Contents:
- Medical Video: An Introduction to Nutrition and Cooking: Quinoa, Lentil, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
- What is quinoa?
- What are the nutrients in quinoa?
- What are the benefits of quinoa for health?
- How do you use Quinoa?
- Conclusion
Medical Video: An Introduction to Nutrition and Cooking: Quinoa, Lentil, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
Along with the increasing human awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles, a variety of food products that are claimed to be good for health are increasingly appearing. One of the food products that we will discuss on this occasion is quinoa.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is a grain that comes from plants Chenopodium quinoa. This plant has been around for about 5000 years ago. These plants are native to the Andean region of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia. At present the main producing countries of quinoa in the world are Peru, Bolivia and the United States (Colorado and Nevada). Quinoa cultivation has also been widely developed in other countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, England, Sweden, Denmark, France, Kenya, the Himalayan region, and northern India. There are several types of quinoa, some are white / ivory, red / purple, or brown / black. Quinoa circulating in Indonesia is usually white and red quinoa.
What are the nutrients in quinoa?
Quinoa is high in protein, unsaturated fat, rich in fiber, and contains various minerals and vitamins that the body needs.
Protein in quinoa is higher when compared to other seed products. But the superiority of quinoa is more about the quality of its protein content. Proteins are formed from amino acids. Eight essential amino acids that are considered very important for children and adults, namely isoleucin, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanin, threonine, tryptophan, and valine found in quinoa. Essential amino acid content lysine in other bijirin products low. Essential amino acid content methionine and cysteine in most legumes it is also low.
Half of the fats contained in quinoa are omega 3 essential fatty acids (linolenic) and omega 6 essential fatty acids (linoleic) Linolenic and linoleic are called essential fatty acids because they cannot be produced by the body.
The fiber content in quinoa is higher than in other seeds, but lower compared to the fiber content in nuts.
Quinoa contains many minerals such as iron, copper, manganese and phosphorus. Vitamins that are abundant in quinoa are vitamin B (riboflavin, folic acid) and vitamin E. Vitamin E works as an anti-oxidant.
What are the benefits of quinoa for health?
Because it does not contain gluten, quinoa can be used as a substitute for carbohydrates in patients celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Quinoa is also good for diabetics. High fiber content in quinoa makes the rate of release of sugar into blood vessels slower, so that the work of insulin in the body is helped. In addition, fiber can also make the body feel full faster, and facilitate the work of the digestive tract (preventing constipation).
The content of lysine in quinoa helps to heal the muscles of the body.
Copper and manganese minerals help the body fight free radicals and maintain bone strength. Iron and phosphorus are important in the process of forming energy.
How do you use Quinoa?
In Indonesia, quinoa can be found in large supermarkets and online stores that sell healthy food ingredients. Before use, quinoa must be rinsed first to remove saponins on the surface. Saponins cause quinoa to be bitter when eaten. Another option is to buy quinoa that has been rinsed before packaging.
How to cook quinoa is almost the same as cooking rice. 2 glasses of water are needed to cook 1 cup of quinoa. After quinoa is mixed with water, boil for about 15 minutes until all the water absorbs. Because it tastes tasteless, quinoa can be used in various types of dishes, whether it's a mixture of vegetables for appetizers, main foods instead of rice, dessert ingredients, or as a snack maker.
Conclusion
Quinoa contains many nutrients. Quinoa can be used as a complement to other food products, so that the components of food we consume become more balanced and the nutritional adequacy of the body becomes more optimal.
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