Why Not Give Cooking Quinoa A Try!

If you have never tried quinoa, now is a fantastic time to give it a trial! This small seed is often referred to as a super food, since it offers the human body with everything you need to survive. It is one of the very best sources of plant protein that you'll come across, and is also packed with wholesome slow burning carbohydrates. Quinoa is also filled with dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. In just a single portion you get 15.5 mg of calcium, 8 grams of protein as well as 5 grams of fiber.. ! It provides a terrific source of iron, calcium, manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium and phosphorus. Quinoa is so nutritious that lots of experts have declared that if they had to select just one food to survive on, quinoa could well be it.

The amino dense protein definitely helps make quinoa stand above different grain type foods. It has all nine of the amino acids that you need to survive, making it a complete protein. Most grains and pseudo grains do not give your body enough lysine, but quinoa is full of lysine. Lysine is particularly crucial to the body because it represents such a significant role in cellular repair. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the protein quality is equivalent to that of dried whole milk.

Even most individuals who have food allergies and intolerance can enjoy quinoa. In reality, many nutritional specialists say that quinoa is one of the best foods around if you have food allergies. Quinoa is usually referred to as a grain but this is actually not correct. The right term is pseudo-grain. Quinoa isn't a part of the grass family. Quinoa is a seed that is related to spinach, chard and beets. Although the leafy part of the plant can also be edible, it is the seeds that are commercially available. The germ of the quinoa seed is larger than most grains and this accounts for its high protein content.

If you do decide to give quinoa a try, you may be happy to learn that there are many different ways that you could enjoy a meal. It can be substituted for most any grain and it particularly good when substituted for rice. You do need to remember to rinse quinoa just before cooking. The exterior is coated in a bitter substance called saponin. Saponin protects quinoa as it grows but can be quite bitter and can cause digestive issues. To rinse the saponin off you will simply want to place the quinoa in a fine metal colander and rinse it for four or five minutes.

By: Wendy Polisi

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Of course, there are many more things you will want to learn about cooking quinoa. To learn how to cook quinoa and to get my favorite quinoa salad recipes, please visit me at www.cookingquinoa.net. There you will also find other great healthy recipes, like my favorite clean hummus recipe.