Up until a couple of days ago, I had no idea that something called "quinoa" even existed. I discovered it when I discovered a website called "Cooking Quinoa". While the recipes looked delicious, I simply had to know more about it – where can I buy it and how is it prepared? The Wikipedia article on quinoa, as usual, is overkill.
What is Quinoa?
Apparently, it's a non-grain that seems like a grain. Grains come from the grass family of vegetation and quinoa doesn't belong to that family. According to Wikipedia:
In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.
Okay, I'm sold.
Where to Buy it?
Because I live in Olongapo City, Philippines, my choices are limited. As far as I know, without visiting every market in the city, this particular food item isn't available locally. After doing a quick search, I found that the Healthy Options carry it. Unfortunately, the closest store appears to be at the SM City Pampanga mall. Taking a special road trip for something I don't have experience with may be an exercise in foolhardiness.
Not to worry, though. The Olongapo City mall was torn down and is currently being rebuilt in another SM mall. I don't know how long it's going to take because a small, two-story mall is being turned into a large, multi-story mall. Also, a huge Ayala mall is being built at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone right now and it's going to be even bigger than the SM mall when it's done.
If I can't find anything I'm looking for after both malls are completed, I'll eat my hat (even though I'll have to buy one of those too).
How is it prepared?
I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. According to multiple sources, you prepare it a certain way, but you eat it like rice. Well, I don't know about all that – I eat way too much rice as it is.
Regardless, I'm trying to cut way down on my consumption of animal and animal by-products. I'm not trying to become a vegetarian or a vegan, but too much animal meat consumption can't be good because of all the animal fat. As it is, my primary meat these days is chicken instead of beef. I love the taste of beef, but I also love the taste of grains, fruits and vegetables, especially here in the tropics. I have been know to go for days without eating any animal products whatsoever and it wasn't intentional.
Similar Articles:
- Beef: It's What's for Dinner
- Preying on the Poor – Double Dead and Hot Meat in the Philippines
- Which is Better for You, Freshwater Fish or Saltwater Fish?
- Corned Beef and Rice – A Staple of Mine
- For the Love of Chicken and Rice
This article is published as: Quinoa – What is it and why should I eat it?
"…too much animal meat consumption can't be good due because of all the animal fat"
Ugh. Boy you've got that wrong. You say you have no desire to go all veggie, but then you buy their chief (and bogus) argument.
And I love chicken, but in general the O3/O6 ratio is much better in beef.
Damn, Dave, I don't even know what an O3/O6 ratio is. I still eat beef, I'm just trying not to eat so much of it and really, all I'm trying to do is avoid the same fate as my father and his siblings, who all had strokes and heart attacks in their 40s and 50s. I'm 50. I don't want to push my luck. If cutting down on fats will help me avoid all that misery, that's what I need to do.
No, I don't buy the arguments – I just happen to like rice and oatmeal and maybe I'll like this stuff too.
Yeah, I use Quinoa whenever I can. Haha, the O3/O6 ratio is Omega 3 fatty acids to Omega 6 fatty acids. The ratio you're supposed to get is around 1:4 but most people eat only about 1:10. I don't really know how that ratio comes into play here or why he would bring it up. Quinoa is super nutritious and I wouldn't be surprised if it had healthy Omega 3s in it. I love the stuff.
MJ recently posted..Sunflower Seed Benefits — Whole Seed Benefits
Quinoa sounds new to me. I have to hunt it down at the SM Supermarket. For sure, they have it.
Ron recently posted..Concerts In The Philippines – July 2011
I have no idea what is quinoa because I haven't heard of it before. But I think it is quite nutritious after reading it could be a source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and high in magnesium and iron. Some people find it in a natural section of grocery store.
Lola T. recently posted..Tips para bajar de peso con el alpiste.
Hi RT,
Good luck wiht your search for quinoa there. I just came to know about it last spring when I was in Bolivia on assignment. I ate it for breakfast, soup at lunch, and in a salad. The breakfast one was like a thick puree with some tarty dark fruit flavour, the soup was like a thick soup pureed as well. But when I found it ladled on to my plate whole, I thought they were tastless gigantic white ears of corn. (I only ate half of what they gave me.) I quite like the soupy porridge for breakfast though. The driver also pointed out the fields of quinoa on the highway. They sort of look like wild tall weeds with thick flowers. I think they're just coming up in the world of food, sort of like malunggay or moringa a few years back. It's an Andean staple. Oh, I found out it's gluten free (?) good for those with gluten allergy.
Alex
I used to put sunflower seeds on my salads (not here, of course). I'm wondering quinoa can be used in the same way (if prepared for it). I guess I'm playing the waiting game for now.
I'm not sure if you're going to like it in your salad, unless you smother it in salad dressing. It is quite tasteless. But you can puree it and put in soup.
Alex
I hadn't known much about quinoa before I started a new diet in which this grain was the godfather, so appreciated in diets, because of its low glycemic index and a lot of other benefits. It's worth the moeny, believe me.
nice post.