Discovering quinoa’s nutritional properties helps understand why it has been ascribed “supreme status”.
Quinoa has been a staple in the Andes region for almost 5,000 years. The Incas revered it and referred to it as the “mother grain”. A small seed, which looks like a hybrid of sesame seeds and millets, quinoa is not related to the grain family; in fact, cousin to spinach, it produces edible greens like amaranth greens, is hardy, needs little water and thrives in high altitude. The seeds are protected by a resin-like layer (saponin), which is bitter and toxic.
Commercially available quinoa is made edible after being cleaned with alkali. Traditionally, saponins were removed by laboratory hand scrubbing. Because it has been grown for centuries, several varieties of quinoa are available, depending on the region they originate.
Discovering quinoa’s nutritional properties helps understand why it has been ascribed “supreme status”. One of its most striking features is its exceptionally high protein (16-18 per cent) content and quality. Unlike, most conventional grains like wheat, rice and corn, which are low in lysine, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods. Quinoa is also a good complement for legumes, which are often low in methionine and cystine. In addition, it is relatively a good source of dietary fibre, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamin E and several B vitamins. Quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest.
Being a good source of magnesium, which helps relax blood vessels and prevents constriction and rebound dilation, it’s useful in combating migraine. It also protects the heart, is useful in controlling cravings and works as a comfort food.
A good source of complex carbohydrates, it has moderate glycemic index comparable to oats. It has a combination of soluble and insoluble fibres, which makes it suitable for heart patients, weight watchers, diabetics and hypertensives. In addition, its richness in quercetin (a powerful phyto-chemical antioxidant), also present in wine and onions, makes it particularly useful for hypertensives.
Quinoa may also be germinated to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes, improves its vitamin status and softens the grain. Interestingly, quinoa has a short germination period of 2 to 4 hours, as opposed to other grains which require at least 12 to 14 hours overnight.
With its high nutritional value and health-promoting properties, quinoa has been referred to as a novel functional food. It has been recognised by the UN as a super crop. So far, its availability is limited and it tends to be a bit expensive. To derive the benefits of Quinoa, cook it as a cereal, use it as an alternative to rice or poha, add it to salads, casseroles, desserts or even thicken your soups, stews. Quinoa flour can be added to breads and flour mixes. It makes an excellent food for individuals with gluten sensitivity, irritable bowl syndrome and wheat intolerance.
from The Indian ExpressHealth – The Indian Express http://bit.ly/1qPrTvK
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