Superfood: Quinoa

Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is an edible seed that has been called one of the world's healthiest foods.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) even identified quinoa as an ideal food for long-term space missions because of its high protein values and unique amino acid composition.¹

Just one cup of quinoa contains 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. It is a source of nutrients like folate, zinc, manganese, and magnesium.²

These features translate to better metabolic health and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (even for those who aren't traveling to space).

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, 30 people took a quinoa product or a placebo for 28 days.³ Compared to the placebo group, the quinoa group reported increases in the degree of fullness and satiation.

They also had decreases in BMI and HbA1c (a measure of blood sugar).

In another study, adults consumed 15 grams of quinoa flour biscuits per day. After 28 days, they had significantly reductions in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, body weight, and BMI (compared to those who ate biscuits made with wheat).⁴

Consuming 50 grams of quinoa per day has also been shown to lower serum triglycerides in overweight and obese people, while reducing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.⁵

Quinoa is considered a “pseudo grain.” This means that even though it is not a grain, it tends to be consumed in the same ways as cereal grains.⁵

One notable difference, however, is that quinoa is gluten-free. This makes it a popular option for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.⁵

Quinoa is a versatile food that can be eaten for breakfast (try a tasty quinoa breakfast bar with rolled oats, almond butter, and cinnamon), as a lunch bowl (try quinoa and vegetables topped with feta), or it can be served as a simple side dish with dinner.

Just be sure to rinse it before cooking to get rid of saponins from the outer layer, which can have a bitter flavor.

References

1. Chaudhary N, Walia S, Kumar R. Functional composition, physiological effect and agronomy of future food quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): A review. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 20232023/05/01/;118:105192.
2. Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/quinoa/. Accessed January 22, 2024.
3. Abellan Ruiz MS, Barnuevo Espinosa MD, Garcia Santamaria C, et al. [Effect of quinua (Chenopodium quinoa)consumption as a coadjuvant in nutritional intervention in prediabetic subjects]. Nutr Hosp. 2017Oct 24;34(5):1163-9.
4. Pourshahidi LK, Caballero E, Osses A, et al. Modest improvement in CVD risk markers in older adults following quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) consumption: a randomized-controlled crossover study with a novel food product. Eur J Nutr. 2020Oct;59(7):3313-23.
5. Navarro-Perez D, Radcliffe J, Tierney A, Jois M. Quinoa Seed Lowers Serum Triglycerides in Overweight and Obese Subjects: A Dose-Response Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Curr Dev Nutr. 2017Sep;1(9):e001321.