How healthy is quinoa that something so unpalatable can become so popular?

In the eyes of many people, food is divided into two categories: one is ordinary, you can eat as much as you like; the other is super, just eat a little, can prevent various diseases.

What is a "superfood"? It is a term that has only been widely used in recent years and there is no official and legally binding definition. The European Food Health Information Center defines it as "a food whose nutritional value has greater health benefits than other foods."

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Quinoa is what everyone calls a “superfood”, but does it really deserve this title?

Super special taste?

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), a plant of the genus Chenopodium in the family Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllales, is native to the Andes Mountains in South America and has a history of cultivation in the local area for thousands of years.

Although the word "wheat" is included in its name, from a botanical point of view, quinoa is not from the same family as staple foods such as rice and wheat. Instead, it is a relative of spinach and beets.

However, from a nutritional point of view, quinoa can be classified as a whole grain, belonging to the same category as brown rice, oats, millet, whole wheat flour, etc.

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Quinoa can be used to mix salads and cook multi-grain rice. Compared with other whole grains, the taste of quinoa is quite good, relatively soft, and tastes bitter. It needs to be washed several times before cooking.

Many people say they can’t accept quinoa

Super nutritious?

Quinoa is called a "superfood" because it is high in protein and dietary fiber, and contains a variety of vitamins and minerals.

The protein contained in quinoa is indeed very ideal, not only in full variety, but also in proportions that meet the needs of the human body. It contains 9 essential amino acids that our body cannot produce on its own and can only obtain through food.

Quinoa is also high in dietary fiber. Although dietary fiber cannot be digested by the human body, it is beneficial to intestinal flora, and can promote bowel movements and increase satiety.

In addition, 100 grams of quinoa contains about 190 mg of calcium and 260 mg of magnesium, which is rich. Quinoa also contains a variety of unsaturated fatty acids.

However, there are some nutrients that quinoa does not have at all, such as vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is the guarantee for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Once it is deficient, it may cause neuropathies, even accelerate aging and lead to cognitive decline.

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Super healthy?

A single food cannot meet all of a person's nutritional needs. The nutritional value of quinoa has its advantages compared to ordinary food, but it does not have the upper hand in terms of certain nutrients.

In terms of protein, quinoa is not as good as beans or meat; the calcium and magnesium content of quinoa is not as good as sesame and pumpkin seeds (100 grams of sesame contains 620 mg of calcium, and 100 grams of pumpkin seeds contains 376 mg of magnesium).

No single food can protect you from cancer

As long as we can have a diverse diet and get the nutrients we need by combining various foods, we don’t need to spend money on the more expensive quinoa.

Many authoritative organizations have also stated that the so-called "superfood" is actually a marketing term with no scientific basis.

For us, as long as we remember this sentence - maintaining health and preventing disease cannot rely on a certain specific food, but on a suitable lifestyle, we can avoid being fooled by various food marketing advertisements.

Methods of disease prevention, made by the author

References

[1] Atul Bohangwa, Shilpi Srivastava (India). Quinoa production and application [M/OL]. Translated by Ren Guixing, Ye Quanbao et al. Science Press, 2014 [2022–06–04].

[2] Zhang Jincheng, Bai Manying (eds.). Functional Cereals and Oils Foods[M/OL]. China Light Industry Press, 2019[2022–06–04].

[3] Secretariat of the 2013 International Year of Quinoa. Nutritional value of quinoa [EB/OL] (2013) [2022–06–04].

[4] Shen Shen, Fu Hongkui, Nie Boyan, et al. Analysis of nutritional functional components of quinoa and its market prospects for meal replacement[J]. Journal of Cereals, Oils and Feed Science and Technology, 2022(02): 30–34.

[5] Hong Jiamin, Lin Baomei, Zhang Shuai, et al. Analysis and evaluation of nutritional components of six kinds of grains[J]. Journal of Food Safety and Quality, 2019, 10(18): 6254–6260. DOI:10.19812/j.cnki.jfsq11-5956/ts.2019.18.049.

[6] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Reference Intakes of Nutrients for Chinese Residents (2013 Edition) [M/OL]. Science Press, 2014 [2022–06–07].

[7] National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids[EB/OL]([no date])[2022–06–07].

[8] ROCK CL, THOMSON C, GANSLER T, et al. American cancer society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention[J]. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2020, 70(4): 245–271. DOI:10.3322/caac.21591.

[9] Chinese Nutrition Society. "Scientific Research Report on Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2021)" [J]. Acta Nutrimenta Sinica, 2021, 43(02): 102. DOI:10.13325/j.cnki.acta.nutr.sin.2021.02.001.

[10] Shanghai Anti-Cancer Association, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Fudan University. Recommendations for screening and prevention of common malignant tumors in residents (2022 edition) [EB/OL] (2022–05–29) [2022–06–04].

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Author: Wang Guizhen, national first-level public nutritionist.

Tadpole Musical Notation original article, please indicate the source when reprinting

Editor/Xiao Xitushuo