Could the lovely little chenopod that is quinoa be the secret to living a long, long, long, long life? According to the world’s oldest person, 123-year-old Carmelo Flores, it is. He reckons a diet rich in quinoa, mushrooms and coca leaves will keep you alive for longer.
The Andean Diet
The Bolivian farmer’s Andean diet is simple – just plenty of quinoa, a few potatoes, barley and a few other simple selections. He avoids noodles and rice, avoids alcohol and snacks on mutton from time to time. Quinoa is central to the Andean diet. Native Andeans has grown the grain for thousands of years, using it as an easy, fast and filling food.
What is Quinoa?
While we refer to quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) as a grain, it’s really a chenopod – beetroot’s cousin. The only complete protein vegetable, quinoa is sweeping the globe and become a firm foodie favourite. That’s great news for growers who, according to Time magazine, have witnessed the price of quinoa triple in just 7 years. Most of the world’s quinoa supply is in Bolivia, with smaller supplies in Peru and Ecuador.
How to Use Quinoa
It’s gluten-free, easy to chuck into almost any meal and is high fibre and low-GI. This means quinoa is great if you’re limiting your carb intake, are diabetic, coeliac or can’t stomach gluten and want long-lasting energy. Quinoa also contains loads of vitamins and minerals including iron, vitamin B, calcium magnesium and vitamin E. Together, these provide many health benefits such as a healthy nervous system and greater energy. While there are close to 1800 varieties of quinoa (that’s right – 1800!), the most commonly available are white, red or black quinoa. You’ll find an abundance of recipe ideas online. Add it to a stir fry, use it as a cous cous alternative, sprinkle it into a soup or curry. Best of all, quinoa is easy to prepare. Be sure to rinse it first. Then, pop it into a rice cooker or add to boiling water on the stove. Stick to the ratio of 1 cup of dried quinoa to 2 cups of water.
Originally published on Sep 16, 2013
