What is Quinoa?

Those who are not yet familiar with quinoa, may think of it as a grain, or at least a replacement for grains. The little tiny disc is actually a seed of a plant in the same family as beets, chard, and spinach. These nutritious, amino acid rich seeds are light and fluffy when cooked, with a little snap to it. You’ll also find quinoa in a variety of beautiful colors such as gold, red, and even black.

The History of Quinoa

While relatively new to the US market, quinoa has been cultivated in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia for over 50,000 years  and is a staple food in their diets. The Incas considered quinoa a sacred food and referred to it as the “mother seed,” which is why we often refer to it as “Gold of the Incas.”

When Spanish conquistadors were trying to gain control of the South American indigenous people, they destroyed the fields in which quinoa was grown, and outlawed the farming and sale of quinoa. In1980, two Americans re-discovered the health and nutrition potential of quinoa and started cultivation in Colorado. Today, quinoa is finding its way into homes and restaurants all over the map.

Quinoa Health Benefits

For being such a tiny little seed, quinoa is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source of manganese, magnesium, folate, phosphorus, and lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. The minerals contained in relatively high amounts may also be especially helpful for those people who have consistent migraines, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

One of the most highly valued aspects of quinoa for many people is it is gluten free. Those looking for alternatives for wheat and other gluten foods can turn to quinoa in several forms to replace the gluten in their diets.

Eating Quinoa

The quinoa seeds are naturally covered by a saponin residue that is bitter to the palate. This is one defense mechanism the plant has to fend off the occasional passing critter that wants a snack. While commercial cultivation processes remove much of the saponin that coats the seed, it is still a good idea to rinse the seeds in cold water to make sure the process is complete.  However, there are many brands that are pre-rinsed. You can use your own judgment.

Once you have the quinoa rinsed, bring a pot of one part quinoa and two parts water to a boil, cover, and simmer slowly for fifteen minutes, or until the the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.  If you want to keep more of the natural nutty flavor, you can dry roast the seeds before cooking them. Put the quinoa in a skillet over medium heat and toss, just until the quinoa becomes fragrant.

Now you have a multitude of options for preparing your quinoa. Whether you like it hot or cold, you can put it into a salad or in a soup. You can also form your cooked quinoa into patties with a variety of ingredients. Go ahead and add cooked quinoa to your favorite pancake or muffin recipe for a brand-new take on healthy eating.

No matter if you are looking for a gluten free alternative to grains, or you are a food lover who is just looking for something new to experiment with, or you want to give your nutrition a real boost, give quinoa a try. There are many quinoa recipes available, some of which you will find of the site and other on Best Recipe Site.

Here are some ways you can use quinoa:

Warm Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 ½ cup cocktail tomatoes, halved
Dash of extra virgin olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil (or any other herbs you have)
Pinch of nutmeg
Squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions:

In a large frying pan or wok, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Then stir in the cooked quinoa until heated through. Add the spinach, green onion and tomatoes. Sprinkle with nutmeg and fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and give it a quick stir. As soon as the spinach starts to wilt, remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Minted Quinoa Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 ts Salt
6 oz Quinoa; uncooked
1/3 c Mint; chopped
1/4 c Yogurt; vanilla, lowfat -sweetened with aspartame
2 tb Orange Juice
1 1/2 c Strawberries; sliced
2 md Kiwi Fruit; pared and sliced
1 c Mandarin Oranges; canned, drained, sections

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and the salt to a boil; add quinoa. Reduce the heat to low; simmer 15 minutes, until quinoa is translucent. In a food processor or blender, combine mint, yogurt and juice, puree until smooth. Set aside. Set aside six strawberry slices and three kiwi slices for garnish. In large serving bowl, combine the remaining strawberries, the remaining kiwi and the mandarin orange sections. Pour yogurt sauce over fruit mixture; toss to coat. Add cooked quinoa; toss gently to mix well. Garnish with reserved strawberry and kiwi slices. Refrigerate, covered 1-2 hours, until thoroughly chilled.

If you are trying to lose weight, watching the amount of calories consumed is not enough as not all calories are equal.  You can eat 1200 calories of pure sugar and fat, or 1200 calories of nutritionally dense, quality foods and get very different results.  For weight loss and general health, your goal should be to eat higher-quality foods that fuel your body and activate your natural fat burning process,  and there are numerous foods that can assist you do that better than others.  Here are some of the best:

Almonds

Almonds are loaded with good health benefits, making them one of the most nutritious nuts. Besides being high in protein, they are also a good source of calcium, and vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and vitamin E. Almonds are believed to aid weight loss by lowering cholesterol, boosting fat burning, reducing inflammation and helping to balance blood sugar levels.

Avacado

This unassuming green fruit packs a great nutritional wallop with healthy monounsaturated fat that helps keep your tummy satisfied long after you have eaten it.  Avacados have a unique flavor and texture that may take a little getting used to, but it’s easy enough to “hide” avacado in dips, salads, and sandwiches so you barely notice it’s there.

Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have great cardiovascular benefits.  Even better, they help improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which results in lower blood sugar and less stored fat.  Salmon, along with other fish, has been known to contain moderate to high levels of mercury, so if you are pregnant or nursing you may wish to limit your intake to no more than twice per week.

Olive Oil

Just like avacado, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat which reduces appetite while you eat, and helps extend satiety after you finish eating.  Extra virgin is the best choice of all types of olive oil because it is “purest” – meaning it has not been refined and processed as much as other oils.

