Quinoa: Properties, Benefits & How To Consume – The Complete Guide

Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa) is a plant of the Chenopodiaceae family that is used as food and to a lesser extent in the pharmaceutical industry. It originated and is cultivated in Bolivia and Peru, which are also the main producers of quinoa today. Thanks to its pleasant taste and its properties and benefits, quinoa is consumed all over the world.

Let us see some of the characteristics of the plant:

• is one weed plant 0.5 to 3 m tall.
• it is annual increment,
• It is green, red or purple in colour.
• The fruit is a dehiscent achenium.
• The flowers are grouped in inflorescences in glomerular inflorescences.
• are flowers bisexual or bisexual,
• The seeds are very small and round in shape.
• This is a plant that can tolerate different types of weather,

You might be interested in this article on Peru’s natural resources.

Quinoa is considered a complete food because of its high nutritional value, perhaps one of the most important contributions of its essential amino acids for man. In addition to its high protein level, it also provides fat, oil, starch and fiber, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.

Quinoa is not lacking in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, and other compounds such as betaine, saponins, carotenoids, isoflavones, and polyphenols.

The presence of these bioactives translates into interesting properties of quinoa, they are:

• antioxidant
• antimicrobial
• anti diabetic
• anti inflammatory
• Analgesics
• insect repellent

Quinoa is a widely consumed food all over the world, the benefits of consuming quinoa are chosen by hundreds of people, let’s see what they are:

• it is low glycemic index and produces greater sensitivity to insulin, which is why it is a good option for diabetic patients.
• Is all essential amino acidsEssential for consumption by people following a vegetarian diet.
• Is protein equivalent to milk casein In terms of quality, becoming an ally for those who are lactose intolerant.
• so gluten free And, therefore, suitable for celiacs.
• It is a consumption option for people with hypothyroidism as it interferes with regulation and production of thyroid,

Other benefits derived from its consumption are:

• Promotes the elimination of toxins and waste from the body.
• gives satisfaction Due to its high fiber content.
• Helps prevent coronary, cerebral, peripheral and aortic arteriosclerosis.
• Contains phytoestrogens Which helps in preventing osteoporosis and other disorders arising out of estrogen deficiency.
• It helps in blood circulation,
• Controls the level of cholesterol in the blood.
• improves cardiovascular system,

One of the advantages of quinoa is that any part of the plant can be consumed: the leaves, stem, roots, and seeds. But The most traditional is the consumption of its seeds.Although they are not grains, they are very similar in terms of cooking and preparation.

Would you like to add quinoa to your diet but don’t know how? Here we show you how to prepare quinoa:

1. First of all, it is very important wash the seeds before cooking to remove the saponins. To do this, we place them in a sieve and wash them with plenty of water until they are clear.
2. we put to heat the waterCalculate for two parts of water for every part of quinoa.
3. When the water comes to a boil, add the quinoa and Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes,
4. after that time the amount of seeds will double And they will become transparent. Take them off the heat and filter them.
5. we cover them again, leave rest for a few minutes and ready.

Once prepared, quinoa can be involved in endless preparations, for example, as a garnish with meat and vegetables or for adding to soups. Quinoa, Chicken, and Vegetable Salad is a simple, tasty, and nutritious recipe to prepare: Mix cooked quinoa with other vegetables like carrots, onions, asparagus, or whatever you like best. Also cook the chicken and then mix all the ingredients, it can be eaten hot or cold.

a recommendation! If you don’t want the quinoa to be mushy or pasty, you can toast or roast it before boiling it, which will toughen it up.

Discover Seeds: What They Are and the Types.

In fact, so far no contraindications have been indicated for the consumption of quinoa. However, there is something you should know: The seeds contain saponins, oily glycosides May cause gastric irritation if consumed, Cereals should be extremely to avoid discomfort wash with plenty of cold waterYou will see how a kind of scum forms which should be skimmed off before cooking.

Now that you know the properties of quinoa, its benefits and how to consume it, we invite you to read these other EcologíaVerde articles on avocado: properties, benefits and contraindications and pumpkin seeds: properties, benefits and differences.

If you want to read more articles like this Quinoa: Properties, Benefits and How to TakeWe recommend that you enter our category of healthy food.