Let’s discover the properties of Quinoa, an excellent alternative to our home-made first courses: pasta, rice, barley. But what is it exactly and what are its excellent nutritional properties? We talk about it in this article.
It comes from South America and the Andean mountains, to be precise, the non-cereal cereal known by the name of Quinoa. It is in fact a herbaceous plant belonging to the amaranth , beetroot and spinach family . It does not contain gluten.
It is often alternated with rice , millet , barley , spelt dishes , therefore it is often associated with the cereal family. We find it in three different varieties: yellow, black and red. Its leaves can instead be consumed as a vegetable and their flavor is similar to that of spinach.
Properties of quinoa: energy and balance
Quinoa is known as one of the most nutritious and energizing foods thanks to the presence of 9 essential amino acids and a good protein content. It contains vitamin C , vitamin E, B vitamins (especially B2) and flavonoids . It is also rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium .
Good satiating power
Thanks to the strong presence of starch it has a high satiating power: it is therefore recommended in low-calorie diets. It is gluten-free and can be consumed by people who suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease . It is an antioxidant, the amino acids it contains promote a good metabolism and vitamin B2 reduces migraine pain.
Protein and fiber
Its nutritional properties and high protein content make it an excellent food for convalescents, pregnant women, children and all people who play sports.
The good quantity of fiber contained in quinoa, in addition to promoting intestinal transit and improving digestion, helps to keep the glycemic index low and is therefore recommended for subjects suffering from diabetes.
Quinoa in the kitchen: uses and preparation
If you decide to cook quinoa, the first thing to know is that it must be washed carefully because it is coated in saponin, a bitter substance that protects it but is harmful to human health.
Cooking
It cooks in boiling water in a short time, about 15 minutes: it is sufficient to use double the amount of water compared to the amount of quinoa (for example: for 80 g of quinoa use 160 ml of water). It can be eaten cold in a salad like the recipe we suggest here . Alternatively, if you want to eat it as a hot dish combined with seasonal vegetables it can become a first course, transformed into burgers or vegetable meatballs.
For the desserts
Its delicate flavour also makes it excellent for preparing desserts for which you can use either classic quinoa grains which, cooked for a few more minutes, become a soft pudding, or quinoa flour which is suitable for preparing cakes and biscuits.
The drink: Quinoa milk
Using a juicer, you can also prepare quinoa vegetable milk , after having washed it well and left it to soak in cold water for a few hours.