Quinoa Nutrition - Myth or Reality?

Are the Bolivians Poking fun at us?
Just how much nutrition does quinoa have? Could it be really as effective as precisely what the nutritionists claim or just an inspired marketing ploy?
To any new entrant to the quinoa world, the entire euphoria around the miracle grain does come across like a big conspiracy theory driven by the numerous quinoa marketers in North America.
And I don't blame them. Nearly every seed of quinoa bought in Usa originates from countries like Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The majority of us could be challenged if we have to properly locate the countries on the map (besides that they are in South America) and would hardly be able to write a few sentences on each before looking at Wikipedia.
So when a couple of marketers start selling a nearly magical grain from Latin America and the whole diet world starts cheering, people get suspicious.
It won't help that quinoa prices have more than tripled within the last 5 years. Marketers claim that the rise is born to a total explosion in demand. However, I suspect that margins would be fat, to the point of being obese.
That brings us back to the original question. Whether or not the marketers are earning plenty of money at the cost of the well-being of ordinary Bolivians (more about that in a later post), just how much nutrition does quinoa really pack?
And, most importantly, is it more beneficial than other grains like rice?
According to the US Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Data Laboratory (chek out reports in the bottom of the post), a single serving (185g) of cooked quinoa delivers 8.14g of protein. As compared, the so-called protein rich chicken egg of medium size (44g) delivers only 5.53g of protein.
Regarding the energy side, the same cup of quinoa delivers 222cal. The best thing is that most of this energy is delivered by proteins. The cup of quinoa only carries 3.55g of fat and 39.4g of carbs. This compares very favorably with rice. Just one cup of pilaf rice (68g) carries 58g of carbs and 0.93g of fat,
The previously mentioned egg has 4.18g of fat.
Look closer and it is the kind of fat where quinoa makes a real difference. The cup of quinoa just has 0.43g of unhealthy fat and zero cholesterol.
The egg actually compares very unfavorably with both of the cereals - one medium egg has 1.375g of saturated fat and 164mg of cholesterol.
But where quinoa actually crushes it is in the volume of soluble fiber it carries. Precisely the same cup of quinoa brings 5.2g of fiber content. The pilaf rice has only a gram of fiber.
Fiber helps in avoiding heart disease by lessening hypertension and diabetes. Fiber lowers cholesterol and glucose levels and likewise assists in weight reduction. Fiber rich food make you feel fuller longer and therefore are less "energy dense," carrying fewer calories for the same quantity of food.
An additional glance at the NDL-USDA report reveals that quinoa carries a great deal of essential minerals like Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and Manganese.
Iron assists in keeping red blood cells happy and is the foundation of hemoglobin formation. Iron also increases thinking processes as the brain consumes about 20% of our own blood oxygen. Iron also aids in neurotransmitter synthesis, regulation of body's temperature, enzyme activity as well as energy metabolism.
A cup of quinoa carries 2.76mg of Iron in comparison to 1.66mg in the cup of pilaf rice. Quinoa also scores high on Calcium, delivering 31mg per cup when compared to only 8mg per cup for the pilaf rice.
Quinoa is likewise abundant with Magnesium. The mineral allows you relax blood vessels and helps to cure migraines. Additionally, it can reduce Type2 diabetes by promoting healthy blood sugar control. Other health advantages include better transmission of nerve impulses, body's temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and also the formation of healthy bones and teeth.
US Department of Agriculture - Nutrient Data Laboratory - Nutrient data for 20137, Quinoa, cooked
US Department of Agriculture - Nutrient Data Laboratory - Nutrient data for 32002, Rice, rice pilaf flavor, unprepared
US Department of Agriculture - Nutrient Data Laboratory - Nutrient data for 01123, Egg, whole, raw, fresh
For an in depth look at quinoa, visit my extensive resource at http://myquinoanutrition.com

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