Rethinking Quinoa

sara_m83
sara_m83 Posts: 545 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was excited when I came across this grain and I've seen a lot of people on MFP advocate its versatility as a replacement starch in their diets. As a vegetarian, I was easily convinced by its high protein content and low GI.

Today I came across this article in The Guardian about how Western demand for quinoa has driven the price of this grain up to the point that locals in the region in which it is produced, who have long relied on quinoa as a dietary staple, can no longer afford it. Given that quinoa has not been successfully grown in the West, it's worth questioning the ethics of our consumption of this grain.


For the full story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/vegans-stomach-unpalatable-truth-quinoa

Replies

  • morticiamom
    morticiamom Posts: 221 Member
    I love the stuff, but my conscience has made me drastically cut back. I know that won't make a difference in the overall demand, but my behavior is all I can control.

    This is really only the most visible effect of the 'primal/dukan' diet drive, because all of those diets are the diets of privilege. Only rich societies can afford not to eat grain. There is not enough land to support everyone on the planet eating nothing but meat and vegetables, and fish stocks are already being rapidly depleted.

    Grain is what made civilization possible, without the ability to produce enough calories in a relatively small amount of space, cities, and the technology and science that grew up in them would not be possible.

    I'm not preaching, because I don't have the room, I eat more than 'my share' of things that most people in the world can't afford, and I'm writing this post on one of the four personal computers in my centrally heated, multi-bathroom house. It's just one of the things I take into account when planning what to buy.

    And, wow, can you tell I grew up in California in the sixties? Hippie much? Yep.
  • shakespearessister
    shakespearessister Posts: 42
    That's why it's such a good idea to buy from companies committed to fair trade. These articles show how the quinoa farmers' lives have improved from fair trade projects. So don't give up such a great superfood, just buy it from companies who help their farmers instead of exploit them.

    http://fairworldproject.org/voices-of-fair-trade/quinoa-alter-eco-s-story/
    http://www.fairtradeusa.org/get-involved/blog/road-andean-naturals-story-bolivian-quinoa
  • MaggieSporleder
    MaggieSporleder Posts: 428 Member
    That's why it's such a good idea to buy from companies committed to fair trade. These articles show how the quinoa farmers' lives have improved from fair trade projects. So don't give up such a great superfood, just buy it from companies who help their farmers instead of exploit them.

    http://fairworldproject.org/voices-of-fair-trade/quinoa-alter-eco-s-story/
    http://www.fairtradeusa.org/get-involved/blog/road-andean-naturals-story-bolivian-quinoa

    I need to look into these brands. Thank you!
  • MaggieSporleder
    MaggieSporleder Posts: 428 Member
    http://www.saltspringseeds.com/scoop/powerfood.htm

    We can grow it here. It's lambsquarter or pigweed. We pull it out of our gardens, as a weed. Hmm... Maybe I'll have to see if I can grow it in the garden on purpose.

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