Quinoa: The Grain of Champions

Pronounced "Kee-Nwa", this ancient grain, although it may sound like it's from Japan is actually from Peru. It predates wheat. A good percentage of the U.S. population has at least a minor food allergy to wheat. I have one myself. If I eat too many grains, yes, even whole grains, my sinuses get clogged. Not a big deal, I still eat burritos, so I try to eat whole wheat tortillas, though like I said, too much of even whole wheat is not a good thing, at least for my constitution.

With that in mind, I love to eat quinoa, a grain that's high in protein (at least compared to other grains) and is grown in altitudes of over 12,000 feet in the South American Andes.

The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to quinoa as "chisaya mama" or "mother of all grains", and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using 'golden implements'. During the European conquest of South America, quinoa was scorned by the Spanish colonists as "food for Indians", and even actively suppressed, due to its status within indigenous non-Christian ceremonies.

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance within pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, and the United Nations has classified it as a supercrop for its very high protein content (12-18%).

Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete foodstuff. This means it takes less quinoa protein to meet one's needs than wheat protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron.

Quinoa is also gluten free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long duration manned spaceflights.

Quinoa been an important food for 6,000 years. Its name is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name. In Encinitas, California, my home base, there is a Peruvian restaurant called El Quero, on the west side of Coast Highway 101 between D and E Streets, which serves hearty and tasty portions quinoa.

Available at most health food stores, including Trader Joe's, quinoa can be found in the organic variety. A word of culinary caution: quinoa is very plain tasting. Add to it a low-sugar or naturally sugar-free sauce, or use spices to make your quinoa more appetizing.

This highly-beneficial grain will give you steady good energy for hours and it is satisfying. Boxed quinoa is as easy to quick as spaghetti or rice. Dig in. Bon appetit!