs. Its authors name the gap themselves: nobody has pinned down how cooking shifts the balance of phytate to iron. The iron figure on a label is loose too, since the same flour varied more than threefold between samples. Per 100 g the USDA average is 13.2 g of protein, 7.2 g of fiber, 135 mg of calcium and 233 mg of magnesium. We have no portion data for the flour. Who should be careful: people who have reacted to amaranth before. The allergy is rare and real. The first reported case of anaphylaxis to amaranth flour was a 60-year-old woman in India who reacted within 5 minutes of eating amaranth seed flour, confirmed by skin prick test and an oral challenge. A review of traditional Mexican milpa foods listed amaranth among 13 of 71 foods with an identified allergen, and it did not measure how common the allergy is. We have no card on amaranth in celiac disease, in pregnancy or alongside medicines.

Sources

1. amfl-r2-01 · reference dataset
   Flour, amaranth | Iron, Fe 7.56 mg, range 3.68-13.3, median 7.145, samples 8 | Magnesium, Mg 232.7 mg, range 84.7-276.0, samples 8 | Calcium, Ca 135.2 mg, range 35.8-160.0, samples 8 | Fiber, total dietary 7.209 g, range 2.42-9.16, samples 8 | Protein 13.2093 g, range 10.3545-14.2155
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods release 2026-04-30, Flour, amaranth (FDC 2512371) · checked 2026-10-02
2. amfl-r2-03 · randomized controlled trial
   Compared with the increase in Hb in CSB+ group, there was a reduction in Hb in WFC of -0.9 g dl-1 (95% CI [-1.3, -0.5]) and a lower increase in WFL -0.4 g dl-1 (95% CI [-0.8, 0.0]). In conclusion, the tested WinFoods had the same effect on FFM and length as CSB+, whereas Hb and iron status decreased, suggesting inhibited iron bioavailability from the amaranth-based WinFoods.
   Matern Child Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-10-02
3. amfl-r2-02 · cluster randomized controlled trial
   The amaranth group (N = 50), received 150g bread containing 70% amaranth and 30% chickpea, the amaranth grain was processed at home (soaking, germinating, and fermenting) to decrease the phytate level. ... In the last follow-up measure anemia prevalence was significantly lower in the amaranth group (32%) as compared with the maize group (56%) [adjusted risk ratios, aRR: 0.39 (95%CI: 0.16-0.77)].
   PLoS One, 2020 · checked 2026-10-02
4. amfl-r2-05 · case report
   A 60 year old female suffered anaphylaxis after consuming Rajgira seed flour generally consumed during fasting. Food allergy to Amaranth seeds is not reported so far. The patient reported to hospital with complaints of itching in mouth, choking throat, redness and swelling of face and burning abdomen within 5 min of consuming Rajgira flour. Clinical and immunological investigations revealed SPT and oral challenge positivity beside high allergen specific IgE in the serum of the patient.
   Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol, 2013 · checked 2026-10-02
5. amfl-r2-06 · descriptive review
   The Milpa diet includes 71 foods; 51/71 (68%) have food allergy reports, and only 13/51 (25.49%) have an identified allergen (peanut, tomato, sunflower seeds, corn, pea, lentil, pumpkin, chili, papaya, pineapple, amaranth, avocado, and green bean). The most frequently reported allergens were profilins 8/13 (61.53%), nonspecific lipid transfer proteins 7/13(53.84%) and PR-10 2/13(15.38%).
   Rev Alerg Mex, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
6. amfl-r2-04 · meta-analysis
   Ten studies were included from 1,032 articles (n = 1,225). The standardized mean hemoglobin concentration difference between groups was positive, with an overall effect of 0.08 (95%CI: -0.11, 0.26; p = 0.433), where I2 is 57.1%.
   Public Health Rev, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02