Quinoa is one of the healthiest foods of all time, and eating it has become more than a trend. This grain is packed with fiber, protein and vitamins. Here are 10 things to know about quinoa.
1. It's delicious!
When cooked, quinoa is light and fluffy and has a nice, slightly nutty flavor. It is easy to season with sauces and dressings. A little trick is to cook it in vegetable stock, instead of water, and the vegetable stock will be incorporated into the grains during cooking, producing a delicious snack that you could just eat if you wanted.
2. It contains a lot of proteins
Vegetarians love quinoa because it is high in protein compared to rice and other grains. A cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 g of protein compared to a cup of brown rice which has only 5 g of protein.
3. Not only that, it is a complete protein
Even better, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it has all nine amino acids needed to make a complete protein your body needs. Most vegetarian protein sources (like tofu, lentils, and beans) should be paired with grains, but quinoa has it all!
4. It's easy to cook
Cook it just like rice. The ratio of water should be 1:1.5, that is, 1.5 cups of water for every cup of uncooked quinoa. Cooking in the rice cooker works perfectly.
5. It is gluten free
Another reason people love it, quinoa is gluten-free, so a very good choice for those who are gluten intolerant (or just picky).
6. You can also buy quinoa flour and flakes
Quinoa flour is a good gluten-free baking alternative and Quinoa flakes are often used in gluten-free muesli and can also be cooked into a porridge in about two minutes.
7. The source of some controversy
Grown in South America, there is some controversy surrounding quinoa, although it has been around for hundreds of years we have only just discovered it and apparently farmers in Bolivia, Peru and Lima cannot meet our demand meaning prices have risen and populations can't buy it. The flip side of that argument is that quinoa exports are good for smallholder farmers who can benefit from the success of their crops.
8. It's not grains
Although it is often referred to as a grain, quinoa is not a grain at all. Grains are derived from grasses, while quinoa is actually like a seed from a plant that belongs to the same protein-rich plant family as spinach and beets.
9. There are many different types
There are about 120 different types of quinoa, although you're probably familiar with red, black, and white. All slightly different in taste and all delicious.
10. It has a tricky little name
Instead of being pronounced "ki-nowa", quinoa is actually pronounced "kien-waa".
