15 Amazing Benefits of
Quinoa for Skin, Hair, and Health
What Is Quinoa?
Whatever
it is, let’s get the pronunciation right first. Keen-wah or ke-NO-ah. Yes,
that’s how you pronounce it.
Quinoa, often
called as “superfood” or a “supergrain,” is one of the world’s most
popular health foods. If that’s a tad too generic, let’s get into the details.
Quinoa (keen-wah, remember?) is a flowering plant that belongs to the amaranth
family. It is an annual plant that is grown for its edible seeds. So, when we
refer to the benefits of quinoa, we mean the benefits of its seeds. As the
seeds are what we generally use.
The seeds are gluten-free. The composition of
quinoa is similar to wheat or rice when cooked. And to answer the question:
Does quinoa have protein? Well, yes, it is an excellent source of protein (a
complete source, as it contains all the nine essential amino acids). It also
contains a good amount of fiber and minerals.
And yes, there are different types of quinoa:
Quinoa or white quinoa, which is the most common
type of quinoa available in stores. It is also called ivory quinoa.
Red quinoa, which retains its
original shape (better than white quinoa) after a little cooking. This type is
more suitable for cold salads or any recipe where a distinct grain is desirable.
Black quinoa, which is a little sweeter and earthier than white quinoa. This
variety keeps its black color intact even when cooked.
Quinoa flakes, which are made by
steam-rolling the whole grain kernels. These flakes make for a great quick
breakfast.
Quinoa flour, which is nothing but the
flour made of quinoa seeds. It looks pretty much like any other flour.
Is Quinoa Good For You?
Obviously.
Otherwise, no point in knowing about it, right? The question here is not ‘Is
quinoa healthy?’ but how good it can be for you.
The health
benefits of quinoa are numerous. The seeds are rich in fiber, B vitamins,
vitamin E, and other minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
They are highly nutritious. And they also contain quercetin and kaempferol, two
important plant compounds, more of which we will discuss later.
Quinoa is gluten-free, which means it is party
time for individuals who are intolerant to gluten. And it has a low glycemic index – and this means party
time for diabetics too. Given it is high in iron and magnesium, quinoa can have wonderful
effects on an individual’s metabolic health. The seeds brim with antioxidants .
There’s a lot more.
Probably a million other reasons you will love quinoa. But in this post, we
discuss a few very important of them. Oh yes, and before that, how about a li’l
bit of history?
What Is The History Of Quinoa?
It all
started about 4,000 years ago in the Andean region of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile
– where humans had domesticated it for consumption. However, archaeological
evidence says quinoa originated some 7,000 years ago.
Around the time of
Spanish arrival, quinoa was well developed technologically and well distributed
within the Inca territory (it was called the gold of the Incas), where it was
believed to provide stamina to Inca warriors. And The Quinoa Corporation called
it the supergrain of the future.
The plant has
undergone numerous morphological changes over the course of human history – as
a result of its domestication. Some of these changes include a compact flower
head of the plant, an increase in the size of the stem and the seed, and high
levels of pigmentation.
The nutrients in quinoa
are the real deal as they alone are responsible for the rest of this post. So,
here you go.
What Is The Nutritional Profile Of Quinoa?
Here are the
quinoa nutrition facts, There are many surprising benefits of quinoa nutrition,
Quinoa is packed with essential nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and
minerals. It’s also considered a complete protein.
A cup of quinoa contains 222 calories. It
contains just 4 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of protein. In addition,
it also has –
- 2 milligrams of manganese (58%
DV)
- 118 milligrams of magnesium
(30% DV)
- 281 milligrams of phosphorus
(28% DV)
- 78 micrograms of folate (19%
DV)
- 4 milligrams of copper (18% DV)
- 8 milligrams of iron (15% DV)
- 2 milligrams of thiamine (13%
DV)
- 2 milligrams of zinc (13% DV)
- 2 milligrams of riboflavin (12%
DV)
- 318 milligrams of potassium (9%
DV)
- 2 milligrams of selenium (7%
DV)
- 2 milligrams of vitamin E (6%
DV)
Quinoa is a nutritious grain that offers
essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. It is a complete protein with all
the essential amino acids, and is ideal for those with celiac disease or gluten
intolerance as it is gluten-free. The antioxidants in quinoa help protect the
heart and other organs and potentially lower the risk of heart disease. The
other health benefits of quinoa may include weight loss, reduced inflammation,
and regulated blood sugar.
