Considered as the supergrain for the future, quinoa is actually a grain that was consumed by people almost 3000-4000 years ago. This grain was first consumed by the Incas and they were confident that this food grain provided them with healthy life. Quinoa comes in the form of small seeds in oval shape. The seeds come in cream, light brown, yellow and deep brown color. With chewy texture and nutty taste, this food grain is stuffed with high nutrient contents, including essential amino acids, vitamin A, protein, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron, phosphorus and fiber. It is also a rich vegetarian source of lysine.
Delicious in taste, quinoa is considered to have great skin, health and hair benefits. Mentioned below are some ways by which you can benefit by eating quinoa:
1. Helps in losing weight effectively
People looking to lose weight effectively can eat quinoa and get desired results in no time. Quinoa helps in boosting the metabolic system, enabling calorie burning effectively. Moreover, it also helps in curbing appetite considerably. And this is possible as the food grain is high in protein content. Along with this, this grain is also a great source of fiber, which helps in keeping one full for longer time, minimizing calorie intake. With a low glycemic index, this food grain helps in losing weight. When you are trying to make a healthy weight loss diet, make sure that you add quinoa grains to the same.
2. Excellent source of high and essential amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are some essential amino acids, which are needed by the body, but the body does not produce them. These can be obtained from the diet only. There are very few foods, which contain all the essential amino acids. Quinoa contains all essential amino acids including lysine, which is not present in many plant foods. Quinoa contains 9 essential amino acids in the form of lysine, valine, histidine, methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, leucine, tryptophan and threonine. A single cup of quinoa contains 8 grams of complete protein – a great food for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
3. Helps in balancing blood sugar levels in the body
High blood sugar levels in the body can cause various kinds of problems. Eating foods in small portions or consuming sugar-free foods are not the only ways in which sugar levels can be controlled in the body. Add quinoa to the diet and see how your blood sugar levels remain under control in the body without compromising on the taste factor. Start adding quinoa seeds to normal recipes that you eat and reap the benefits of this amazing super food.
4. Helps in quickly healing damaged tissues
One of the most important components present in quinoa is lysine. This is a key ingredient and building block, which helps in the synthesis of collagen and elastin in the body. The main problem with lysine is that it cannot be manufactured by the body on its own. Therefore lysine has to be provided from outside via diet. Lysine helps in quick healing of damaged tissues. In case there are people who are suffering from injuries and surgeries and looking to recover quickly from the same, consuming quinoa in their regular diet can be of great help. The super food grain also helps in creating ligaments and scar tissues for quick recovery.
5. Helps in nourishing and protecting hair follicles
Without healthy hair follicles having strong and healthy hair is not possible. Quinoa has around 15% protein, which is considered the highest among seeds and grains found globally. Hydrolyzed protein, which is extracted from quinoa, provides gentle and natural coating on the hair. Basically this helps in offering nourishment and protection to the hair follicles from deep within. Various high quality hair products, which claim to nourish and protect hair follicles, use protein extracted from quinoa seeds.
6. Quinoa is high on riboflavin content
Popularly known as Vitamin B2, riboflavin is an important component of the Vitamin B family. Vitamin B is responsible for providing antioxidants to the body so that free radical damage can be prevented in the body. Apart from this, there are many other functions that are carried out by vitamin B components. Oxygen is delivered all over the body in a better manner with vitamin BS. Enzyme performance is also enhanced significantly with riboflavin. Quinoa contains significant quantities of riboflavin and in combination with other foods; the body gets adequate amounts of riboflavin for optimal functioning.
7. Helps in skin rejuvenation from deep within
Until and unless the skin is nourished and rejuvenated from deep within, it will not have the radiance and appeal that it should have. Regular intake of quinoa seeds helps in boosting collagen levels in the skin. This helps in skin firming and tightening. As a result, signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, pigmentation etc can be avoided. The skin gets an even tone and texture and remains smooth soft and supple. Moreover, quinoa helps in reducing the clustering of melanin granules in the skin so that pigmentation and brown spots can be removed naturally. With reduced sebum production, chances of pimples and acne development also reduce with consumption of quinoa.
8. Helps in preventing kidney stones
Management of potassium content is handled excellently in the body with quinoa. As per a study, it has been seen that potassium activity helps in inhibiting uric acid stone formation. It has been proved that patients who suffer from kidney stones can be given potassium bicarbonate or potassium citrate as these help in dissolving the kidney stones successfully. However, the treatment needs to be continued for some time, say few weeks, for getting the best results.
Adding quinoa to the diet is a great idea for having a healthy mind and body. Available in different colors, this super food can heal the body from deep within and make it stronger and tougher. Find easy quinoa recipes and consume the grains in the way you find best and most suitable.