1. It is Incredibly Nutritious
Quinoa is one of the most popular grains used today because of the fact that it is incredibly nutritious. While many people may automatically assume that this grain is a cereal grain (since it looks very similar to many cereal grains), that is not the case. In fact quinoa is a pseudocerael. What does this mean? All it means is that quinoa is a seed and that is made and eaten in a way that is similar to any other grain out there.
What is more surprising is how long quinoa has been around. Research has shown us that quinoa has been around as early as the Incan Empire where the Incas referred to this grain as the mother of all grains. It was so popular back then that many Incas swore that this grain was sacred.
Over thousands of years this superfood has been consumed by thousands and the popularity of this super food continues to grow to this very day. There are many products all over the world that contain this ingredient especially any restaurant or super market that sells natural foods.
There are exactly 3 types of quinoa available today: red quinoa, black quinoa and white quinoa. To get an idea of how healthy and nutritious this food staple is for you, here is a breakdown of what 1 cup of cooked quinoa contains:
- 8 Grams of Protein
- 5 Grams of Fiber
- 58% of Manganese
- 30% of Magnesium
- 28% of Phosphorus
- 19% of Folate
- 18% of Copper
- 15% of Iron
- 13% of Zinc
- 9% of Potassium
- Over 10% of Vitamin B6, B1 and B2
- Small Amounts of Vitamin E, Calcium and B3
In 1 cup of cooked quinoa there are only 226 calories, 39 grams of carbohydrates and only 4 grams of fat. You will not find any other grain that is as nutritious as quinoa.
2. Contains Quercetin and Kaempferol
While you are looking for the health benefits of many real and nutritious foods, there are foods that you will want to find that go above the call of supplying healthy vitamins and minerals that we all need.
In quinoa there are many trace nutrients you will find and some of the nutrients that you will find are extremely healthy. The two nutrients that you will find in quinoa are two flavonoids known as Kaempferol and Quercetin. These two nutrients are antioxidants which have shown to help improve the overall health of your body in the long run. They help to relive inflammation, viruses, potential cancer and depression effects within your body.
When your add quinoa to your diet on a regular basis, you will help to increase the amount of antioxidants you take in and will help to improve your health in the long run.
3. Quinoa Is Very High In Fiber
There is no other grain available today that contains as much fiber as quinoa does. On average quinoa contains about 17 to 27 grams of quinoa per cooked cup. This is extremely high especially when you compare it to other grains that are available.
The downside to this fiber is that it is considered to be insoluble fiber, which is not as helpful as soluble fiber, but hey! It is still fiber in our book. This fiber has been proven to help reduce the chance of having high blood sugar, high cholesterol and high body fat.
4. It is Gluten Free
Today many people unfortunately are gluten intolerant and as such it can be hard to find recipes and dishes that do not contain gluten. For people who suffer from gluten intolerance, they will find quinoa to be their saving grace. Quinoa is the perfect ingredient to use in virtually any kind of recipe, especially if the person in question is having a problem giving up foods such as pasta and bread.
There have been many studies conducted that have shown when you use quinoa in a dish instead of typical gluten packed ingredients, it can help increase how nutritious and antioxidant rich your dish becomes. Quinoa is something I definitely recommend for people who have an aversion to gluten products as this ingredients will allow you to enjoy classic dishes without gluten.
5. Quinoa Is Packed Full of Protein
If you are looking for a type of food that is extremely high in protein, quinoa is the food you have been looking for. The important thing to remember here is that protein is simply made out of various amino acids. Some foods out there today simply do not contain all of the amino acids that you need in order to make a complete protein.
However, that is where quinoa can come into the picture. Quinoa is the exception to many grains out there as it contains all of the amino acids needed to make a complete protein and because of this it is considered to be one of the best sources of protein than any other grain available today.
There are many reasons to use quinoa is most of the dishes you prepare such as that it is packed full of protein that you need to it is one of the most nutritious food staples that you will find today. When you use quinoa in many dishes today, your possibilities to make great tasting food is endless. This eBook is solely dedicated to this superfood and in this eBook you will find the most nutritious and great tasting recipes that you will find anywhere.