Quinoa in your diet
I was first introduced to Quinoa by my friend about few months ago. Ever since Quinoa has a special place in my plate. Though Quinoa looks like a cereal, it belongs to the family of beets and spinach and its scientific name is Chenopodium quinoa. To popularize Quinoa because of its nutrient values the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has
officially declared that the year 2013 be recognized as "The International Year
of the Quinoa."
The way I enjoy Quinoa:
Boil quinoa in water along with brocclli, corn, tomatoes, chillies (One cup quinoa in six cups of water)
Add salt, pepper to taste.
Add virgin olive oil (optional)
Boil until quinoa is soft and the water is all soaked up.
Enjoy it hot or cold.
Another variation is to have it as a salad. Boil the quinoa and add tomatoes, boiled corn and onions on top of it.
Nutritional values: Quinoa is gluten free, a great source of fiber, with high protein quality and has adequate
source of all essential amino acids, including lysine and isoleucine. It
provides a variety of antioxidant phytonutrients, including ferulic, coumaric,
hydroxybenzoic, and vanillic acid. Is a rich source of vitamins such as vitamin E and riboflavin. Quinoa is a very good source of
antioxidant-promoting manganese. It is also a good source of heart-healthy
magnesium, folate, and fiber, as well as bone-building phosphorus and copper. The super food is known to have anitinflamatory properties. Studies on animals have shown Quinoa to lower the total cholesterol values.
