Most of the protein rich food is derived from animal base such as meat, poultry, milk, etc. But are you aware of any plant-based protein diet which offer complete nutrients to our body? If your answer is NO, then here is a very informative article on QUINOA, an essential plant-based protein grain. There are powerful vegetable seeds such as Soybeans, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Spirulina, and Hemp & Chia seeds that give complete essential amino acids in our body. In that, Quinoa is an impressive complete plant-based protein.
About QUINOA
It is also known as Gold of the Incas or Super grain Quinoa of the future. Quinoa, pronounced as ‘keen-wah’ is a powerful food which offers a lot of nutritional value with just a few bucks. It is the world’s healthiest vegan diet. With its amazing health benefits, quinoa’s popularity is spreading throughout the world. This article helps you in understanding the unique and significant health benefits of quinoa. You can as well start eating quinoa by following its simple and easy-to-make recipes.
Nutritional Benefits of Quinoa
Quinoa grain or seed is a pseudo cereal and has the following health benefits
1. Fights against free radicals
Quinoa is packed with antioxidant phytonutrients like quercetin and kaempferol. As it has anti-inflammatory phytonutrients it helps in promoting tissue growth and fight against disease-causing agents.
2. A complete protein food
Quinoa food is high in protein that has nine essential amino acids especially rich in lysine and isoleucine.
3. High in Calcium –replace your milk with QUINOA
If your milk hater you can replace milk with Quinoa recipes enriched with calcium. As quinoa is a rich source of protein.
4. High in fiber content
Fiber is an essential nutrient required to everyone. It regulates blood sugar levels and your digestive system by preventing and relieving constipation. Fibrous foods are low in cholesterol which help in losing weight. It is the right food for diabetic patients. With the help of quinoa, diabetes can be avoided.
5. Vitamin B
Quinoa has a significant amount of Riboflavin, which helps to stimulate your metabolism. Quinoa regulates and promotes energy production in your brain and muscle cells while increasing your metabolism. Also, Riboflavin is a contributing factor to migraine relief. It is called superfood quinoa for a reason.
How to Buy and Where to Store Quinoa?
Countless varieties of quinoa are available in the market. But, usually there are three common types: white, black and red quinoa. These three types are good for health, but there is a slight variation in color and texture. Red quinoa gives great touché to all dishes. You can also buy quinoa at various supermarkets or buy it online. Quinoa should be stored in airtight containers. If refrigerated, its shelf life is up to three to six months. Quinoa foods are the latest revelation for healthy people. Quinoa grain nutrition is also well known of.
Quinoa Recipes
How to cook basic quinoa? Add 2 cups of water or any liquid such as chicken broth or vegetable stock to 1 cup of quinoa and put it to boil. Cook it for 15-20 minutes until the entire water gets absorbed. Quinoa is ready when all the grains get changed from white to a transparent color. Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- 5 cups cooked quinoa
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-cup carrots, chopped
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup parsley, minced
- ½ cup lemon juice
- Four cloves minced garlic
- Black olives and tomatoes for garnishing.
Mix all the above ingredients properly, and serve it cold.
Quinoa Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 Tbsp Vanilla essence
- A pinch of salt
- Cashew nuts, Almonds, strawberries for dressing.
Heat milk, vanilla essence, maple syrup and salt in a pan. Add washed quinoa to it and cook for 30 minutes. Once the mixture is thickened, remove it from the flame. Let it cool for sometime, garnish with cashews, almonds and strawberries and serve it cold. You can also add cooked quinoa to your breakfast porridge by adding dry fruits, nuts, honey and fresh fruits. Quinoa ancient grains are very popular. Quinoa recipes are easily prepared and gluten-free, you can include this recipe in salads and soups. After having read the above useful information on quinoa, I hope you may start using it in your daily diet. Do educate your family and friends on the nutritional benefits and useful recipes of quinoa by sharing this article!
