Written By: Kriti Saraswat | Published : August 22, 2013 4:00 PM IST
Jennifer Aniston swears by it, Gwyneth Paltrow goes gaga over it and Katy Perry loves it. We're talking about quinoa a superfood filled with various nutrients. Read on to know why it's so good.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is an edible seed originating in Columbia, Peru, Bolivia and holds various health benefits. The outer coating has a bitter taste to it but commercially sold quinoa is usually processed where this coating is removed to make it more palatable.
There is no Hindi word for quinoa yet so you might wonder how to pronounce it. It is pronounced keen-waa or keen-u-aa. These days, quinoa is available in various supermarkets in India.
Health benefits
High in protein: Quinoa consists of nine essential amino acids which makes it a great source of protein. Not only this, it is also a high-fibre food which means it relieves constipation, provides more energy, lowers cholesterol levels and prevents heart disease and diabetes. (Read:Natural foods to reduce cholesterol)
It is gluten-free: People who cannot consume wheat can include quinoa in their diets. There are various recipes one can make using them including pastas, salads, pulav, cakes, etc. It also makes a great option for vegetarians and vegans as it is rich in iron, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese.
It is non-fattening: Quinoa provides good amounts of energy but has a low calorific value. 100g of cooked quinoa contains 120 calories as compared to wheat flour which has 364 calories. Of the 120 calories, only 2% is fat, 7% is carbs, 8% is protein and iron each, 11% is dietary fibre, 16% is magnesium and 4% is potassium.
It reduces inflammation: These edible seeds contain anti-inflammatory phytonutrients which reduces the risk of inflammation, repairs tissue and also prevents infection. It is also high in antioxidants which prevent the healthy cells from free radical damage. (Read:What are antioxidants)
Keeping all these benefits in mind, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations has declared 2013 as the 'International Year of the Quinoa'.
Recipes
Make a healthy version of pulav by replacing the rice with quinoa. Not only is this a nutritious dish, it is tasty as well as gluten-free. Find the recipe of this dish here.
Many people have quinoa in their breakfast as well due to its protein content. If you too want your day to have a healthy start, then make quinoa upma. Here is the recipe.
Quinoa can be added to desserts as well. Here is a healthy muffin recipe that has quinoa in it and guess what, our favourite Hrithik too ate these muffins.
