Callaloo: A Nutritious Weed
Posted in Interesting Plant Stories on November 6, 2013 by Ina Vandebroek
Dr. Ina Vandebroek is an ethnomedical research specialist at The New York Botanical Garden‘s Institute of Economic Botany. As part of her research, she is studying the use of Jamaican plants for food and medicine.
Callaloo is one of the most popular green leafy vegetables in Jamaica. The young leaves of this (semi-)domesticated species are chopped and steamed with onions, scallions and salt to make the popular dish of the same name. Amaranthus viridis is commonly known as garden callaloo in Jamaica, but other species include Amaranthus dubius (Spanish callaloo) and Amaranthus spinosus.