"QUINOA" – The wonder millet

"QUINOA" – The wonder millet 

Quinoa, a pseudo – millet considered to be the staple food of the Andes region from the Inca civilization days is now finding its place. An experiment in which Quinoa was grown both at Hyderabad a year back and in Ananthapuramu district and was met with a runaway success. 

Infact, Quinoa is known in the Andes by the name “Chisaya mama” which means mother of all grains and is found to be containing all the 10 essential amino acids and is low in its glycemic index. It is because of these qualities the world is looking at Quinoa as an alternative to the existing food grains, more importantly for people with diabetes. 

Recent scientific studies have confirmed that quinoa "has remarkable nutritional properties, not only from its protein content (15%), but also from its great amino acid balance". (Abugoch, 2009). Quinoa has been found to contain more lysine (an amino acid that is usually lacking in plant foods), than other cereals. Quinoa also contains minerals and vitamins and compounds such as polyphenols, phytosterols and flavonoids which all have antioxidant and protective functions.
Nutritional values published on the internet vary, but the average nutritional composition of a cup of cooked quinoa based on nutrition data supplied by the USDA SR-21 on the Nutrition Data website (2010) is as follows: 

Serving size	1 cup cooked (185g)	RDA or SDI*	% RDA
Energy	932 kJ (222 kcal)
Protein	8 g	56 g	14,3%
Total fat	4 g
Total carbohydrates	39 g
Dietary fibre	5 g	20 g*	25%
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)	0.2 mg	1.2 mg	16,7%
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)	0.2 mg	1.3 mg	15.4%
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)	0.2 mg	1.3 mg	15.4%
Folate	77.7 microgram	400 mcg	19.4%
Iron	2.8 mg	18 mg	15.6%
Magnesium	118 mg	420 mg	28.1%
Phosphorus	281 mg	700 mg	40.1%
Potassium	318 mg	2000 mg*	15.9%
Sodium	13 mg	3000 mg*	0.4%
Zinc	2 mg	11 mg	18.2%
Copper	0.4 mg	2.3 mg*	17.4%
Manganese	1.2 mg	3.5 mg*	34.3%

RDA = Recommended Daily Dietary Allowance for Individuals older than 13 years
SDI* = Suggested Daily Intakes

High energy content
It is evident that one cup of cooked quinoa is a rich source of energy supplying about 12% of the daily energy requirement for an adult woman who is not trying to lose weight and nearly 15% of the daily energy intake if a woman is on an energy-reduced diet.
So while quinoa is an excellent source of readily available fuel and will make an important contribution to the energy needs of anyone who has a high energy demand such as sportsmen and women, and very active children and teenagers, slimmers should only eat moderate portions to prevent weight gain. Have half a cup of cooked quinoa for breakfast to sustain you for the whole morning.

Macronutrients

ProteinWith its high protein content (8g per cup) and the fact that quinoa protein contains the 9 so-called "essential amino acids" (including lysine) quinoa has an advantage above other grains and cereals and will be particularly useful in vegetarian and vegan diets as a source of protein (Ruales & Nair, 1992).

Carbohydrates and Dietary FibreQuinoa is also a rich source of carbohydrates and with a low glycaemic index (GI) of 18, it should provide sustained energy for longer than most other grains. If you suffer from insulin resistance or diabetes, it may be a good idea to have half a cup of cooked quinoa as an alternative to high-GI starches (Berti et al, 2005). The relatively high dietary fibre content will contribute to sustained energy and also prevent constipation.

Finally the carbohydrate in quinoa is gluten-free, which makes it an excellent choice for patients with gluten allergies or coeliac disease (Lee et al, 2009).

FatThe total fat content of quinoa is low (4g per serving of 185g) and like all cereals and grains it does not contain any cholesterol.

Vitamins and MineralsAccording to the SA Food Labelling Regulations any food that contains 15% of the RDA of a nutrient per serving can be regarded as a rich source of the specific nutrient. Quinoa is, therefore, a rich source of B vitamins, namely thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and folate.

This pseudograin is also rich in magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. The low sodium content of quinoa is regarded as a nutritional advantage, but keep in mind if you add table salt to quinoa during cooking or food preparation, that the sodium content will increase accordingly.

Health risks?

With all its positive attributes, quinoa is a food that can be eaten by most people without risk, but it does contain compounds called oxalates which can be a problem for anyone suffering from oxalate kidney stones. If you are on an oxalate-reduced diet then it would be better to avoid eating quinoa (WHFoods Website, 2010).

In addition there will always be some individuals who are allergic to any given food and the first case report of an anaphylactic reaction to quinoa has already been reported in France (Astier et al, 2009). The saponins mentioned below, which need to be carefully rinsed off the seeds before cooking, are classified as toxic glycosides (AllergyNet, 2010). If you are allergic to alfalfa, hops or soybeans, which also contain saponins, then it is possible that you may have a similar reaction to quinoa.

How to prepare quinoaAccording to the WHFoods website (2010), quinoa should be rinsed with water to remove the layer of soapy saponins that cover the seeds. This reduces the bitter taste and removes these potentially allergenic compounds.
Place the seeds in a fine-meshed sieve or colander and rub the seeds while rinsing under flowing water. Taste the washed seeds to see if they need additional rinsing.

The experiment carried out at Hyderabad had resulted in emergence of an Indian specific variety,because the experiment was carried out to help primarily the drought affected farmers of Ananthapuramu district. What is more satisfying is, its leaves are not only fit for human consumption like any other green leafy vegetable but the excess of it can also be fed to the cattle and sheep. This answers certain questions raised by the farmers is Ananthapuramu district whether the crop can replace groundnut from which they get fodder to their cattle.
There are also certain successful experiments conducted through which it is understood that Quinoa can be used for making dosas, idlis and payasam (a sweet dish / Kheer). 

The crop has been successfully harvested by a farmer in Ananthapuramu district and being successfully grown by Ananthapuramu farmers