Quinoa or quinoa is a food that, although relatively new to us, has been gaining popularity in recent years.
It is a pseudocereal cultivated mainly in the Andes mountain range, with Bolivia and Peru as the largest producers. In addition to these two countries, quinoa has also been cultivated in Ecuador, Chile and Colombia for thousands of years.
This pseudocereal from the South American continent has the eight essential amino acids for humans.
This, along with its other properties, make it a very nutritious and healthy food that is also easy to digest. Among the eight amino acids provided by quinoa consumption, lysine stands out, key for brain development, arginine and histidine, essential for general development during childhood.
Quinoa contains, on average, 16% protein, but its content can reach up to 23%, more than double that of other cereals. This high protein content is remarkably close to the percentage recommended by the FAO for human nutrition. For this reason, it has been proposed by NASA as a basic food for long-duration space travel.
Quinoa has a low fat content, while it is a food rich in fiber and essential minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and zinc . The fats found in quinoa are mainly unsaturated. Specifically, omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated essential fatty acids stand out. This makes it a useful food for regulating blood cholesterol levels. In addition, its consumption also provides different proportions of vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9, as well as choline and vitamins C and E.
Since quinoa has a low glycemic index, it is an ideal food for people who suffer from diabetes, as well as for those who want to lose weight. Furthermore, since this pseudocereal does not contain gluten, it is a great ally for celiacs.
On the other hand, the presence of flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol among its components make quinoa an optimal source of antioxidants for maintaining a good state of general health.
How to include quinoa in your diet
With this seed we can make all kinds of dishes, from hamburgers, salads, cakes, or use it to replace oatmeal at breakfast.
To use it, we first wash the seeds, rubbing them gently with our hands, under water, so that the layer of saponins that covers the seeds is removed and which, if left there, would provide a bitter taste. We should not soak, but wash and rinse.
We then boil it as if it were rice, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the seed opens. We strain and ready to use.
The presentation in flakes makes it easy for us to combine it with broths, drinks, salads or make delicious purees. Although dehydrated, the flakes retain all their properties.
You may be interested in our recipe for "Chicken, Vegetables and White Quinoa Stir Fry"