What Are The Benefits Of Quinoa?
You
can count on quinoa benefits. Quinoa’s fiber content makes it
a great food for weight management and treating other digestive issues like
constipation. The fiber also promotes heart health and
prevents deadly diseases like cancer. The antioxidants this food contains work
magically for skin and hair health.
1. Promotes Weight Loss
All your gym workouts
and well-disciplined diets are great, and adding quinoa can only make things
better.
Quinoa
is high
in fiber.
In fact, much higher than most grains and seeds. Though a major part of the
fiber in quinoa is insoluble, it still does contain a decent amount of its
solid cousin. One cup of the seeds contains 2.5 grams of soluble fiber – which,
as per studies, aids weight loss .
There
is something else in quinoa that warrants our attention. It is
20-hydroxyecdysone, a compound known to help with weight control. Research
suggests that this compound helps burn more calories and consequently aids
weight control . It also makes individuals absorb less fat from their diet.
2. Helps Prevent Osteoporosis
Let us bust a
common myth – that only individuals above fifty years must be really concerned
about bone health. In actuality (unless one happens to be a distant relative of
a walrus), everyone must be concerned about the health of their bones.
Irrespective of their age.
Given
that quinoa is rich in magnesium, it works great for bone health. The mineral plays a role in
bone formation. Quinoa is also rich in protein (1 cup contains 9 grams of it),
a nutrient that serves as a building block for the bones . More importantly, it
contains all the nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its
own, which have a part to play in this aspect.
As
per other studies, the magnesium and manganese in quinoa also help prevent osteoporosis .
3. Protects the Heart
Home is where
the heart is, and that’s where even quinoa is.
Getting to
the point, the soluble fiber is what makes quinoa a wonder food for your heart.
The soluble fiber combines with the bile acids in your liver and produces a
jelly-like substance that’s excreted in your bowels. Your liver utilizes some
of the cholesterol in your body to produce these bile acids. When the stores
are depleted, your liver pulls cholesterol from your blood to produce these
acids.
Are you
beginning to get the idea here? Good. Simply put, quinoa somehow provokes your
liver to extract cholesterol from the blood. That’s it.
Eating quinoa means lower
levels of bad cholesterol, and this means a reduced risk of atherosclerosis and
coronary heart disease. And this means you are going to live longer. Party time,
again!
Quinoa
contains fatty acids, 25 percent of which comes in the form of oleic acid. Now,
oleic acid is your friend . It is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid,
and 8 percent of it is ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which is the omega-3 fatty
acid predominantly found in plants.
4. Improves Skin Health
We
already saw quinoa is rich in B vitamins, nutrients that help treat age spots
and other conditions related to skin pigmentation by reducing the deposits of
dark melanin in the skin. And the vitamin B12 in quinoa interacts with the other B vitamins to maintain
a healthy skin complexion.
Quinoa also contains tyrosinase
inhibitors, enzymes that decrease pigmentation and the associated problems . And the vitamin B3
in quinoa, also called niacinamide, helps treat acne. It soothes the red and
inflamed areas often associated with acne breakouts.
Quinoa
contains vitamin A, which is the mother of all vitamins when it comes to
delaying the aging process. It reduces fine lines and makes your skin look young. And the riboflavin in
quinoa (or vitamin B2) improves skin elasticity. It even treats acne – as it
can help reduce sebum production.
Oh yes,
didn’t we speak about quinoa brimming with antioxidants? Yes, these fight the
free radicals that are almost always responsible for early aging. If you look
into the mirror and suddenly feel you are looking like your aunt, you know who
the culprit is.
By the way,
you can use this face pack to delay your aging signs. Just cook ¼ cup of quinoa
in soy milk and let it cool. Blend this boiled quinoa with 3 teaspoons of
yogurt, 2 egg yolks, and 2 drops of mimosa essential oil. Apply it to your face
and neck and leave it on for 20 minutes.
Rinse with
lukewarm water. Your skin will become smooth and radiant.
Quinoa
contains natural plant-based protein and anti-aging properties while soy milk
nourishes and repairs the sun damaged skin by enhancing its elasticity. This face pack will also make
the skin smooth and even toned.
5. Fights
Inflammation
The fiber in
quinoa produces butyrate, an important fatty acid that turns off genes related
to inflammation. And the B vitamins in quinoa reduce homocysteine levels (an
inflammatory hormone) in the body.
More
interestingly, the digestion of fiber in quinoa (and fiber, in general)
releases acetate – which then travels to the brain and signals us to stop eating.
