Quinoa nutrition info. Quinoa Nutrition: Unveiling the Superfood’s Health Benefits and Nutritional Value

02.07.202327.06.2023 by alexxlab

What makes quinoa a nutritional powerhouse. How does quinoa compare to other grains. Why is quinoa considered a complete protein source. What are the key vitamins and minerals found in quinoa. How can quinoa benefit your overall health.

Содержание

The Nutritional Profile of Quinoa: A Comprehensive Breakdown

Quinoa, scientifically known as Chenopodium quinoa, has gained widespread popularity as a nutrient-dense superfood. This pseudocereal boasts an impressive nutritional profile that sets it apart from traditional grains. Let’s delve into the specifics of quinoa’s nutritional composition.

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked quinoa provides:

Calories: 120
Water: 72%
Protein: 4.4 grams
Carbohydrates: 21.3 grams
Sugar: 0.9 grams
Fiber: 2.8 grams
Fat: 1.9 grams

This nutritional breakdown reveals quinoa’s well-balanced macronutrient profile, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a nutrient-rich food source.

Carbohydrates in Quinoa: Quality Fuel for Your Body

Carbohydrates constitute 21% of cooked quinoa, similar to barley and rice. However, the quality of these carbohydrates sets quinoa apart. Approximately 83% of the carbs in quinoa are starches, with the remainder primarily consisting of fiber and a small amount of sugars.

Is quinoa a low glycemic index food? Indeed, quinoa has a relatively low glycemic index (GI) score of 53. This indicates that it may not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, potentially benefiting those managing diabetes or seeking to maintain stable energy levels throughout the day.

The Fiber Advantage of Quinoa

Fiber makes up 10% of the dry weight of cooked quinoa, with 80% to 90% being insoluble fibers like cellulose. This high fiber content contributes to quinoa’s potential health benefits, including:

Improved digestive health
Enhanced feelings of fullness
Potential reduction in diabetes risk
Support for beneficial gut bacteria

Additionally, quinoa contains resistant starch, which acts as a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut and promoting overall digestive health.

Protein Power: Why Quinoa Stands Out Among Plant-Based Proteins

Quinoa’s protein content is one of its most celebrated attributes. By dry weight, quinoa provides 16% protein, surpassing most cereal grains such as barley, rice, and corn. But what makes quinoa’s protein truly exceptional?

Quinoa is considered a complete protein source, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own. This characteristic is rare among plant-based foods, making quinoa an invaluable protein source for vegetarians and vegans.

Which amino acids are particularly abundant in quinoa? Quinoa is exceptionally high in lysine, an amino acid often lacking in plant-based proteins. It’s also rich in methionine and histidine, further enhancing its protein quality.

Protein Digestibility: How Easily Can Your Body Utilize Quinoa’s Protein?

The protein in quinoa isn’t just complete; it’s also highly digestible. Studies have shown that quinoa’s protein digestibility is comparable to that of casein, the high-quality protein found in dairy products. This high digestibility ensures that your body can efficiently utilize the protein quinoa provides.

The Fat Content of Quinoa: Small but Significant

While quinoa is not particularly high in fat, the fats it does contain contribute to its nutritional value. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked quinoa provides about 2 grams of fat.

The fat composition in quinoa primarily consists of:

Palmitic acid
Oleic acid
Linoleic acid

These fatty acids contribute to quinoa’s overall nutritional profile and may offer various health benefits when consumed as part of a balanced diet.

Vitamins and Minerals: Quinoa’s Micronutrient Bounty

Quinoa stands out not only for its macronutrient profile but also for its impressive array of vitamins and minerals. How does quinoa compare to other grains in terms of micronutrients? Studies have shown that quinoa provides more magnesium, iron, fiber, and zinc than many common grains.

Key vitamins and minerals found in quinoa include:

Manganese: Essential for metabolism, growth, and development
Phosphorus: Crucial for bone health and tissue maintenance
Copper: Important for heart health
Folate: Vital for cell function and tissue growth, particularly important during pregnancy
Iron: Essential for oxygen transport in the body

This diverse range of micronutrients contributes to quinoa’s status as a nutritional powerhouse, supporting various bodily functions and overall health.

Antioxidants in Quinoa: Combating Oxidative Stress

Beyond its impressive macro and micronutrient profile, quinoa is also a good source of antioxidants. These compounds play a crucial role in protecting your body against oxidative stress, which is linked to various chronic diseases.

Some of the antioxidants found in quinoa include:

Quercetin
Kaempferol
Squalene
Alpha-tocopherol

These antioxidants work synergistically with quinoa’s other nutrients to provide comprehensive health benefits, potentially reducing the risk of various diseases and supporting overall wellbeing.

