QUINOA, THE ANCIENT GRAIN OF THE ANDES

This wonderful Andean grain is an ancient natural wonder and now the world's most popular "Super Food"that grows in the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes Mountains at an altitude of 13,000 feet.
Quinoa is loaded with Protein, Fiber, and Minerals, and it does not contain any Gluten. It is an edible"seed" which is prepared and eaten similarly to a grain. These days Quinoa products are found all over the world.
Quinoa has been consumed for thousands of years in the Andes of Peru. It was a very important crop for the Inca Empire. They referred to it as the "mother of all grains" and believed to be sacred, because it represented, symbolically, the mother of all the ancestral cultures that were born in the High Lands of the Andes.
There are 3 main types of Quinoa: White, Red, and Black.
Quinoa contains a large amount of Quercetin and Kaempferol. They are interesting molecules called Flavonoides with potent plant antioxidants which have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects. The Quercetin content of Quinos is even higher than typical High-Quercetin foods like cranberries.
Another important benefit of Quinoa is that it is high in Fiber (17-27 grams/cup of uncooked). More than twice as high as most grains.
Quinoa is naturally free of gluten and using it instead of typical gluten-free ingredients (refined tapioca, potato, corn and rice flour) can increase the antioxidant and nutrient value of a Gluten-Free Diet.
Proteins 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. Quinoa is an incredible exception to this, being particularly high in all the essential amino acids. For this reason, Quinoa is an excellent source of Protein. It has both more and better Protein than most grains. With 8 grams of high quality Protein per cup of cooked Quinoa (4.5g/100g), Quinoa is an excellent plant-based Protein Source for vegetarians and vegans.