Quinoa, pronounced ‘keen-wa’, is becoming more popular and can easily be found in supermarkets. Its importance was highlighted when the United Nations named the year 2013 the ‘International Quinoa Year’ due to its ‘high nutritive value’. The media and the public have portrayed quinoa as a superfood, which are defined as ‘a nutrient-rich foods considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being’ according to the Oxford dictionary.
So, what is Quinoa? Why should we be eating it? Well, Quinoa is an edible seed that is seen as a great wheat-free alternative to starchy grains, such as bulgur wheat and rice, but is in the same family as beets, spinach and chard. Quinoa, grown in South America for many years, is part of the daily diet of the Incas and their descendants in Peru, Chile and Bolivia. However, quinoa has been more widely available internationally due to its beneficial properties and low allergens.
There are two types of quinoa: red and white. Preparing quinoa is simple but there are some crucial steps. The quinoa needs to be washed thoroughly to remove the saponins on the quinoa coating, which give a slightly bitter taste. This is easily done by placing the quinoa in a fine sieve under running cold water. Then, it is cooked like rice in a saucepan with a quinoa to water ratio of 1 to 3. The quinoa will burst open to release little white curls and become fluffy and creamy with a slight crunchy texture.
Source:
The world’s healthiest food. What’s new and beneficial about quinoa? Retrieved from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142.
Mary Franz, Today’s dietician. February 2014. Nutrition, inflammation and disease. Retrieved from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/020314p44.shtml.
Jenreviews. 12 Health benefits of Quinoa (+8 Delicious recipes to try). https://www.jenreviews.com/quinoa/
