7 Reasons to Eat Quinoa

Never heard of quinoa?

Well, it’s time you did!

First of all, it’s pronounced “keen-wa.” Not “kin-o-aay”… the way I mistakenly pronounced it for months when my husband first introduced me to it.

Often mistaken for a grain, quinoa is actually a seed. In fact, it’s known as a “supergrain”… although still… not a grain.

Go figure. I found this confusing for quite some time.

It’s also delicious–and kids LOVE it. In fact, it’s been an important staple of my ten-month old twin sons’ diet since they were six months old.

I used to puree it into a cereal for them and add blackstrap molasses and organic maple syrup. What resulted was a very nutritious, delicious whole-foods based cereal.

Now, that they’re a little older, I add it to dishes like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beans and peas and carrots and they still love it.

My husband and I eat it quite a bit with sauteed garlic, onions and either raw or lightly steamed mixed vegetables.

One of my favorite quinoa dishes is my quinoa salad. It’s very tasty and extremely nutritious.

If you haven’t tried quinoa before, here are 7 reasons why you should check it out:

Considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods
High in fiber (one serving yields 13% of the RDA)
Provides all 8 essential amino acids (one serving yields 7g/protein)
Excellent source of phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese
High in vitamins B6, niacin and thiamin
Superb source of iron
Gluten- and wheat-free

Quinoa is available at most health food stores and higher end grocery chains. The best deal I’ve found on quinoa is Bob’s Red Mill Organic Grain Quinoa, 26-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4) on Amazon.com.

I also use their Subscribe & Save feature and save an additional 15%.