Accordingly, a lot of vegetables contain a bit of nitrates that are safe for consumption. The **amaranth or red spinach** holds the highest content, followed by the spinach and lettuce. Whereas the adage of "Eat your greens!" is pretty much healthy in the amount of ones' intake, the amaranth on another hand needs MODERATION in its' daily consumption, for the reason that it is also rich in **oxalate acid**, a toxic component to our kidneys which can lead to **kidney stones**. 

![20181102_072553.jpg](https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/QmVoALT5LVxtxY6nizcWW4eBLD4rm62Snp6L5rNujcNERX)


#### Nitrates
</br>

As a cardiac nurse, almost 99% of our patients are on nitrates to lower or control their blood pressure. How they work is that they vasodilate our arterial walls, lowering the intrinsic pressure. Orally and as an infusion, they are good in BP control in an acute setting or as a daily maintenance. The effectivity is short-term the reason that people on nitrates take them 2-3x a day. 

**Now as a natural medicine, imagine on munching a salad, rather than a pill, dripping with a thousand island dressing.** Add-on a homemade garlic sauce and you can drop grinning with hypotension. Or maybe not.

How potent the amaranths are is difficult to quantify nor we can adjust the frequency if and when we decide to consume them for our blood pressure. Majority of literatures online give warnings when taking them, with a few articles saying the amount is insignificant.

![Screenshot_20181102-090008.jpg](https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/QmSpvJsQCQN9g8MCqfdtW7LZgEqZwgVGiu9ktNU2yJ9kjF)
<center>[screenshot source](https://livehealthy.chron.com/vegetables-high-nitrate-content-7388.html)</center>

![20181124_072451.jpg](https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/QmeQroim6dfgxNQXajoFQZJhzTFUzYwR9hwsgpAcbE839d)


#### Oxalate acid
</br>

Amaranths contain oxalate acid that when combined with other components in our kidney metabolism, crystals or [kidney stones](http://www.kidney-symptom.com/kidney-failure-diet/613.html) may developed which then may lead to worst scenario of blocking the renal tubules that can lead to **kidney failure**. Some literature do give warnings for people on low oxalate diet against intake of high oxalates vegetables and fruits, more so with amaranth.

The images in this post were taken from our backyard where on occasions, we have harvested a few for salads, mixed with other edible greens. As to quantify it's nitrates content, that would be difficult so it's much safer to minimise intake or ingest less frequently. 

Please do further research as required.

**References:**
https://livehealthy.chron.com/vegetables-high-nitrate-content-7388.html
https://www.foodsafety.gov.mo/e/sense/detail.aspx?id=efd55ce0-dffd-4cb9-99ee-217177d9c70e
https://www.nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com/news/article_page/Highnitrate_energy_boost_from_amaranth/123252
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthus_palmeri

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