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Q is for Quinoa

By November 4, 2016May 9th, 2023Education, Nutrition Tips
quinoa

Quinoa seems to have stolen the spotlight the past few years as a superfood. Although I’m not a big fan of saying food is a ‘superfood’, quinoa does bring a lot to the table! Here are 3 nutritional benefits of quinoa which make it a great food to consider.

Gluten-free

Firstly to begin with it’s a great option for coeliacs as it’s gluten-free. You can add quinoa to salads as a swap for couscous or make porridge with quinoa flakes.

Complete protein

Quinoa is also a complete protein. This means it contains all the essential amino acids (the ones you have to get through your dietary intake as your body can’t produce them). Although in saying that the protein content is very low (8g protein per 1 cup cooked). I would recommend having other protein sources with your meal too (you can have a look at our previous blog on protein to find some ideas!).

High in fibre

Quinoa is also very high in fibre, which is great for your bowel health and soluble fibre has been found to reduce blood sugar levels and improve cholesterol. It also keeps you fuller for longer so plenty of fibre in your diet is good for weight loss. Per cup of cooked quinoa, you get a massive 17-18g of fibre! Considering the RDI for women is 25g/day and for men is 30g/day, quinoa can really help you get your fibre intake up.

Check out our recipe on Wednesday with Quinoa as the main ingredient!

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