Quinoa Advocates

Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for 6,000 years. Its name is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name. Quinoa is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy, so it can be easily cultivated up to about 4,000 meters. The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred referred to quinoa as chisaya mama or mother of all grains. During the inquisition of South America quinoa was scorned by the conquistadors who forbade quinoa cultivation and forced the Incas to grow corn instead.

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations. It is a significant food source for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. 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.

It is simple to prepare and takes on the flavors of curries, spices, herbs, chocolate etc. Use it as a breakfast cereal, side dish or cold salad(couscous) base grain.

Source Wikipedia