Eggs

Eggs are high in protein, which can help keep you feeling satisfied for a longer period of time. Studies have shown that eating an egg for breakfast can hold off hunger longer than if you eat cereal or other whole grains, which means you are likely to eat less for the rest of the day. Egg yolks do contain cholesterol, so if you are trying to reduce your cholesterol you may want to limit the number of eggs you eat each week, or stick to eating just the egg whites.

As with any food, should should not go overboard and eat huge quantities of these foods as they will still put on weight if you eat too much.

These delicious, child-tested recipes are healthy yet quick to prepare, specially designed for today’s hectic lifestyle.

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Always eat breakfast

Even though you may think you aren’t hungry, you need to eat something.  Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and
sugar levels during the day, so you should always eat something.

Carry a snack

Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and
the fatigue.  Trail mix, granola bars, and energy bars all have the nutrients you need.

Healthy munchies

If you like to munch when you’re stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even sunflower seeds.

Bring your lunch

Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home.  Even if you only do this a few times a week, you’ll see a much better improvement over eating out.

Stock your home

As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it’s even more important to get the good food in!  The best way to do this is to plan a menu
of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingredients you need, then go shop for it.  This way, you’ll know what you want when
you need it and you won’t have to stress over what to eat.

You will notice various vitamins and minerals  mentioned. Their benefits are:

Beta-carotene: a fat-soluble antioxidant which helps with the following -

• Protect your cells from the damaging effects of free radicals
• Provide a source of vitamin A
• Help your reproductive system function properly
• Enhance the functioning of your immune system

Calcium: Reduces risk of osteoporosis. It is one of the most important minerals for the growth, maintenance, and reproduction of the human body. Calcium helps form and maintain healthy teeth and bones.

Fiber: Probably best known for providing prevention or relief from constipation. It also contributes to lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Folate: A water-soluble vitamin, folate helps the body form red blood cells and aids in the formation of genetic material within every body cell. Recommended for pregnancy.

Omega -3 Fatty Acids: They lower a blood fat called tryglicerides  and therefore lower the risk of heart disease.

Potassium:Helps with the following -

• maintaining normal water balance in your body
• as a component for balancing the pH of your body
• for normal muscle growth
• for healthy nervous system and brain function

Vitamin A: a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps with -

• vision
• bone growth
• reproduction
• cell division and differentiation
• regulate the immune system, which helps prevent or fight off infections by making white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses
• may help lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) fight infections more effectively

Vitamin B2: Is required in the body to -

• break down food components
• maintain tissue
• absorb other nutrients

Vitamin B12: Is required in the body for -

• proper red blood cell formation
• neurological function
• DNA synthesis

Vitamin C: Is a water soluble anti-oxidant (it bonds with free radicals in the body that may damage cells and contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature aging)  that is essential for the production of bones and connective tissue. helps with the absorption of iron and aids in healing wounds and burns.

Vitamin D: is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus 4. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. It promotes bone mineralization together with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen.

Zinc: Is needed for the body’s immune system to work properly. It plays a role in cell division, cell growth, wound healing, and the break down of carbohydrates . Zinc is also needed for the senses of smell and taste.

You can see that foods containing significant amounts of the above are going to improve your health. Here are some of those foods -

Fruits:

Apricots

Apricots contain Beta-carotene which helps to prevent radical damage and also helps to protect the eyes.  A single apricot contains 17 calories,
0 fat, and one gram of fiber.  You can eat them dried or soft.

Mango

A medium sized mango packs 57 MG of vitamin C, which is nearly your entire daily dose.  This antioxidant will help prevent arthritis and also boost your immune system.

Cantaloupe

One cup of cantaloupe contains more than the recommended daily dose of Vitamin C.  Half a melon contains 853 MG of potassium, which is nearly twice as much as a banana, which helps to lower blood pressure.  Half a melon contains 97 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of fiber.

Tomato

A tomato can help cut the risk of bladder, stomach, and colon cancers in half if you eat one daily. A tomato contains 26 calories, 0 fat, and only 1 gram of fiber.

Vegetables:

Onions

An onion can help to protect against cancer.  A cup of onions offers 61 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Broccoli

Broccoli can help protect against breast cancer, and it also contains a lot of vitamin C and beta-carotene.  One cup of chopped broccoli contains
25 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Spinach

Spinach is a source of carotenoids, as carrots are, that can help fend off macular degeneration, which is a major cause of blindness in older people.  It is also helpful in strengthening bones, although not quite as much as calcium. One cup contains 7 calories, 0 fat, and 1 gram of fiber.

Grains, beans, and nuts:

Peanuts

Peanuts and other nuts can lower your risk of heart disease by 20 percent.  One ounce contains 166 calories, 14 grams of fat, and over 2 grams of fiber.

Pinto beans

A half cut of pinto beans offers more than 25 percent of your daily folate requirement, which protects you against heart disease.  Half a cup contains 103 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams of fiber.

Skim milk

Skim milk offers vitamin B2, which is important for good vision and along with Vitamin A could improve allergies.  You also get calcium and vitamin D as well.  One cup contains 86 calories, o fat, and 0 fiber.

Seafood:

Salmon

All cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which help to reduce the risk of cardiac disease. A 3 ounce portion of salmon contains 127 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 0 fiber.

Crab

Crab is a great source of vitamin B12 and immunity boosting zinc.  A 3 ounce serving of crab offers 84 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 0 fiber.