Grow these varieties for their tasty and tender young leaves, for their beautiful and long-lasting flowers, or to harvest amaranth seeds. Amaranth grain has been harvested since ancient times, and amaranth was one of the basic foods of the Incas. Amaranth seeds are unusually high in complete protein, but have no gluten. They can be eaten as a grain (like one would eat rice or quinoa), or ground into flour. The leaves of several amaranth species are enjoyed as cooked greens around the world, particularly in India, Fiji, and China. Whether growing amaranth seeds for greens or grains, they are all very attractive plants that work equally well in the flower or vegetable bed.