Quinoa (pronounced KEEN – wah) has become a hot commodity the past few months according to a National Restaurant Association survey.

What is quinoa?

Quinoa is not technically a grain, but the seed of a large plant called Chenoposium quinoa or Goosefoot plant. Quinoa is available in many colors (ivory, pink, red, white, brown, black) and forms (grains, flakes, cereals, pastas).

Nutrient Analysis

From a health perspective, quinoa is unique because it is a plant that supplies all nine essential amino acids and can be classified as a “complete protein”. Most plant proteins are incomplete and must be paired (such as red beans with rice) to form a complete protein. The USDA Nutrition Data gives quinoa a protein score of 106. A protein score greater than 100 indicates a complete or high quality protein.

A 1 cup serving of cooked quinoa provides:

222 calories
4 grams of fat
8 grams of protein
5 grams of fiber
13 milligrams of sodium

The low sodium content makes it an ideal meal addition if you struggle with high blood pressure and the low fat, high fiber makes it a great tool to promote a lower cholesterol level.

Quinoa provides calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, and several B vitamins.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Health Made Easy