Quinoa is considered a super food, but do you know its health benefits? I’ll try to do justice to this seed that’s considered a grain, and that you can find in so many of my recipes.
Quinoa and Its Health Benefits
Quinoa is one of these pantry items that is really easy to store, cook, mix and match with other ingredients. We see it everywhere today. And if you don’t use it regularly yourself, I’m sure you have at least one friend that swears by it.
Quinoa (pronounce kee-nwa) comes from South America in the beautiful Andes region. Though it’s often thought of as a grain, it is actually a seed and can be included in a grain-free diet.
The seed is naturally gluten free, which makes it a great staple if you want to reduce or eliminate gluten. It will avoid you digestion trouble and issues that often come with gluten-rich foods.
It has all 9 amino-acids to make it a complete protein, which necessary to build all the tissues in your body.
If you are curious about the macros of quinoa, in 100g of cooked quinoa, you can find 4.4g of protein and 2.8g of fiber. Using quinoa as your source of protein makes it a great alternative to animal protein.
Research shows that we need to switch towards a more plant-based diet. Including quinoa into to your plate is a great way to do so, so fill your cupboards with that magic seed. Also, the fibre content means that it will keep you fuller for longer. Goodbye grumbling stomach that could make you reach for over-savoury or sweet snacks.
How to Use Quinoa
Quinoa is quite versatile due to its crunchiness but it can also be very soft when cooked for longer. You can use in salads to give it consistence, to thicken stews, and even for breakfast in your porridge !
You can also find it in the form of flour which can become really handy if you are cooking and baking without gluten.
Bonus: it has a relatively low glycemic index (GI): 53, which won’t cause a spike in blood sugar. Ideal for people suffering from type 2 diabetes or simply looking to maintain their blood sugar levels.
One More Reason to Love Quinoa
If I’m totally honest, the main reason I love cooking with quinoa is because not only is it nutrient-packed and filling and has all these health benefits, it’s also ready in 10mn. I mean, why didn’t I start there?
On top of that, you can also store it and the texture and taste won’t change at all. So you can make a big batch and eat it all week long, varying the veggies and nuts.
So, do you need more convincing?
Let’s get cooking then !
For recipes with Quinoa, check out my Hearty Quinoa & Fennel Salad and this Creamy Mushroom Risotto (No Rice).
Quinoa
Ingredients
- 200 g quinoa
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa in order to remove some of the bitterness.
- Add it to three times the amount of water, bring to the boil.
- After 10mn, drain and add your favourite roasted vegetables, nuts, herbs, etc.
