What is quinoa?

Quinoa Willd (pronounced lí), native to the Andes in South America, is the main traditional food of Inca indigenous people. Because of its unique nutritional value, it has been eaten and cultivated for more than 5,000-7,000 years. It nurtured the Incas, and the ancient Incas called it "the mother of food".

The color of quinoa seeds is mainly white, black and red, and there is little difference in nutritional components, among which white tastes the best, black and red tastes relatively poor, and the seeds are small. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) believes that quinoa is a kind of food that can basically meet the basic nutritional needs of human beings with a single plant, and formally recommends quinoa as the most suitable nutritional food for human beings. The United Nations declared 20 13 as the International Year of Quinoa to promote human nutrition, health and food safety and achieve development goals.

Extended data

Quinoa is a whole-grain, completely nutritious and protein-based food. Its germ accounts for 30% of the seeds and has nutritional activity. The protein content of high-quality quinoa is as high as 16%-22% (beef is 20%), and its quality is equivalent to that of milk powder and meat. Rich in a variety of amino acids, including all 9 essential amino acids necessary for human body, with proper proportion and easy absorption.

Especially rich in lysine, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, copper and other minerals, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, B vitamins and E vitamins, choline, betaine, folic acid, α -linolenic acid, β -glucan and other beneficial compounds, the dietary fiber content is as high as 7. 1%, and cholesterol is as high as 0%.

It should be noted that planting methods, soil nutrition, climatic conditions and varieties have great influence on the nutritional quality of quinoa.