Before I introduce this super grain I'd like to revisit the basics on our standard American diet and the types of carbohydrates we mainly consume, with a particular emphasis on grains.
For the most part, Americans consume lots of wheat, rice, and corn, (or derivatives of wheat, rice, and corn) which are actually fine if they're left in their natural state.
The problem is...
well, they're rarely left in their natural state.
They're often bleached, refined, and pulverized until there are almost no nutrients left in these products.
Let's take rice, for example.
During the milling process it gets stripped of almost all of its nutrients until we're left with a product which now has got a great shelf-life, but nowhere near what the body is looking for in terms of nourishment.
Now let us take a wheat berry, for example.
Wheat contains 3 parts...
the germ, (or the seed of the seed), the endosperm, and the bran which is the outer shell of the grain.
It is the bran that contains the vitamin E, some healthy fats, usually omega 6 fats in the form of natural oils.
If these natural oils were to sit on grocery store shelves for a long time, they would obviously go rancid and the manufacturers would lose money.
The solution then is to process the grain until it's essentially what I like to call, "dead food".
It is then put on the shelves and can now stay there indefinitely.
We want to slowly start taking ourselves away from these foods and back to 100% whole grains.
One of these grains is called quinoa.
It is an ancient grain that was harvested by the Incas in Peru.
It was once called "The Gold of the Incas" as it dramatically increased the stamina of the warriors beginning in the 15th century.
These grains actually kept them alive during very harsh conditions so there's quite a lot of history to this grain.
It resembles a cross between rice and tapioca in the form of little dried beads.
The interesting thing about this grain is the absorption factor.
It expands greatly in size when cooked because it holds on to so much water.
This means it's fantastic for people who want to lose weight.
It is such a high volume food, with a relatively low amount of calories.
In fact it is now being used at live-in weight loss camps as a side dish for meat and vegetables.
Now for the nutrition profile: Quinoa contains a nice amount of calcium.
One serving of quinoa would give you about the same as a cup of milk.
It also contains hefty amounts of zinc, potassium, iron, b vitamins, fiber, and healthy oils.
These vitamins and minerals give you energy, help with sleep, weight loss, and of course prevention of illness.
But probably the most important factor that sets quinoa apart from any other grain is that it contains all 8 essential amino acids so it is actually a complete protein on its own.
It is also extremely versatile and pretty delicious.
It is easy to just keep a large bowl of it in the fridge and have it all week.
Use it in place of rice, making it into a pilaf by throwing in some fresh herbs and a small amount of olive oil, or Cajun spices and a small amount of sea salt.
You can also make an Italian dish out of it by adding your favorite pasta sauce with some fresh parsley, basil, and a little Parmesan cheese.
It is a perfect choice for breakfast instead of oatmeal with some chopped apples, cinnamon, and walnuts.
This Super grain is becoming more and more widely available in most grocery stores and all health foods stores.
Purchase it in its dried form and prepare it according to package directions.
Take advantage of whole food again with this simple and nutritious grain.
For the most part, Americans consume lots of wheat, rice, and corn, (or derivatives of wheat, rice, and corn) which are actually fine if they're left in their natural state.
The problem is...
well, they're rarely left in their natural state.
They're often bleached, refined, and pulverized until there are almost no nutrients left in these products.
Let's take rice, for example.
During the milling process it gets stripped of almost all of its nutrients until we're left with a product which now has got a great shelf-life, but nowhere near what the body is looking for in terms of nourishment.
Now let us take a wheat berry, for example.
Wheat contains 3 parts...
the germ, (or the seed of the seed), the endosperm, and the bran which is the outer shell of the grain.
It is the bran that contains the vitamin E, some healthy fats, usually omega 6 fats in the form of natural oils.
If these natural oils were to sit on grocery store shelves for a long time, they would obviously go rancid and the manufacturers would lose money.
The solution then is to process the grain until it's essentially what I like to call, "dead food".
It is then put on the shelves and can now stay there indefinitely.
We want to slowly start taking ourselves away from these foods and back to 100% whole grains.
One of these grains is called quinoa.
It is an ancient grain that was harvested by the Incas in Peru.
It was once called "The Gold of the Incas" as it dramatically increased the stamina of the warriors beginning in the 15th century.
These grains actually kept them alive during very harsh conditions so there's quite a lot of history to this grain.
It resembles a cross between rice and tapioca in the form of little dried beads.
The interesting thing about this grain is the absorption factor.
It expands greatly in size when cooked because it holds on to so much water.
This means it's fantastic for people who want to lose weight.
It is such a high volume food, with a relatively low amount of calories.
In fact it is now being used at live-in weight loss camps as a side dish for meat and vegetables.
Now for the nutrition profile: Quinoa contains a nice amount of calcium.
One serving of quinoa would give you about the same as a cup of milk.
It also contains hefty amounts of zinc, potassium, iron, b vitamins, fiber, and healthy oils.
These vitamins and minerals give you energy, help with sleep, weight loss, and of course prevention of illness.
But probably the most important factor that sets quinoa apart from any other grain is that it contains all 8 essential amino acids so it is actually a complete protein on its own.
It is also extremely versatile and pretty delicious.
It is easy to just keep a large bowl of it in the fridge and have it all week.
Use it in place of rice, making it into a pilaf by throwing in some fresh herbs and a small amount of olive oil, or Cajun spices and a small amount of sea salt.
You can also make an Italian dish out of it by adding your favorite pasta sauce with some fresh parsley, basil, and a little Parmesan cheese.
It is a perfect choice for breakfast instead of oatmeal with some chopped apples, cinnamon, and walnuts.
This Super grain is becoming more and more widely available in most grocery stores and all health foods stores.
Purchase it in its dried form and prepare it according to package directions.
Take advantage of whole food again with this simple and nutritious grain.