Veda Maath / वेद माठ / Slender Amaranth / Amaranthus viridus

  • Local Name: Veda Maath / वेद माठ
  • Common Name: Slender Amaranth
  • Botanical Name: Amaranthus viridus

Status & Habitat

  • Habitat: Shrub

  • Occurrence: Barren land, farm bunds

  • Season of Availability: Year-round

  • Geography: Warm regions of the world: tropics, subtropics, and temperate

  • Method of Propagation: Seed and vegetative propagation

  • Part used for Propagation: Seeds and Stem cuttings

Edible Parts

  • Edible Parts: Roots, stem, leaves, seeds

  • Can be Eaten Raw: Yes

Method of Consumption

  • Raw: No

  • Ripe: N/A

  • Both Raw & Ripe: N/A

  • Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A

  • As Food: Leaves are cooked as vegetable

  • As Medicine: Anti-Infammatory for urinary infections. Poultices of leaves are used to treat inflammation. Antidote against snake bites

  • Cooking Method: Leaves can be cooked, boiled, and drained with or without salt.

  • Preservation / Curing Technique: A cooler made from brick, sand, a water tank, water lines and fiber can be made for long-term storage

  • Does Require Another Plants to be cooked together: No

  • Souring Agents Required: N/A


Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

  • Nutritional Benefit: High in protein

  • Medicinal Benefit: Antidote against snakebite. Anti-inflammatory action against urinary infections

Tribal Wisdom

  • Tribal Wisdom: Stems, leaves, and roots are used as a liver tonic.
    A decoction of the roots is used to relieve piles, diarrhea, pain, and inflammation.

Recipes / Usage

  • Tribal Recipe / Usage: Maath Bhaji: Add oil, mustard seeds, garlic, onion, salt and chili powder to a kadai. Then add chopped maath leaves