8 Amazing Health Benefits Of Eating Quinoa

Humans have been consuming quinoa for thousand of years, but just recently, this superfood is becoming one of the planet’s most popular superfoods. Its cultivation dates back over 5,000 years ago. The Incas called it “the mother of all grains.”

It contains a tremendous amount of fiber and protein with all nine essential amino acids, which is unusual for plant-based protein sources. It is a major source of minerals and vitamins and it also contain compounds like polyphenols, phytosterols, and flavonoids.

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations has declared the year 2013 as ‘The International Year of the Quinoa.’
Even NASA ranked quinoa as a good crop in the research program, whose results would allow promotion and sustainability of human life during long space flights.

Botanically speaking, quinoa is not a true grain; it is a seed and a relative of spinach and beets. The leaves are also edible, but the part we usually eat are the seeds which you can sprout for added benefits. You can prepare quinoa in as a little as 15 minutes.

1. A True SuperFood : Very Rich in Nutrients

Quinoa is very rich in minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients and contains all nine amino acids including lysine. Lysine is mandatory for tissue growth and repair. Quinoa has various beneficial antioxidants and flavonoids. This grain is a terrific source of fiber and protein.

It is also high in magnesium, B-vitamins (especially folate and riboflavin), iron, copper, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus. It has very high content of manganese with one cup (185 grams) containing 59% of RDA. Quinoa also contains significant amounts of certain tocopherols (vitamin E) mostly missing in other grains.

This superfood also contains heart-healthy fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid and oleic acid. These various nutrient benefits give it uniqueness amidst grain-related foods.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

To reduce inflammation, a risk factor for many chronic diseases, we need to eat food with anti-inflammatory properties. Quinoas is one of these foods. One research in rats revealed the ability of quinoa to lower the levels of inflammation in their intestine and fat tissue.

Quinoa is quite rich in phytonutrients with anti-inflammatory properties. These agents are polysaccharides, flavonoids, phenolic acids and gamma-tocopherol (vitamin E). Another anti-inflammatory benefit comes from smaller amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Also, controversial saponins have been shown to have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Saponins are responsible for quinoa’s bitter taste, however, by washing, boiling and soaking, saponins are reduced (and so is the bitter taste).

Why controversial?

Saponins are a plant’s natural defense against the pests. Saponins actually have many medicinal uses, but there is some research that shows potential toxicity of saponins in quinoa. They do, however, have low bioavailability and are not well absorbed in the gut and may get destroyed by certain enzymes in our bodies. The risks associated with saponins in quinoa are minimal.

There are many herbs with plenty of benefits, but some of them, in higher doses, can become toxic. So we might get some reaction from saponins, in excess. The research shows some toxicity, but when quinoa is administered intravenously (IV). The same study says that the toxicity is significantly lower when the saponin compounds are given orally. So just avoid IV unwashed quinoa

8 Amazing Health Benefits Of Eating Quinoa