QUINOA
Quinoa is an herbaceous annual flowering plant of the Amaranthaceae family. It is related to spinach and amaranth like plants. Quinoa is grown as a crop for its seeds which are of high nutritional value. Quinoa is not a cereal like wheat or rice but it is a pseudocereal.
ORIGIN OF QUINOA
The origin of Quinoa is believed to be in the Andean region of northwestern South America. The consumption of Quinoa seeds as food by South American people of the Andean region is as ancient as four thousand years ago.
A few years back the crop was grown and consumed mainly in South American regions but now many countries of America, Europe, and Asia including India are growing this crop in large amounts because of the high nutritional value of its seeds.
DESCRIPTION OF PLANT
The botanical name of Quinoa is Chenopodium Quinoa. It is a dicotyledonous annual plant of 3-7 feet in height. It is not grass but regarded as a pseudocereal. It has broad, hairy, and lobed leaves. The stem is branched or unbranched. The stem is woody and solid. It may be green or purple in color. The flower panicles arise from the top of the plant or from the leaf axis. The flowers are of two types i.e. perfect flower and pistillate flower. The seeds are about 2mm in diameter and of white, red, or black color depending on the variety of plants. The seeds have an outer coating of saponins which are bitter in taste and make the seeds unpalatable.
CULTIVATION OF THE PLANT
Quinoa can be grown as summer as well as winter crops. It can thrive in a wide temperature and moisture range. It can be grown in soil with limited moisture and a rainfall of 100mm. It is said to be a water-efficient crop. However, the crop yield can be increased by irrigation. The plant requires well-drained soil for better growth. Waterlogging results in crop loss.
There are many varieties of Quinoa but the commercially cultivated varieties are plants with white, red, and black or purple seeds.
The harvesting is done after 3-4 months of sowing. Traditionally the harvesting is done manually and rarely by machines. Machine harvesting is not preferable as the maturity period of seeds is variable.
The crop is not harvested until the stalk and seeds dry up and the moisture content of the seed reaches below 10%. The dried seeds are stored raw or they are washed to remove the saponin coating and dried again before storage.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF QUINOA
Quinoa is considered a superfood or health food for its nutritional values.
It is gluten-free it is regarded as non-allergen grain.
It is a non-GMO crop and usually grown organically.
It has a high amount of protein and has all nine essential amino acids like lysine, isoleucine in adequate amounts.
It is also a good source of antioxidants. Antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol are present in good amounts.
It also contains anti-inflammatory polysaccharides like arabinans and rhamnogalacturonan.
It is a good source of vitamin E (tocopherol).
Quinoa also contains adequate amounts of phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, folate, and dietary fibers.
Quinoa has a low glycemic index which is considered good for people with heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.
It is also a good option for people who want to lose weight and gain good health.
PROMOTIONS OF QUINOA THROUGHOUT WORLD
Recognizing the value and role of this crop in food security, nutrition, and poverty eradication the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2013 as “International Year of Quinoa”.
According to FAO, Quinoa has high nutritional values. It has no cholesterol and doesn’t cause allergies. It is so nutritious that NASA feeds it to crews on long space missions. It is a natural, healthy, and easily grown food.
In the past few years, about 70 countries of the world are promoting this crop as a healthy and easily available food source option. In India, also many state governments are encouraging farmers to grow this crop.
.jpg)