This article speaks about various health benefits of Quinoa. Its a super food and the most healthiest grain crop. It is gluten free and at the same time is very easy and fast to make Quinoa. Rich in fiber and nutrient content, quinoa helps in reducing blood sugar, flights inflammation, fights constipation, prevents kidney stones.
Health benefits of Quinoa
Lets have a look about the power packed health benefits of quinoa. Include quinoa in your breakfast routine as a sweet dish or a savory dish. This whole grain is packed with all the essential nutrients vitamin, protein and minerals to give you the required energy level and also maintain the overall health of the heart, kidney, skin and hair.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is one among the health food which is popular across the globe. Quinoa was also known as mother of all grains, is one of the super food or super grain. It is a grain crop, which is grown for its edible seeds. Basically, it is a seed which is prepared and eaten as a crop.
The protein content in quinoa is twice the amount of protein found in rice or barley. When cooked, quinoa becomes creamy and fluffy and also has a slight crunchy texture from inside with a nutty flavor. The health benefits of quinoa are immense and it is a great option for breakfast, as you can eat it as cereals. You can also have quinoa as a part of your lunch and dinner, like a salad or a side dish. It is easy to cook and requires as little as 15 minutes to cook a quinoa. It is also considered a whole grain.
Quinoa nutrition facts
Quinoa is rich in proteins, nutrients and antioxidants. It is also gluten free and contains almost all the 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is rich in dietary fiber. A cup of cooked quinoa weighs around 185 grams and contains around 222 calories. It also contains calcium, Vitamin E and B3 and omega-3 fatty acids in small quantity.
- Carbohydrates 39 grams
- Proteins 8 grams
- Fiber 6 grams
- Fats 4 grams
It also contains Manganese, Magnesium, Iron, Copper, Zinc, Folate, Potassium, Phosphorous, Vitamin B1, B2, and B6. Quinoa also has high protein-to-carbohydrates ratio when compared to other cereals and grains.
Quinoa benefits
Below listed are few of the health benefits of quinoa, based on the quinoa nutritional values, mentioned above.
- Quinoa improves the blood sugar level, as it is very low in glycemic index. The glycemic index is measured in terms of how fast the food raises the blood sugar levels in the body. Certain food which has high glycemic index, when consumed can contribute to obesity and fuel hunger. This can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and other heart related disease. Quinoa had low glycemic index which is around 53. People who are opting for low carb diet should avoid quinoa.
- Packed with high protein and high fiber content, it helps in reducing the risk of various health related diseases. It is a great choice of food for vegans and vegetarians. The high fiber content helps control the blood sugar level. It makes you feel full for longer duration of time; hence the overall food intake comes down. Quinoa helps in reducing cholesterol, haemorrhoids and blood pressure. Quinoa being rich in fiber which may also leads to weight loss.
- It improves the metabolic health and treats constipation when consumed regularly. Quinoa enhances the metabolism of the body and helps in easy digestion of the food. It also reduces the appetite significantly and helps in enhancing the overall digestive health of the body.
- Quinoa helps fight inflammation through butyrate, an important type of fatty acid, which turns off genes which are responsible for inflammation. The Vitamin B in quinoa also reduces inflammatory hormone in the body. The saponins present in quinoa are also rich in anti-inflammatory properties.
- Quinoa can prevent the formation of kidney stones by reducing the excess formation of bile production in the body, thereby reducing the chances of gall stones formation. Quinoa manages the overall potassium content in the body, which inhibit the uric acid stone formation in the body.
- The anti oxidant, quercetin and kaempferol present in quinoa helps fight free radicals and are present in great quantity in quinoa. Even the copper and manganese present in quinoa can help protect the body cells from damages caused by free radicals. Flavonoids are plant antioxidants which are very beneficial and have proven health benefits.
- Quinoa is a Gluten free super food, and hence it is good for people with zero gluten tolerance or for people who are allergic to wheat and wheat based products. The nutrients present in quinoa products are very high when compared to products made from wheat.
There are many more benefits apart from the above listed one. Some more benefits of including quinoa in your daily diet are: it prevents osteoporosis, prevents cardio vascular diseases, protects and enhances the liver health, lowers cholesterol, prevents anemia, enhances heart health, improves digestion, reduces the chances of hypertension and stress related diseases, reduces the risk of cancer, repairs any wear and tear of tissues in the body, makes the bones and teeth stronger.
The health benefits of quinoa are endless, try to include it in your daily diet and stay away from lots of health problems. Quinoa works wonder on your health, heart, skin and hairs. Now that you know what is quinoa for, try to eat it every day. Don’t worry on how to cook quinoa and how to eat quinoa. It is easily available and very easy and fast to cook. Then why wait and waste time. Start your day with power packed and nutrients rich quinoa and see a drastic change in the overall health of your body. Click here to know about Health benefits of Moringa leaves.
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