In recent years, quinoa has been used in many meals. Quinoa fruit has an oblate tablet shape with a circle of germs around it. Although quinoa is often available to many people, most people don't know much about it. Where does quinoa come from? What's so "special" about it?

First, let's look at what quinoa is. Originating in the Andes mountains of South America, quinoa was the main food of the indigenous people of the Inca Empire (the Inca Empire was an ancient empire located in the Americas from the 11th century to the 16th century, and the political, military and cultural center of the empire was located in Cusco, today's Peru). It has been cultivated for 5,000 to 7,000 years. Due to its rich nutritional value, it nurtured the Inca people. The Incas called it "the mother of food." Quinoa is the only plant identified by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as being able to meet the basic nutritional needs of the human body on its own. Quinoa is mainly divided into white quinoa, red quinoa, black quinoa, their nutritional difference is not big, but the difference in taste is still more obvious.

So, what are the nutritional advantages of quinoa? First, quinoa is higher in calcium and protein than other common staples. Quinoa has an average protein content of 16 percent (up to 22 percent), compared with 20 percent for beef and a quarter of the protein content for rice. Second, quinoa is rich in nine essential amino acids and contains lysine, which is lacking in general grains. In addition, quinoa's dietary fiber content is 7%, which is higher than that of general grains. Not only that, quinoa is also rich in phenols, flavonoids, saponins, choline and phytosterols and other plant active substances, long-term consumption of quinoa can help prevent various metabolic diseases and maintain good health.

Quinoa is so nutritious, what are the ways to eat it?

1. Quinoa can be mixed with other staple foods, such as quinoa brown rice;

2. Quinoa can be combined with other materials to make porridge, such as quinoa red date pumpkin porridge, quinoa millet porridge, etc.;

3. Quinoa can be made into juice drinks with a variety of fruits, such as: quinoa apple juice, quinoa watermelon juice, etc.

4. It can be made into quinoa tea: stir-fry quinoa until golden brown, put 1 to 2 tablespoons in a cup, and brew it with boiling water ranging from 60 ° C to 80 ° C.