Quinoa’s Versatility: From Kitchen to Table

One of quinoa’s greatest attributes is its culinary versatility. This pseudocereal can be prepared and consumed in numerous ways, making it easy to incorporate into various diets and cuisines.

How can you prepare and enjoy quinoa? Here are some popular methods:

Boiled and served as a side dish
Added to salads for extra nutrition and texture
Used to thicken soups and stews
Prepared as a breakfast porridge
Sprouted and added to salads or sandwiches
Ground into flour for gluten-free baking
Popped like popcorn for a crunchy snack

Quinoa’s mild, nutty flavor and satisfying texture make it a versatile ingredient that can adapt to various flavor profiles and culinary traditions.

Quinoa for Special Diets

Quinoa’s unique nutritional profile makes it an excellent choice for individuals following special diets. Its gluten-free nature makes it suitable for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. The high protein content and complete amino acid profile make it valuable for vegetarians and vegans. Additionally, its low glycemic index can benefit those managing diabetes or following low-GI diets.

The Global Impact of Quinoa: Beyond Nutrition

The nutritional benefits of quinoa extend beyond individual health to potentially impact global food security. In 2013, the United Nations declared the “International Year of Quinoa,” recognizing the seed’s potential to contribute to worldwide food security.

Why is quinoa considered important for global food security? Several factors contribute to quinoa’s potential in this area:

Nutritional density: Quinoa provides high-quality protein and a wide range of essential nutrients.
Adaptability: Quinoa can grow in various climates and soil conditions, including areas with poor soil quality.
Drought resistance: Quinoa plants are relatively drought-tolerant, making them suitable for cultivation in water-scarce regions.
Cultural significance: Quinoa has been a staple food in Andean cultures for thousands of years, representing a link between traditional knowledge and modern nutrition science.

As global interest in quinoa continues to grow, it’s important to consider the impact on traditional quinoa-growing communities and ensure sustainable cultivation practices.

Incorporating Quinoa into Your Diet: Practical Tips and Recipes

Given its nutritional benefits and versatility, incorporating quinoa into your diet can be a smart move for improving overall nutrition. Here are some practical tips for adding more quinoa to your meals:

Substitute quinoa for rice or pasta in your favorite dishes
Add cooked quinoa to salads for extra protein and texture
Use quinoa as a base for grain bowls, topped with vegetables, proteins, and dressings
Prepare a quinoa breakfast porridge with milk, fruits, and nuts
Incorporate quinoa flour into baking recipes for added nutrition

Quick and Nutritious Quinoa Recipe Ideas

To help you get started with quinoa, here are a few simple recipe ideas:

Quinoa Tabbouleh: Mix cooked quinoa with chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, and a lemon-olive oil dressing
Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers: Fill bell peppers with a mixture of quinoa, vegetables, and your choice of protein
Quinoa Breakfast Bowl: Top cooked quinoa with Greek yogurt, berries, and a drizzle of honey
Quinoa Veggie Burger: Combine cooked quinoa with mashed beans, spices, and breadcrumbs to form patties

Remember to rinse quinoa before cooking to remove its natural coating, which can impart a bitter taste. Cook quinoa using a 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, simmering for about 15-20 minutes until the grains are tender and have absorbed the liquid.

Potential Health Benefits of Regular Quinoa Consumption

While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term health impacts of quinoa consumption, current evidence suggests several potential benefits:

Improved blood sugar control: The low glycemic index and high fiber content of quinoa may help regulate blood sugar levels.
Enhanced digestive health: Quinoa’s fiber content and prebiotic properties can support a healthy gut microbiome.
Weight management: The protein and fiber in quinoa can promote feelings of fullness, potentially aiding in weight management.
Heart health: The antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats in quinoa may contribute to cardiovascular health.
Muscle support: As a complete protein source, quinoa can aid in muscle maintenance and growth.

Is quinoa a magic bullet for health? While quinoa is undoubtedly nutritious, it’s important to remember that no single food can provide all the nutrients your body needs. Quinoa should be part of a varied, balanced diet for optimal health benefits.

Quinoa and Sustainability: Environmental Considerations

As quinoa’s popularity has grown globally, questions about its sustainability have arisen. How does quinoa cultivation impact the environment and local communities?

Quinoa’s environmental impact depends on various factors:

Water usage: While quinoa is relatively drought-resistant, commercial cultivation may still require significant water resources.
Land use: Increasing demand for quinoa has led to changes in land use in traditional growing areas.
Biodiversity: Monoculture quinoa farming can impact local biodiversity.
Economic impact: The global quinoa boom has affected prices and availability for local communities in traditional growing regions.

