Quinoa the Golden Seed for All

Quinoa the Golden Seed

“Gluten-free complete protein”. Yes, I know that word caught your attention but that’s not just an eye-catcher. We would like to introduce to you (if you haven’t know about it) a complete protein food called Quinoa Seeds.

According to Ayurveda

Quinoa is high fibre and low calories so this will still help you to feel full.  This light food will also improve your metabolism and helps with weight loss, good for Kapha types. 

Quinoa is fine for all dosha types, just follow some simple guidelines.

• Kapha should eat quinoa with lots of green leaves and veg and keep any oils completely reduced.
• Vata can eat quinoa and add more ghee or olive oil.
• For Pitta use less oil and eat with green veggies.

 What are Quinoa Seeds?

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a 7,000-year-old plant that originated in the mountainous regions of South America. While it is commonly known as an “ancient grain,” quinoa is technically not a grain or cereal grain, but a seed, and does not contain gluten.

Quinoa is botanically considered a seed rather than a grain. The tiny granules you know as quinoa are seeds of the Chenopodium quinoa plant, a broadleaf plant that produces seeds rather than fruit.

Although it’s become increasingly popular in the last decade, quinoa has been farmed for millennia in South America. Unlike actual grains such as wheat and barley, which grow in grasses, quinoa plants grow edible seeds. Because of this process, Chenopodium quinoa’s official label is that of a “pseudocereal,” a seed used in nutrition the same way a cereal grain such as barley would be.

 Origin of Quinoa

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Quinoa has a majestic history among one of the most powerful civilizations on the American continent. It originated with the Incas in the mountains of Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It’s been at the forefront in these regions for 5,000 years. It was a staple for the Incas and is still a prominent food source for their indigenous descendants, the Quechua and Aymara people. It was a sacred crop to the Incas who called it the mother of all grains or chisaya mama. The legend states that the Incan emperor would ceremoniously plant the first quinoa seeds every year.

Like many of the ancient grains, quinoa slipped into obscurity in 1532 with the arrival of the Spanish. Explorer Francisco Pizarro, in his resolve to destroy Incan culture, had quinoa fields destroyed. Only small amounts survived high in the mountains. That all changed in the 1970’s when quinoa was reintroduced to us in the modern world. Now, we can benefit from the mother grain that our Incan predecessors left behind.

Benefits of Quinoa Seed

 Quinoa is considered an essential “wonder food” because it has a tremendous amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

It is rich in magnesium and phosphorous, as well as a significant amount of iron, zinc, copper, and potassium. It even has trace amounts of calcium, sodium, and selenium.

It is a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, vitamin B6, and other b complex vitamins. This makes quinoa the perfect food to help regulate the internal functions and the metabolism of the body.

It is also a rich source of phytonutrients and flavonoids like kaempferol and quercetin, as well as tryptophan, which has its own special health benefits that add to the demand for quinoa.

There are also a huge amount of protein components and vital amino acids found within it that the body needs for proper functioning.

 Weight Benefits

Aside from being a good source of protein and other vitamins, in other words, Quinoa can help you have a healthier weight, healthier heart, improved digestive process, and healthier bones. In addition to that, Quinoa can protect internal organs with its antioxidant activities, it also regulates diabetes, and reduces the risk of gallstones.

How to use Quinoa Seeds

Many people are stumped about how to incorporate this gluten-free pseudocereal into their diets. Here are some tips that will answer your question:

Use it in a smoothie

You’ve probably heard of people sprinkling chia or flax seeds into their smoothies to boost protein content. Add quinoa to the list—you can blend cooked quinoa into any smoothie recipe. The dose of protein will transform your fruit smoothie into a legitimate morning meal that will keep you full until lunch. Use 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa per 1 cup of smoothie.

Instead of oatmeal, use Quinoa

Not up for making time-intensive steel-cut oatmeal? Sub in quinoa. The grains cook a lot faster because they're so small. Plus, you can still season your cereal with all your favourite toppings, like cinnamon, fresh fruit, and nuts. You’ll get more nutritional value too as a cup of cooked quinoa packs double the protein than the same serving of oatmeal. That’s good for staying full and keeping your blood pressure in check. 

DIY energy bars

Combine about two cups of cooked quinoa with a cup of whole-wheat flour and add nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or chocolate chips. Then stir in two cups of cooked oats to enhance the whole-grain count, eggs or flax seed meal to help bind the mixture, and a teaspoon of baking soda so the bars will rise as they cook. You could also add a touch of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness or nut butter for more protein. Prepare a pan with cooking spray, add your mix, and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. In no time, you’ll have your own bars to grab on a hectic morning.

Add it to salads

Mixing cooked quinoa with your favourite greens is one of the easiest ways to boost your whole-grain intake. Whether you go for a Mediterranean salad with cucumbers and garbanzo beans or spice things up with cilantro, roasted corn, and jalapenos for a Mexican twist, quinoa pairs well with just about anything and is more nutritious than high-calorie croutons. Use quinoa at the bottom of your salad as a base, it will absorb even more flavour from the veggies and dressing.

Swap for rice in veggie stuffing

Replace rice with cooked quinoa in the filling of any "stuffed" veggie recipe.