Your Health Detective



00Presented by: Dr. Gloria Gilbere – For Educational PurposesBenefits of Quinoa & Quinoa Flour – 1 of 4 in a series – Including Dr. Gloria’s Special RecipesPhoto Left: Quinoa growing in Ecuador at different stages of ripeness.Photo Right: Three most common varieties of Quinoa.In a quest to find the world’s healthiest anti-inflammatory foods, it would be nearly impossible to miss out on one of the best complete protein foods available on the planet: QUINOA – (pronounced KEEN-wah). This seed is a 7,000-year-old plant that originated in the mountainous regions of South America. While it is commonly known as an “ancient grain,” quinoa is technically NOT a grain or cereal grain, but a seed, and does not contain gluten — just one of the many benefits of quinoa nutrition.Historical Perspective…After its explosive rise to the top of the worldwide modern eye on healthy nutrition, quinoa nutrition was recognized by the United Nations since 2013 as a factor in “eradicating hunger, malnutrition and poverty.” Because quinoa has a broad nutritional profile and is easy and inexpensive to cultivate, the UN declared 2013 the “Year of Quinoa.” Whether you’re searching for a quality gluten-free carbohydrate, or just interested in why quinoa is the subject of so much hype, you’ll be excited to see what it can do for you in this four-part series.Okay…SO…What Is Quinoa, Anyway?Quinoa’s tiny granules you know now, from my previous explanation, are seeds of the Chenopodium quinoa plant, a broadleaf plant that produces seeds rather than fruit. Although it’s become increasingly popular in the last decade, quinoa has been farmed for millennia in South America.Unlike actual grains such as wheat and barley, which grow in grasses, quinoa plants grow edible seeds. Because of this process, Chenopodium quinoa’s official label is that of a “pseudo-cereal,” a seed used in nutrition the same way a cereal grain such as barley would be.Known by the Incas as Chisiya mama (“mother grain”) in their indigenous language of Quechua, quinoa had its place in ancient religious ceremonies as well as home kitchens. From beneath the earth to outer space, quinoa nutrition is so impressive that NASA even wants to use it for long-term space missions as a healthy, easily growable crop.With the emergence of the latest diets, including the one my team and I have coined, “The Anti-Inflammation Advantage”, and other lifestyles that encourage the elimination of gluten for overall health, especially for gut health and inflammatory disorders, complex gluten-free carbohydrates like quinoa are a must-have because of their capacity to impart a tremendous amount of healthy energy. However, the real beauty of quinoa nutrition lies in its protein content and other extremely beneficial nutrients.Quinoa – Nutrition FactsThe nutritional profile of quinoa is impressive by itself, but some of the best parts about quinoa nutrition aren’t going to be obvious on a nutrition label.For example, quinoa is a rare plant food that is actually a complete protein source. Although not every food you eat has to be a complete protein, it’s somewhat rare for a plant food to have the complete profile of all 20 amino acids, including the 10 essential acids our body doesn’t produce on its own.Sure, it doesn’t quite match the protein content of grass-fed beef, but for a plant-based food that’s often used as a base or part of a side-dish in recipes, 8 grams of protein is still an astounding feat, especially for people following a strict anti-inflammatory diet. For an average-sized adult female, one cup of quinoa is over 17 percent of what the USDA recommends for daily protein intake.Chenopodium quinoa has 442 milligrams of l-lysine, one of the most well-documented of the essential amino acids. That’s more than a fifth of what you need each day — and ensuring you get enough l-lysine is crucial for a wide variety of health reasons, from preventing cancer to reducing panic attacks and anxiety.Lastly, for a food that operates like a grain, quinoa seeds boast a great protein to carbohydrate ratio. This is because the germ constitutes nearly 60 percent of the entire grain — comparing that to wheat germ, which makes up less than three percent of the kernel. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories and… 4 grams of fat13 mg sodium39 grams carbohydrate5 grams fiber8 grams protein1.2 mg manganese (58%DV)118 mg magnesium (30%DV)281 mg phosphorus (28%DV)77.7 micrograms folate (19%DV)0.4 mg copper (18%DV)2.8 mg iron (15%DV)0.2 milligrams thiamine (13%DV)2 mg zinc (13%DV)0.2 mg riboflavin (12%DV)0.2 mg Vitamin B-6 (11%DV)318 mg potassium (9%DV)5.2 micrograms selenium (7%DV)1.2 mg Vitamin E (6%DV)03920 WOW! That’s a jam-packed nutritional punch for such a tiny seed.Quinoa’s Many Faces…While most of us are used to seeing the more common whitish quinoa, there are actually about 120 varieties throughout the world. According to the Whole Grains Council, three categories of quinoa have been commercialized for sale: red, white and black.Generally, chefs appreciate the nuanced differences between the three types, but the typical consumer will probably be equally happy with any choice. Let’s review the three most common types.Whitish Quinoa – This is the most widely sold variety of quinoa and takes the least amount of time to cook – often referred to as ivory quinoa.Red Quinoa – Because it doesn’t easily lose its shape, cooks prefer using this type of quinoa in cold salads or other recipes where the texture of a distinct grain is preferred.Black Quinoa – The taste of black quinoa is more different than the white and red varieties, with an earthy, sweet flavor profile. It takes the longest to cook, needing about 15–20 minutes to be completely done.In my next article, I’ll outline Four of the Eight + Nutrition Benefits of Quinoa…AND…in the last of this series I share my gourmet recipes and cooking tips…stay tuned! ................
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