Quinoa is a super-product

Have you ever heard of quinoa? This miracle-grain has recently burst into the forefront of the healthiest foods. And this is not a tribute to fashion, but a truly valuable and nutritious product, which is useful to have at home any hostess. Where does this miracle come from?
The grains of quinoa, originating in the highlands of the Andes in South America, have served since ancient times as the main food of the peoples living in those areas - in the present territory of the countries of Peru and Bolivia. We have heard a lot of stories about how in the ancient times the Indians living in the Andes sacrificed cultivated plants, animals and even people so that the gods would not be angry with them and send a rich harvest to people next year. For many millennia these civilizations worshiped quinoas, they called this product "chasii moma" - "the mother of all grains." When the soldiers gathered on a long journey, then with them they necessarily took the so-called "military balls" - a very nutritious and high-calorie mixture consisting of ground quinoa and animal fat. Such edible balls could be stored in hot and humid conditions and not spoil a very long time - up to several months. However, after the Spaniards conquered this territory in the 16th century, the quinoa slowly, but surely was replaced by the then popular in Europe cultures - wheat, barley, oats and rice. But now the quinoa took revenge - this grain was proclaimed "a protein factory" and one of the most easily assimilated alternatives to wheat. Since quinoa does not contain gluten, it is an ideal food for people with a tendency to allergic reactions. So there are all the prerequisites for the triumphal procession of quinoa around the world.

By the way, quinoa is often called cereal, however it is not so. Quinoa belongs to the family of Mari, among whose bright representatives are all known spinach, sugar and beet.

The first test
What impression does the already prepared dish-the boiled grain-produce? The texture of the quinoa is porous, light and velvety. It pleasantly crunches on the teeth, leaving a subtle, fragrant aftertaste of the nut in the mouth. Grains of quinoa come in various colors: red, black, white, beige or brown.

The secret of the taste of quinoa lies in the fact that it is properly prepared. If we are talking about quinoa, then this is perhaps more important than in the case of the rest of the food. Be sure to put experiments in the cooking with this culture and look for various recipes for its preparation that would reveal the taste potential of quinoa. You can follow the example of an indide who traditionally cooks it with tomato and chili. Or do otherwise: season the boiled grain with lemon juice, parsley, coriander, and to strengthen the nutty taste, sprinkle with ground almonds.

Are you going to cook quinoa? This is easy: put in a container 100 grams of grains, you must first rinse them in cold water. Pour half a glass of water. Sprinkle a little, wait for the water to boil, cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes. Now you can start the creative part of cooking with quinoa. Tip: try adding quinoa to the salad or stuffing them with sweet Bulgarian peppers, watering them with tomato sauce with finely chopped basil leaves. As if the many-faced chameleon, the quinoa takes over the external data and taste of the products with which it is prepared.

A tribute to fashion?
Sometimes, in order to convince everyone of the benefits of a newfangled food product, a rather dubious research is conducted in a hurry. But this has nothing to do with the quinoa! You can publicly declare that the popularity of quinoa is not a tribute to the modern food fashion, but for years has been verified and confirmed by many scientists the fact.

What useful properties are hidden behind the rather unimaginative appearance of this plant?
Not only grains are useful, but quinoa leaves. Unfortunately, the shelf life of the latter is small - only 1-2 days, and this greatly limits the possibility of their use in cooking.

Quinoa contains much more protein than other crops, and is one of the largest sources of protein among all plant products. So it can be safely applied to vegetarians as a full-fledged replacement for meat. Also quinoa serves as a source of nine essential amino acids.

One glass of cooked grain quinoa contains 8 g of protein, 4 g of fat, 39 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of fiber and 222 kcal.

It has been established that unrefined grain reduces the risk of various dangerous diseases, including asthma, stroke and collorectal cancer.

In the early 90s, American scientists who worked closely with NASA were given the task of finding a cereal culture that would have such ideal properties that it could be taken with them to a long-term space expedition planned for shipment to Mars. And the task was successfully completed. This "magic" grain was the modest plant unknown to the majority of the Earth - quinoa.

Due to its valuable properties, it is able to compete with any cereal culture.

Losing weight on the note
Quinoa has long been adopted by those who are in constant struggle for the ideal weight. And it makes sense: a study that was conducted in 2006 at the University of Madrid in Spain showed that the quinoa feeds the body much better than wheat and rice grains and is therefore an excellent way to control one's appetite.