Quinoa Information

Quinoa.  It’s a weird word, isn’t it?  Do you know how to pronounce it?  I didn’t, at least not until a few weeks ago, but it’s Keen-Wah.

Quinoa Nutritional Information (from whfoods.com):

Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa’s amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, folate, and phosphorus, this “grain” may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Quinoa is a very good source of magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels. Since low dietary levels of magnesium are associated with increased rates of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias, this ancient grain can offer yet another way to provide cardiovascular health for those concerned about atherosclerosis.

Increasing consumption of whole grains and fish could reduce the risk of childhood asthma by about 50%, suggests the International Study on Allergy and Asthma in Childhood (Tabak C, Wijga AH, Thorax).

Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as quinoa, can help women avoid gallstones, shows a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Studying the overall fiber intake and types of fiber consumed over a 16 year period by over 69,000 women in the Nurses Health Study, researchers found that those consuming the most fiber overall (both soluble and insoluble) had a 13% lower risk of developing gallstones compared to women consuming the fewest fiber-rich foods.

We usually think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually the seed of a plant that, as its scientific name Chenopodium quinoa reflects, is related to beets, chard and spinach. These amino acid-rich seeds are not only very nutritious, but also very delicious. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy and creamy, yet slightly crunchy. They have a delicate, somewhat nutty flavor. While the most popular type of quinoa is a transparent yellow color, other varieties feature colors such as orange, pink, red, purple or black. 

All of this stuff is very interesting to me!  I love that you and I could potentially reduce the risk of childhood asthma in our kids just by increasing the amount of whole grains and fish they eat!  I really never knew that!

Anything I can do to make my family’s diet better, is something I am willing to try!  I don’t like fish, but I don’t (and won’t) deprive my family from eating it.  So as I browsed through Pinterest trying to find new (healthier) dinner dishes, I found this  Quinoa Primavera recipe that looked amazing!  It was instantly added to the menu, but then I needed to figure out where in my grocery store I would find it, and how much it was going to cost me to make it.

My grocer has a natural foods section with “serve yourself” containers, so I looked there first.  Yep, they had a spot for it, but it was empty.  (It’s a little less than $4 a pound in the bulk section.)  Now what?!  I asked the first employee I found, and she had NO CLUE what I was talking about so she handed me off to someone who did.  (For your reference, Quinoa can be found down the rice aisle – at least here.)  I bought about 9 oz of Organic Quinoa for $2.99.

Have you tried Quinoa?  What do you think of it? And what’s your favorite way to eat it?

**Full Disclosure: This post is just me sharing information with you.  I was not compensated.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.