By definition quinoa is a pseudo-cereal but not a true cereal as it is not a grass. Originating in the highlands of South America over 5000 years ago, it is a member of the dark green leafy plant family, belonging to the phylogenetic category of Chenopodiaceae. There are two types of quinoa: bitter quinoa and sweet quinoa.
In general, it belongs to the grain family based on its taste and texture. Like beans, corn and potatoes, it was the staple food of the ancient populations of South America around 1492. However, phylogenetically speaking, it is very closely related to species such as spinach, beetroot and amaranth. It is also an ideal source of carbohydrates.
What are its benefits?
- In a weight loss diet
This food is highly recommended for people who are on a diet to lose weight, thanks to its very high and varied nutritional intake. Also, adding it without moderation in the daily food would be really beneficial, while respecting the minimum calories that the diet requires daily. Through its vegetable proteins, it also helps to gently sculpt the muscles so that fatty parts of the body can be easily eliminated.
Furthermore, with its nutty flavour, quinoa is very popular with many people. Many people eat them as an aperitif, in a cocktail or even season them with other ingredients for a dish to be served hot or cold. Especially since it is also very easy to cook and is quicker to cook than rice. And all this without any fear of weight gain or even excess fat.
- For athletes
For an active sportsman, it is an item that has become very fashionable to consume thanks to its many nutrients allowing you to fill up on energy in a very short time, while having a very low glycemic index. With its multiple nutritional qualities, and its low sugar content, quinoa allows you to have and keep a good figure while easily developing muscle mass and also avoiding fat.
According to the studies that have been carried out by specialists, so far no side effects have been detected as a result of high consumption of this product, apart from the risk of an increase in the quantity of stools, which are rare but not so serious either. On the contrary, with just 80 grams of dry quinoa per day, a person can be sure that he or she has met all the nutritional requirements for the day without any deficiencies.
The 5 reasons to eat quinoa and lose weight:
- Of all the grains, quinoa is the one that has the most complete vegetable proteins in addition to all the essential amino acids that it provides. For a sportsman, this is a very important and strategic element in the sense that it allows him to recover very quickly from an intensive activity, and to always maintain a good physical condition and good health.
- Quinoa has a low carbohydrate content, which means that there is no risk of a spike in blood sugar levels or hyperglycaemia. It is also a very good appetite suppressant and keeps the body full for a long time, and helps to limit snacking or even cravings for sugar following a reactional hypoglycaemia.
- What is also interesting about quinoa is that it does not contain cholesterol or gluten. It is therefore highly recommended for people who follow a paleo diet. This excludes cereals, pulses and foods that appeared during the Neolithic period during the agricultural revolution, as well as other restrictive diets. Following several researches, it is also recommended for diabetics, thanks to its low glycemic index.
- Very rich in vitamins, fibre, minerals and iron, quinoa is an excellent nutrient carrier. For a person on a diet, for example, it is really a little treasure that makes it easy to lose weight while having the necessary intake to last a whole day and for few calories. So the person can at the same time forget about nibbling without the risk of deficiency of any food nutrient.
- For those who are on a diet and avoid simple or empty carbohydrates to avoid gaining weight, quinoa is an infallible solution because with the multitude of nutritional contributions it contains, it can very well replace all carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and even pasta. However, these products are somewhat high in fat and sugar, whereas quinoa does not contain any.
To conclude
To sum up, quinoa is a growing part of recipes these days to fill up on carbohydrates and make a change from pasta and rice. In particular, for bodybuilders, it has become an essential ingredient for mass gain due to its high level of vegetable protein (up to 16-18%) and amino acids for a healthy and balanced diet.
For a good preparation of quinoa, it is preferable to rinse it first in water to eliminate its bitter taste, and to boil it in a container with three times its volume of boiling water. As it is very easy to cook, quinoa can be eaten with a drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of lemon before each sports session. Otherwise for a hot dish it can be accompanied by a salmon steak or a turkey escalope with a few portions of vegetables, and for a summer dish it can just be prepared with any type of salad.
