Quinoa: 12 properties and benefits of this food

Quinoa is a highly recommended food for everyone. Many people will think that it is a cereal, and it is actually very similar, but technically it is called a pseudocereal. But this is not very relevant, the important thing is to know the reasons why it is worth taking quinoa.

Quinoa has many properties and benefits, and so much so that it has entered the category of superfood. This term has been coined to refer to certain foods that have a high nutritional value.

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The 12 properties and benefits of quinoa

The properties and benefits of quinoa have made it a popular food. Although a few years ago few people had consumed quinoa, today it can be found very easily in all supermarkets and in recipes in many restaurants.

Its main added value compared to conventional cereals is that it contains all the essential amino acids, making it an excellent source of vegetable protein. This point will be explained in more detail below, along with the other properties and benefits.

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1. Contains vegetable protein

As we have advanced, eating quinoa allows you to obtain protein of high biological value of plant origin. There are not many vegetables that offer all the essential amino acids. These are the components we need to form human protein, and although there are many plant sources with amino acids, it is common that some of the essential ones are missing.

2. Provides different nutrients

Quinoa is a very interesting food nutritionally. It contains carbohydrates, fats and proteins in very interesting proportions, and it also contains good amounts of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. It is therefore a good option to prepare the base of recipes that are a single dish for a lunch or dinner.

3. It is a recommended food for everyone

Not all foods can be recommended to the entire population. Except for the smallest babies, there is practically no pathological condition that prevents eating quinoa. It is a good food for people with intestinal problems, pregnant people, athletes, elderly people, etc.

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4. It is a good food for diabetics

Quinoa is also a recommended food for diabetics, although carbohydrates are the macronutrient that contains the most proportion. The reason it is recommended is that, unlike other industrially manufactured cereals and food products, the glycemic index is low; As it is not refined and contains fiber, blood sugar does not skyrocket.

5. Take care of the bones

Eating quinoa has benefits for your bones. Its properties when it comes to caring for bones are linked to the fact that they contain minerals that participate in the formation and maintenance of bone tissue. It is a food that contains more than triple the calcium of most cereals.

6. Combat the appearance of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the world. Eating foods that help us fight the appearance of diseases of this type is very advantageous, and cinchona is one of them. Phytochemicals such as linoleic acid improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as fight against the formation of plaques that lead to atherosclerosis.

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7. It is good food for the brain

Some of the nutrients in quinoa make this food an ally for the brain. Among the properties and benefits of quinoa, its ability to promote the proper functioning of the nervous system stands out, becoming a recommended food for certain conditions. The B vitamins and different minerals are responsible for this.

8. Has anti-inflammatory properties

Quinoa contains phytochemicals that fight inflammation. Internal inflammation in different organs of the body is common in many people, and its cause responds to a combination of stress, lack of sleep or poor diet. Substances such as flavonoids counteract inflammation that damages our body.

9. It is an antioxidant

Quinoa also has antioxidant properties as a great health benefit. In our body it is common for free radicals to appear, and even more so if the lifestyle one leads is not the healthiest. That is why it is advisable to eat foods such as quinoa, since antioxidants can effectively fight against oxidation.

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10. Fight aging

The fact that quinoa is an antioxidant prevents aging. Consolidating a healthy and balanced diet with foods with as many properties and benefits as quinoa helps maintain youth and vitality. It is very important to eat real food, and more so if you manage to combat cellular oxidation.

11. Increase collagen production

Quinoa promotes collagen production, and this is especially due to an amino acid: lysine. Lysine is an essential amino acid of which cereals are very deficient, but which precisely has very good properties and benefits. It is especially used to produce collagen, which is very important for tissues such as the skin or joints.

12. Take care of the hair

Some personal hygiene products already incorporate quinoa in their composition. This is because they contain substances that improve the health of the skin but also of the hair. It is for this reason that there are cosmetics, shower gels, and shampoos that contain quinoa. Applying them strengthens these tissues, although eating quinoa is still a good option.

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Bibliographic references

• Abugoch, J.L.E. (2009). Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): Composition, chemistry, nutritional, and functional properties. Adv Food Nutr Res (Review). Advances in Food and Nutrition Research. 58, 1–31.

• Bernice Kagan; Meredith McCarty (1995). Fresh from a vegetarian kitchen. New York: St. Martin's Press.

• Gómez-Caravaca, A.M., Iafelice, G., Lavini, A., Pulvento, C., Caboni, M. F. and Marconi, E. (2012). Phenolic Compounds and Saponins in Quinoa Samples (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Grown under Different Saline and Non saline Irrigation Regimens. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 60 (18): 4620–4627.