11 Proven Health Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa is the world’s most popular “superfood.”

It is loaded with protein, fiber and minerals, but doesn’t contain any gluten.

Here are 11 proven health benefits of quinoa.

1. QUINOA IS INCREDIBLY NUTRITIOUS

Quinoa is a grain crop that is grown for its edible seeds. It is pronounced KEEN-wah.

It technically isn’t a cereal grain, but a pseudo-cereal (1).

In other words, it is basically a “seed” which is prepared and eaten similarly to a grain.

Quinoa was an important crop for the Inca Empire back in the day. They referred to it as the “mother of all grains” and believed it to be sacred.

It has been consumed for thousands of years in South America, although it only became trendy and reached “superfood status” a few years ago.

These days, you can find Quinoa and products made with it all over the world… especially in health food stores and restaurants that emphasize natural foods.

There are three main types of quinoa… white, red and black.

This is what they look like:

Here is the nutrient breakdown for 1 cup of cooked quinoa, or 185 grams (2):

• Protein: 8 grams.
• Fiber: 5 grams.
• Manganese: 58% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 28% of the RDA.
• Folate: 19% of the RDA.
• Copper: 18% of the RDA.
• Iron: 15% of the RDA.
• Zinc: 13% of the RDA.
• Potassium: 9% of the RDA.
• Over 10% of the RDA for Vitamins B1, B2 and B6.
• Small amounts of Calcium, B3 (Niacin) and Vitamin E.

This is coming with a total of 222 calories, with 39 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fat. It also contains a small amount of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Quinoa is non-GMO, Gluten Free and usually grown organically. Even though not technically a grain, it still counts as a “whole grain” food.

NASA scientists have been looking at it as a suitable crop to be grown in outer space, mostly based on its high nutrient content, ease of use and how easy it is to grow (3).

The year 2013 was actually called “The International Year of Quinoa” by the United Nations (UN), based on its high nutrient value and potential to contribute to food security worldwide (4).

2. QUINOA CONTAINS POTENT BIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES CALLED QUERCETIN AND KAEMPFEROL

The health effects of real foods go way beyond the vitamins and minerals we’re all familiar with.

There are thousands of trace nutrients in there… and some of them are extremely healthy.

This includes interesting molecules called flavonoids, which are plant antioxidants that have been shown to have all sorts of beneficial effects on health.

Two flavonoids that have been particularly well studied are Quercetin andKaempferol… and they happen to be found in large amounts in Quinoa (5).

In fact, the quercetin content of quinoa is even higher than typical high-quercetin foods like cranberries (6).

These important molecules have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects… at least in animal studies (7, 8, 9, 10).

By including quinoa in your diet, you will significantly increase your total intake of these (and other) important nutrients.

Bottom Line: Quinoa contains large amounts of flavonoids, including Quercetin and Kaempferol. These are potent plant antioxidants with numerous health benefits.

3. IT IS VERY HIGH IN FIBER… MUCH HIGHER THAN MOST GRAINS

Another important benefit of quinoa is that it is high in fiber.

One study that looked at 4 varieties of quinoa found a range of between 10 and 16 grams of fiber, per every 100 grams of uncooked quinoa (11).

This equals 17-27 grams per cup, which is very high… more than twice as high as most grains. Boiled quinoa contains much less fiber, gram for gram, because it absorbs so much water.

Unfortunately, most of the fiber is insoluble fiber, which doesn’t appear to have the same health benefits as soluble fiber.

That being said, the soluble fiber content is about 2.5 grams per cup (or 1.5 grams per 100 grams), which is still decent.

There are numerous studies showing that soluble fiber can help reduce blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, increase fullness and help with weight loss (12, 13, 14).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is much higher in fiber than most grains, with one source finding 17-27 grams of fiber per cup of uncooked Quinoa.

4. QUINOA IS GLUTEN FREE AND PERFECT FOR PEOPLE WITH GLUTEN INTOLERANCE

According to a 2013 survey, about a third of people in the U.S. are currently trying to minimize or avoid gluten.

A gluten-free diet can be healthy, as long as it is based on foods that are naturally gluten free.

The problems arise when people eat “gluten free” foods made with refined starches instead.

These foods are no better than their gluten-containing counterparts, because gluten free junk food is still junk food.

Well… many researchers have been looking at quinoa as a suitable ingredient in a gluten-free diet, for people who don’t want to give up staples like breads and pasta.

Studies have shown that by using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free ingredients like refined tapioca, potato, corn and rice flour, it can dramatically increase the nutrient and antioxidant value of the diet (15, 16).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is naturally free of gluten and using it instead of typical gluten-free ingredients can increase the antioxidant and nutrient value of a gluten-free diet.

5. QUINOA IS VERY HIGH IN PROTEIN, WITH ALL THE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS THAT WE NEED

Protein is made out of amino acids. Some of them are termed “essential” because we can not produce them and need to get them from the diet.

If a food contains all the essential amino acids, it is seen as a “complete” protein.

The problem is that many plant foods are deficient in certain essential amino acids, such as Lysine.

However… quinoa is an exception to this, being particularly high in in all the essential amino acids. For this reason, quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It has both moreand better protein than most grains (17).