Super Fitness Health BlogQuinoa: one of the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom
Just what is quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is the latest new supergrain! Well, technically, it’s not really a grain, it’s an edible seed – the seed of a green broad-leafed plant (related to the weed lamb’s quarters and to spinach) that’s cultivated high in the Andes Mountains in South America and, more recently, in North America.
While the preferred type is transparent yellow, other kinds of quinoa are orange, pink, red, purple and black. Quinoa seeds are certainly great tasting. Cooked, they are fluffy and creamy, but slightly crunchy. They’ve got a mild and subtly nutty quality. Infrequently featured in today’s produce section, the quinoa plant has edible leaves, with a flavour not dissimilar to that of its beet, spinach and chard cousins.
History
Quinoa plants have been grown at altitudes well above 10,000 feet and appreciated as a superfood for millennia – there’s evidence of societies eating it as far back as seven thousand years ago. As a matter of fact, quinoa was a primary food of the Incas, who referred to it as “the mother grain”.
Similarly revered by the ancient Aztecs as a source of energy for their courageous fighters, these days it is admired by chefs, home cooks and the health conscious alike, for its culinary versatility and, most importantly, its nutritional value.
Nutrition and potential health benefits
Quinoa is quickly growing in popularity as a scrumptious, easy-to-prepare, nutrient-packed health food. As a matter of fact, quinoa is close to being a perfect source of food in terms of the balance of nutrition it provides. E . g ., quinoa is an excellent source of protein – 12% to 18% – and is one of few plant sources of complete protein (in other words, it includes all of the essential amino acids – the building blocks of protein). It is therefore an ideal food for vegetarians, vegans and other people looking for a protein boost.
As stated by the National Academy of Sciences, quinoa is “one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom”, yielding more than twice the protein of rice and 5 times more than corn. The World Health Organization has ranked the quality of protein in quinoa to be equivalent or better than that present in dairy foods.
Quinoa contains the amino acid lysine which helps our bodies produce protein. It may also help the body process the protein in the quinoa and in other foods, being naturally high in both methionine and cystine.
Quinoa is gluten free (making it a wonderful food item for coeliacs and people with gluten sensitivities); in addition it is rich in dietary fibre, phosphorus, riboflavin and is easily digestible. It is also a great source of B vitamins containing niacin, thiamin and B6.It contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin. Additionally, it is good source of zinc, iron, calcium, copper, manganese and magnesium and it contains folic acid and vitamin E.
Quinoa also happens to have a low glycemic index in comparison with whole grains. The glycemic index – or GI – rates foods based on how much they make our blood sugar level go up. Keeping your blood sugar balanced may help you to maintain weight and improve cholesterol, which explains why whole, unrefined food items that are low in sugar and rich in fibre are espoused for their health advantages.
In terms of calorific content, quinoa comes in about 50 calories less per serving as compared to brown rice and has less carbohydrate than any other grain beside corn.
Where can you find it?
It’s only fairly recently that quinoa has started to receive media attention as a superfood and, so, become more accessible in many of the large supermarket chains, as well as in health food outlets.
It can be eaten in several ways, e.g.: in soups, stews, salads, casseroles, or as a side dish with any meal. It can even be included in desserts and used as a hot or cold breakfast cereal.
The other alternative, if you’re not keen on the flavour or if you do not want to eat quinoa daily, is to go for a top quality organic quinoa dietary supplement. This will enable you to benefit from the nutritional benefits of quinoa everyday, without the hassle (and calories) involved with consuming great quantities of the seed.
Specialist Supplements Ltd has an unbelievable superfood blend for just this purpose – to help make your life easier and healthier. Organic GreeNourish Complete is a meal replacement powder which contains not only quinoa, but also:
• wheatgrass
• barley grass
• pre-sprouted barley
• spirulina
• Seagreens® Ascophyllum (kelp)
• acai berry
• apple
• bilberry fruit
• lemon peel
• carrot
• turmeric
• flaxseed / linseed
• alfalfa
• spinach leaf
…wow, right? Loaded with vegetarian source proteins, chlorophyll and many other natural power nutrients, there are no added “nasties” such as food colours, fillers, binders, flow agents or preservatives.
Once you try it you will never look back, so check it out now!
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