Few years back, as some of you already know, I decided to vary my diet introducing different cereals like millet, kamut, spelt, barley and quinoa to name few of them. Quinoa made quite an impression on me for its  organoleptic properties and nutritional value.

Quinoa is actually a pseudo-cereal, closely related to species like spinach and beets. It has been cultivated in the Andean highlands for nearly 6000 years. Considered sacred by the Incas it was called, chisaya mama, the mother of all grains. Nowadays the majority of quinoa is still imported from South America where it grows in poor soil, arid climates and high altitudes. There are over 100 species of quinoa, but only three main varieties are cultivated: the white or sweet variety, the red and black quinoa.

Quinoa is highly appreciated by vegetarians and vegans for its high content of proteins. It’s actually a complete protein, meaning that one can obtain all 9 essential amino acids from the grain. It’s also a good source of dietary fiber phosphorus and is high in iron and magnesium. Quinoa has more calcium than milk and its fat, mostly polyunsaturated, provides the essential fatty acids our body needs. Being gluten-free it’s an alternative for people with celiac disease. Continue reading →