What on earth is so great about quinoa

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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    It's been around in the world for a long time and is not new. But, that doesn't make it a bad thing. In ten years, when everyone is back to eating gluten and meat, I'll still be eating quinoa, as long as the price remains decent.

    I'm hoping the price will come down once they stop processing it into chips and what ultimately amounts to other junk food...although i do buy it in bulk from Costco so it's not overly expensive anyway.

    I'm right there with you though...I ate it before it was cool and I will eat it after the mainstream forgets about it and moves on to the next "super-food"
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
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    I like it because of the complete protein thing. I don't each much meat so I get it where I can.

    I do only buy the certified fair-trade stuff, though, because what the skyrocketing demand has done in South America is essentially make a traditional inexpensive staple suddenly blow up in price to the detriment of the farmers and other rural people who have eaten it for hundreds of years.
  • zillah73
    zillah73 Posts: 505 Member
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    Quinoa is a complete protein like meat--very few plant sources are a complete protein. That's why there's all the fuss over it.

    Yup, this.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Ok but... 7g of protein for 180 calories? I'm just not getting how people can say that is 'high protein'.

    I bought some for a change, and I liked it though.
  • kaseyr1505
    kaseyr1505 Posts: 624 Member
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    I like it, and I include it in my meal plans when I think it fits. For me, it's a nice variation.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    I personally don't the taste of it, but that's just me.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    It's delicious, easy to cook and extremely versatile. It's also a complete protein, so nutrition win.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Not sure so much of the healthy benefits of quinoa. I like the taste of it and get bored with rice and potatoes.

    I usually make it as a salad with dried fruit. However, I like bulgar wheat much more. It's got a nuttier taste than brown rice and it's super versatile. I make it like a pilaf the most, but you can even use it in place of oatmeal and make a hot cereal out of it. It's super cheap too and is supposedly a heritage grain which I hear are supposed to be better for you.
  • abuck_13
    abuck_13 Posts: 382 Member
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    Like anything out there, there is quinoa that tastes good and quinoa that tastes nasty - it is really a matter of trying a few types, finding what you like and deciding if you want to add it to your meals or not.
  • donnat238
    donnat238 Posts: 309 Member
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    I like it as a substitute for rice dishes. Not crazy about rice, but will add quoina to certain dishes...I like the texture and flavor.
  • veggieluvr45
    veggieluvr45 Posts: 27 Member
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    All I know is I am allergic to it - throat closing up, tongue swelling allergic - and now it seems to be in every doggone thing. It seems if something is "multigrain" now, it has the stuff in it.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    I like the way it tastes. If you don't like the way it tastes, don't eat it I guess. "Superfoods" are 100% BS. Quinoa has awesome protein, fiber, etc, but it's not magic.

    It's really good in a cold salad with cucumber, tomato, onions, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley.
  • heybebe88
    heybebe88 Posts: 26 Member
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    I think it's delicious! That being said, here's an easy to read infographic break down of the benefits of brown rice vs quinoa

    http://www.prevention.com/whats-healthier-quinoa-or-brown-rice
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    I don't get the fuss either. It's pretty much the same calorie count as rice, and only slightly more protein - and no major difference in vitamins and minerals.
    I find it a lot less convinient, as it's so expensive (around here at least), takes longer to cook imo, doesn't suck up flavour as well as rice, so it would have to be a lot more nutritious for me to bother.

    I think it's just one of those foods that got a 'clean eating' reputation, so people assume it must be better in some way.

    What? Quinoa takes about 20 to 25 minutes total to cook. How long does your brown rice take?
    I was just going to say this....
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
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    You know what I hate about it?

    That is used to be a staple food in Peru and Bolivia and now the middle-class Western obsession with it has driven the price right up and it is now not affordable in those countries for most of the working population there.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/quinoa-good-for-you--bad-for-bolivians-8675455.html

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/vegans-stomach-unpalatable-truth-quinoa

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/americas/20bolivia.html?_r=0
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    I have trouble digesting quinoa, but I do like it. However I actually think bulgur wheat is nicer in taste and texture.

    +1
  • MzOnree
    MzOnree Posts: 124 Member
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    I had no idea what quinoa was or even how to pronounce it for a long time. I kept seeing it listed in diaries. I finally tried some and loved it! Just something different and new to add to my recipes. I enjoy the little pop the quinoa gives. It's like a party in my mouth! I like it warm or severed chilled as a salad.
  • lmann72
    lmann72 Posts: 82 Member
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    It tastes even better if toasted with a little coconut oil and curry powder before cooked. You can also use half water and half chicken broth to give it a deeper flavor. The first time I tried it I didn't realize that you had to cook it after you toasted it. >_< BLECH!!
  • stephinpitts
    stephinpitts Posts: 33
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    Ok but... 7g of protein for 180 calories? I'm just not getting how people can say that is 'high protein'.

    I bought some for a change, and I liked it though.

    It's not so much that it's "high" in protein, it's that it's a complete protein. Coincidentally it can be said to be "high in protein" for a plant.

    Here:
    http://www.builtlean.com/2012/10/03/complete-vs-incomplete-protein-sources/

    That's worth reading. Quinoa is a boon for anyone who is vegan, or any athlete who focuses on high protein but does not want to saturate their meals with meat.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    Quinoa is a seed rather than a grain, so the current trend to eat grain free is making it popular. Compared to rice, it has more protein, more fiber, fewer carbs, and significantly higher amounts of several important vitamins and minerals.

    You can use quinoa in the same ways that you use rice. Or use it instead of oats to make porridge. Or use it as a replacement for bulgar or wheat berries in a salad. There is also quinoa pasta that you can use in place of any other pasta. And I've seen numerous recipes for baked goods made with quinoa flour.

    THIS!

    I love quinoa.

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