To address these concerns, sustainable quinoa cultivation practices are being developed and implemented. These include water-efficient farming methods, crop rotation, and fair trade initiatives to support local farmers.

As consumers, we can support sustainable quinoa production by choosing fair trade and organically grown quinoa when possible, and by diversifying our grain consumption to include a variety of nutritious options.

Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Quinoa is the seed of a plant known scientifically as Chenopodium quinoa. It is higher in nutrients than most grains and is often marketed as a “superfood.”

Although quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is prepared and consumed like a cereal grain, it’s categorized as a pseudocereal, as it doesn’t grow on grass like wheat, oats, and rice.

Quinoa has a crunchy texture and nutty flavor. It’s also gluten-free and can therefore be enjoyed by people who are sensitive to gluten or wheat (1, 2).

Quinoa seeds are flat, oval, and usually pale yellow, though the color can range from pink to black. Its taste can vary from bitter to sweet (2).

It’s usually boiled and can be added to salads, used to thicken soups, or eaten as a side dish or breakfast porridge.

The seeds can also be sprouted, ground, and used as flour or popped like popcorn. Quinoa is an excellent food for babies (2, 3).

The United Nations declared 2013 “The International Year of Quinoa” due to the seeds’ potential to contribute to worldwide food security (4).

Though quinoa technically isn’t a grain, it’s still considered a whole-grain food, according to the Whole Grains Council (5).

This article tells you everything you need to know about quinoa.

Cooked quinoa comprises 71% carbohydrates, 14.6% protein, and 14.2% fat.

One cup (185 grams) of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories.

The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked quinoa are (6):

Calories: 120
Water: 72%
Protein: 4.4 grams
Carbs: 21.3 grams
Sugar: 0.9 grams
Fiber: 2.8 grams
Fat: 1.9 grams

Carbs

Carbs make up 21% of cooked quinoa, comparable to barley and rice.

About 83% of the carbs are starches. The rest consists mostly of fiber and a small amount of sugars (4%), such as maltose, galactose, and ribose (6, 7).

Quinoa has a relatively low glycemic index (GI) score of 53, which means it may not cause a rapid spike in blood sugar (8).

The GI is a measure of how fast blood sugar levels rise after a meal. Eating a low-glycemic-index diet may be linked to a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (9, 10).

Fiber

Cooked quinoa contains more fiber than brown rice and yellow corn (11).

Fiber makes up 10% of the dry weight of cooked quinoa, 80% to 90% of which are insoluble fibers like cellulose (11).

Insoluble fibers may be associated with reduced diabetes risk (12, 13).

Plus, some insoluble fiber may be fermented in your gut, like soluble fibers, feeding your friendly bacteria and promoting better overall health (14, 15).

Quinoa also provides some resistant starch, which feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, promoting the formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), improving gut health, and cutting your risk of disease (16, 17).

Protein

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and proteins are the building blocks of all tissues in your body.

Some amino acids are essential, as your body cannot produce them, making it necessary to acquire them from your diet.

By dry weight, quinoa provides 16% protein, higher than most cereal grains, such as barley, rice, and corn (3, 6, 18).

Quinoa is considered a complete protein source, which means that it provides all nine essential amino acids (7, 18, 19).

It’s exceptionally high in the amino acid lysine, usually lacking in plants. It’s also rich in methionine and histidine, making it an excellent plant-based protein source (1, 2, 3).

Not all proteins are equally easy for your body to digest. The protein in quinoa is highly digestible, much like casein, the high quality protein in dairy products (3, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23).

Quinoa is gluten-free and therefore suitable for people who are sensitive or allergic to gluten.

Fat

A 3.5-ounce (100 gram) serving of cooked quinoa provides about 2 grams of fat.

Like other grains, quinoa fat is mainly composed of palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid (21, 24, 25).

SUMMARY
The carbs in quinoa consist mainly of starch, insoluble fibers, and small amounts of sugar and resistant starch. This grain is considered a complete protein and provides 2 grams of fat per 3.5 ounces (100 grams).

Quinoa is a good source of antioxidants and minerals, providing more magnesium, iron, fiber, and zinc than many common grains (3, 26, 27).

Here are the main vitamins and minerals in quinoa:

Manganese: Found in high amounts in whole grains, this trace mineral is essential for metabolism, growth, and development (28).
Phosphorus: Often found in protein-rich foods, this mineral is essential for bone health and the maintenance of various body tissues (29).
Copper: A mineral often lacking in the Western diet, copper is important for heart health (30).
Folate: One of the B vitamins, folate is essential for cell function and tissue growth and is considered particularly important for pregnant people (31, 32).
Iron: This essential mineral performs many important functions in your body, such as transporting oxygen in red blood cells.
Magnesium: Important for many processes in your body, magnesium is often lacking in the Western diet (33).
Zinc: This mineral is important for overall health and participates in many chemical reactions in your body (34).

