Several Mapleton entrepreneurs have developed a new cereal with a three-step punch: it's quick, it's healthy, and it has a long shelf life.

"Amaranth is a seed high in protein," said Albin Dittli, part owner in the business. "It's one of only three or four seeds in the world that is a whole protein."

Dittli said the seed was used anciently by the Incas and the Aztecs. Cereal packages sport a label with the Amaranth story - explaining "Aztecs considered amaranth sacred" and "athletes and warriors ate it as their power food to give them extra strength."

The group started with a similar cereal about a year ago, but have since changed to the Aztec product, which was produced for the first time April 16.

"We actually started with a cereal similar to what we have although we've changed the formula," Albin Dittli said. "We like the Aztec Power food formula better."

Dee Bradford likes the idea of the cereal for emergency purposes.

"We've been involved in emergency preparedness but we didn't have a good no-cook, ready-to-eat food," Bradford said. Finding this cereal fits that need he said it's nutritious and long lasting.

"It has a shelf life, even if you don't replace it every six months or so, of several years," Bradford pointed out. "We've been told five years, but we're confident it's good for at least two years."

The product is manufactured in the Bradford's clean room production facility on their property in Mapleton. The group gathers every couple of weeks to fill orders from their Web site and for local businesses.

"We buy the ingredients in 50 pound bags or barrels," said Ada Dittli, Albin's wife. "It comes in bulk and we weigh and measure it out, bag it, and print the labels ourselves."

While amaranth is packed with protein it is also a good source of dietary fiber and iron.

Albin Dittli said the plant itself is beautiful - about four feet tall bearing tiny purple flowers.

"A plant produces about 60,000 seeds per plant," he said. "It's then popped or puffed in low heat," where the seed opens.

The seeds are quite tiny -- about the size of a poppy seed but the cereal mix includes a variety of items including rolled oats, sunflower kernels and brown flax seed. It comes in three forms: Delight, Pro and Supreme.

Amaranth Delight and Amaranth Pro are available with chunks of dried pineapple, apricots, pears, cranberries or mango. There is also a raisin apple variety. Delight can also be ordered with freeze-dried strawberries and the Supreme variety is only available with strawberries and bags range from $10 to $13 a bag for 13 to 17 servings.

Like any good salesman, Bradford said he likes all the flavors, saying they are just different enough to give variety to what you are eating but he did note a preferred flavor.

"My all time favorite is the freeze-dried strawberry," Bradford said. "There's a zing to it."

With sales up it seems there is a following for the unique cereal. It's currently sold locally at the Herb Shop and Herbal Health Baskets in Orem, at Beehive Health Essentials and Nuño's in Spanish Fork, and most recently, at Christopher's Herb Shop on Main Street in Springville. Several locations of Gold's Gym also carry various products.

The cereal and other products can also be ordered online at www.vitallifeproducts.com

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Kaye Nelson can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for story ideas