How to enjoy the incredible health benefits of quinoa

Although it is often classified as a grain, quinoa is actually a member of the same plant family as spinach. While the green leafy tops are edible, it's the seeds that are served most frequently. For more than 5,000 years, quinoa has been the staple food of peoples of the Andes, where it is one of the few crops that grows well in the dry, mountainous climate and poor soil. Here are some tips to help you add this incredibly healthy grain to your meals.

• The tiny quinoa seeds are packed with important nutrients; a 250 millilitre (one cup) serving (made from 75 millilitres or 1/4 cup of dry quinoa) provides about four milligrams of iron, more than any unfortified grain product.
• That same serving (250 millilitres/one cup) also contributes large amounts of several other essential minerals, including 90 milligrams of magnesium, 175 milligrams of phosphorus, 315 milligrams of potassium and 1.5 milligrams of zinc, as well as numerous B vitamins, especially B6, folate, niacin and thiamine.
• Most of the 160 calories in 250 millilitres (one cup) of cooked quinoa come from complex carbohydrates.
• Quinoa also provides seven grams (1 1/2 teaspoon) of protein, which is of a higher quality than similar products because it provides lysine, an amino acid missing in corn, wheat and other grains.
• Quinoa is a good source of saponins, phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer and heart disease.
• Quinoa provides an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal set by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
• The U.S. National Academy of Sciences calls it "one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom."

• Quinoa cooks quickly into a fluffy, delicately flavoured grain-like dish that lends itself to many uses.
• It can be served as a substitute for rice, potatoes and other starchy foods; combined with vegetables, poultry or seafood to make a pilaf; and added to soups and stews.

Benefits

• An excellent source of iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and other minerals.
• A good source of B-complex vitamins.
• High in protein.

Drawback

• More expensive than most grains.

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