SUMMARY
Quinoa is a good source of several minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, and zinc.

Quinoa contains many plant compounds that contribute to its flavor and health effects, including:

Saponin: These plant glycosides protect quinoa seeds against insects and other threats. They’re bitter and usually eliminated by soaking, washing, or roasting before cooking (2, 35).
Quercetin: This powerful polyphenol antioxidant may help protect against various illnesses, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain forms of cancer (36, 37, 38).
Kaempferol: This polyphenol antioxidant may reduce your risk of chronic diseases, including cancer (39, 40).
Squalene: This precursor of steroids also acts as an antioxidant in your body (41).
Phytic acid: This antinutrient reduces the absorption of minerals, such as iron and zinc. Phytic acid can be reduced by soaking or sprouting quinoa before cooking (42).
Oxalates: They may bind with calcium, reduce its uptake, and increase the risk of kidney stone formation in sensitive individuals (43).

Bitter quinoa varieties are richer in antioxidants than sweeter types, but both are good sources of antioxidants and minerals.

One study concluded that quinoa had the highest antioxidant content of 10 common cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes (44).

Quinoa and related crops have even been identified as better sources of flavonoid antioxidants than cranberries, which are considered very rich in flavonoids (45).

Keep in mind that the antioxidant levels may decrease with cooking (46, 47).

SUMMARY
Quinoa is high in many plant compounds, especially antioxidants. Some of the undesirable plant compounds can be eliminated by soaking, washing, or roasting prior to cooking.

Nutritious and rich in many minerals and plant compounds, quinoa can be a healthy addition to your diet.

Some data show that quinoa may increase your nutritional intake and help reduce blood sugar and triglycerides.

Lower blood sugar levels

People with type 2 diabetes are unable to use insulin effectively, causing high blood sugar levels and various complications.

Refined carbs are linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, while whole grains like quinoa are associated with a reduced risk (13, 48, 49, 50, 51).

A study in rats on a high-fructose diet showed that eating quinoa significantly lowered blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar, which are all linked to type 2 diabetes (52).

One human study compared the effects of quinoa with traditional gluten-free wheat products.

Quinoa lowered both blood triglycerides and free fatty acids. It also affected blood sugar levels to a lesser degree than gluten-free pasta, gluten-free bread, and traditional bread (53).

May aid weight loss

Quinoa has many properties that make it a weight-loss-friendly food.

It’s higher in protein than similar foods, such as rice, corn, and whole wheat (6).

Protein is considered a key factor for weight loss, as it boosts metabolism and feelings of fullness. In doing so, it may help prevent obesity and related diseases (54, 55).

Fibers are also important for weight loss, promoting decreased calorie intake by increasing feelings of fullness and improving gut health (56, 57).

Quinoa is higher in fiber than many whole-grain foods.

The GI value of quinoa is relatively low, and low-glycemic foods have been shown to prevent overeating and decrease hunger (10, 58, 59).

Quinoa is gluten-free

As a gluten-free pseudocereal, quinoa is suitable for people who are intolerant or allergic to gluten, such as those with celiac disease (3).

Research indicates that using quinoa in a gluten-free diet, instead of other common gluten-free ingredients, dramatically increases the nutrient and antioxidant value of your diet (60, 61, 62).

Quinoa-based products are well tolerated and may be a suitable alternative to wheat in its original form and in products like bread or pasta (63).

SUMMARY
Quinoa may reduce blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides. It’s weight loss friendly, gluten-free, and has been shown to increase the nutrient and antioxidant value of gluten-free diets.

Quinoa is usually well tolerated with no reported side effects.

Phytates

Similar to most other cereals and grains, quinoa contains phytates.

These may reduce your absorption of minerals like iron and zinc (3).

Oxalates

Quinoa is a member of the Chenopodiaceae family and is thus high in oxalates. Other species in the same family are spinach and beetroot (43).

These foods may contribute to kidney stone formation in sensitive individuals (64).

These effects can be reduced by rinsing and soaking quinoa before cooking.

SUMMARY
Quinoa is generally well tolerated but contains phytates and oxalates. These may reduce your absorption of minerals and contribute to kidney stone formation in some individuals.

Quinoa packs more nutrients than most other grains and is relatively high in quality protein.

It’s rich in vitamins, minerals, plant compounds, and antioxidants.

Quinoa is gluten-free, may help lower blood sugar levels, and aid weight loss.

If you want to increase the nutrient content of your diet, replacing other grains like rice or wheat with quinoa may be a good start.