Quinoa with all the benefits

A little bit of history:

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize.

In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.

It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

How to cook Quinoa:

Cook 1 part Quinoa (1 cup) to 2 parts (2 cups) water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until water is cooked up stirring occasionally. Fluff with fork before serving. Store left-over Quinoa in refrigerator for quick, easy use later. You can also grind dry (uncooked) Quinoa into a flour using a powerful blender, like a VitaMix, or a clean coffee grinder. The “Magic Kitchen Bullet” also works great to grind smaller portions of Quinoa, Oat or similar flour at a time.

Quinoa is a wonderful ancient food:

It cooks at the same ratio as rice, 1 part/2 parts water, and can be used in just about any recipe you might conceive to use rice in. From Quinoa puddings (think rice pudding) to risottos to pancakes to Spanish “Rice” this amino acid-rich seed has a delicious, slightly nutty flavor. It has a creamy, fluffy and slightly crunchy texture all at the same time.  Once you start using it you will be hooked on all it has to offer with its great versatility and ease to make. Look for Quinoa in the bins at Whole Foods or your favorite grocery food store. Check out the nutritional value below, its mind-boggling in a wonderful way!

Nutritional value

Quinoa, uncooked, nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 1,539 kJ (368 kcal)
Carbohydrates 64 g
– Starch 52 g
– Dietary fibre 7 g
Fat 6 g
– polyunsaturated 3.3 g
Protein 14 g
Water 13 g
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.36 mg (28%)
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.32 mg (21%)
Vitamin B6 0.5 mg (38%)
Folate (Vit. B9) 184 μg (46%)
Vitamin E 2.4 mg (16%)
Iron 4.6 mg (37%)
Magnesium 197 mg (53%)
Phosphorus 457 mg (65%)
Zinc 3.1 mg (31%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database

 

 

 

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