Quinoa
There quinoa it is a herbaceous plant with an annual cycle, belonging to the Amaranthaceae family (the same as the beets); the binomial nomenclature of quinoa is Chenopodium quinoa (Class. Willd.).
Due to its nutritional affinities and commercial use, it is considered a "cereal"; however, not belonging to the Poaceae family (Graminacee), quinoa is often included in the group of pseudo-cereals (similarly to amaranth and buckwheat).
The quinoa plant reaches 2m in height and produces small white or yellowish seeds, circular and flattened in shape, organized in small clusters (1.5-2.0mm in diameter, similar to lentils but as large as millet). After cooking, these seeds represent the so-called edible portion of the vegetable and are characterized by a typically acrid flavor.
Quinoa can be consumed whole, in the form of wholemeal flours or sprouted seeds (which further increase its nutritional value). As it does not contain gluten, it would be suitable for celiac nutrition; however, it is always good to consider the presence of any contamination in the production cycle.
In its natural state, quinoa seed is covered with a thin veil of saponins with surfactant action. These give the freshly picked quinoa a typically bitter taste, as well as a potentially toxic action towards the intestine and respiratory tract. Obviously, this characteristic disappears completely with washing.
In the southern hemisphere, the quinoa is sown between the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, while the harvest takes place in December.
Light Savory Tart with Mushrooms and Quinoa - Without Eggs and Without Butter
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Quinoa flour
Quinoa flour is a gray-green powder that is obtained by grinding the seeds of Chenopodium quinoa. These, which MANDATORY need to be washed to be deprived of the saponins, are sold with the fibrous coating and give rise to a wholemeal type flour.
Although gluten-free, quinoa is often used in the bread making of low products (similar to wraps), sometimes leavened by means of chemical agents, or mixed with wheat flours in the ratio: quinoa 1 / wheat 2 or 3. Quinoa flour is also suitable for dry pastry processing, such as biscuits; there is no shortage of various "farinata" recipes and some preparations intended for "feeding" post-weaning infants.
Quinoa and quinoa flour are products which, like amaranth and amaranth flour, have fully supported the diet of pre-Columbian civilizations. Currently, these foods are especially popular among lovers of natural, organic and vegan foods, as well as macrobiotics. Due to their nutritional characteristics, quinoa flour and quinoa are often included among super-foods.
Quinoa flour has an energy density comparable to that of cereals; therefore most of the calories derive from complex carbohydrates, even if the Glycemic Index is rather moderate.
It has a significant protein intake (14%), characterized by the "high concentration of" the amino acid lysine (medium-high biological value, depending on the bibliographic source); however, remember that this nutrient is even more abundant in most legumes, as well as in wild rice, buckwheat and oats.
Quinoa flour provides excellent concentrations of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and calcium.
Quinoa flour contains considerable concentrations of betaine, a molecule still subject to studies which, while on the one hand it seems to perform enzymatic-like actions, on the other (at high doses) it has not yet been defined as totally harmless for pregnant women. .
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