Meet Quinoa: the 'Mother of all Grains'

Quinoa is a grain-like plant, the edible seeds of which are highly nutritious and tasty, but not yet enjoying widespread popularity across the U.S.

It's Only Natural in Middletown is fixing America's oversight by featuring quinoa in our lineup of summer specials.

The quinoa plant is a pseudo-cereal, meaning it’s kind of a cereal but not really because it’s not a part of the grass family.1 Quinoa is part of the Chenopadiaceae family; it’s a leafy plant like amaranth and spinach.1 The plant leaves can be eaten, but people usually ignore that fact and go for the seeds.1

Most people don’t realize the part of the quinoa plant we eat is the seed.  Then again, most people can’t name a single provision about the policies they so strongly oppose and support. Seriously, they can’t.

Quinoa originated in South America where it was highly revered by the Incas, so much so that it was nicknamed “Incan gold” and “mother of all grains.”2 When the Spaniards came to take over South America, they didn’t like quinoa because it was involved in non-Christian ceremonies and it helped strengthen the Incan warriors.2 And because they were probably just trying to show the Incas who was boss.  They forbade the Incas from cultivating quinoa, forcing them to grow wheat instead.2 And that’s why I’m an Atheist.

This was a big fat Spanish mistake that often gets overshadowed by some other things going on at the time, like inquisitions and whatnot.  Quinoa had a difficult time recovering after many of the quinoa fields were destroyed and subsequent Incan ruling classes declaring that quinoa was only suitable for animals.2 But all that has slowly changed and quinoa is swiftly gaining popularity once again.

With a slightly crunchy texture and nutty flavor, quinoa is high in protein, fiber, iron, calcium, vitaims A & E, and all eight amino acids.1 There are over 160 varieties of quinoa currently being cultivated, sold, and eaten.  2 As an added bonus, quinoa is gluten-free and substitutes nicely for rice/barley/couscous/your grain of choice in most dishes. 1

One Spanish conquistador’s trash is another vegan chef’s treasure.  Look for ION specials this summer with quinoa as the guest star!

Citations:

1 – Foodlexicon: http://en.foodlexicon.org/q0000050.php

2 – Dobkin, Leah, 2008: http://leahdobkin.com/articles/QuinoaComeback.pdf