The logic is simple – if you eat less, you are less likely to be taking in
pro-inflammatory foods.
Quinoa
also contains compounds called saponins, which studies have shown to have
anti-inflammatory properties .
6. Helps Fight
Cancer
Let’s first
stop thinking cancer is a killer. Because cancer is beatable. And preventable
too. Thanks to quinoa.
Harvard
University says a daily bowl of quinoa can save your life. Literally. A study
shows that eating a bowl of quinoa daily can reduce the risk of premature death
by cancer . And the American Institute for Cancer Research has a thing to say
about its usage – each quinoa grain is coated with a bitter substance to
protect it as the crop grows, so ensure you put it in a sieve and rinse before
you even start cooking .
A
Polish study also speaks about how quinoa can be a savior during cancer. It’s
about the extracts of its leaves, though. These leaves exert chemopreventive
and anticancer effects .
Another
report by the Yale Cancer Center recommends adding quinoa to your diet to fight cancer . Quinoa is super
rich in antioxidants – the very compounds that can fight free radicals and
other harmful substances that cause cancer.
7. Helps Fight Diabetes and Hypertension
Quinoa is a whole grain,
and whole grains are great for diabetes. The fiber in quinoa helps in blood
sugar control. It also prevents diabetes-related weight gain and other chronic
conditions.
A
part of living with diabetes is all about taking foods that have low glycemic
index, and quinoa, thankfully, is on the lower end. Quinoa also has all the
amino acids to make protein (unlike most other grains), which also does a good
job in controlling
blood sugar levels.
One
Brazilian study stated that a diet including quinoa could help manage type 2
diabetes and the hypertension associated with it . Quinoa is a complex
carbohydrate – and such carbohydrates break down in the body much slowly,
allowing the blood sugar to be more stable .
Quinoa also
contains good amounts of magnesium and potassium, nutrients that help lower
blood pressure. Magnesium also helps relax the blood vessels (and by the
way, this helps combat migraines too).
8. Improves Metabolism
It’s common
sense, if you ask us. When quinoa is replete with so many nutrients, it is
impossible that your metabolism wouldn’t improve if you consume it regularly.
And
its protein is something worth relooking at. It improves metabolism as well as
significantly reduces appetite .
9. Aids In Anemia Treatment
Quinoa is
rich in iron. One cup of cooked quinoa (185 grams) contains about 3 mg of iron,
which is 15% of the daily requirement. A diet adequate in iron can help prevent
anemia.
Another
nutrient to look at in this aspect is riboflavin – which quinoa is rich in.
Anemia can also be caused due to less riboflavin in one’s diet . Also, allow us
to reiterate the importance of iron. The mineral is required to make hemoglobin,
which is a part of the red blood cells that bind and carry oxygen in your
blood.
10. Enhances
Digestive Health
Quinoa is
fiber-rich, and that makes this point self-explanatory. Pretty much. Fiber adds
bulk to the food churned in your stomach, and this stimulates the walls of your
digestive tract. Your tract contracts, and this promotes better absorption of
nutrients in the small intestine. In the large intestine, this fiber prevents
constipation.
The
B vitamins in quinoa also play a role in digestion. One of these is thiamin,
which helps in the production of hydrochloric acid (the acid in your stomach that aids digestion).
Riboflavin
aids in the development of cells lined in the walls of the digestive tract.
Another amino acid quinoa contains is glutamic acid, which is converted into
glutamine in your body. Glutamine is responsible for the health of the mucosal
lining of your stomach.
11. Promotes Longevity
There is a Bolivian man
who is (or was) 123 years old. He credits his longevity to a daily diet that
includes quinoa.
Enough said.
Numerous
studies have shown that a diet rich in whole grains (like quinoa) can put a
stop to numerous diseases, which obviously enables people to live longer.
12. Aids Tissue Repair and Growth
Quinoa
is rich in lysine, which is important for tissue repair and
growth. What’s interesting here is quinoa is the only grain that contains this
amino acid . The high protein content also contributes to this factor.
13. Offers the Goodness Of Quercetin And Kaempferol
These
two compounds are of particular importance. And quinoa is very rich in them .
Quercetin
and kaemferol are known to fight inflammation. They also possess antiviral and
antidepressant effects .
14. Strengthens Hair Follicles
The
protein content of quinoa is what we must look at here. Hydrolyzed protein
extracted from quinoa acts as a natural and gentle coating that protects and
nourishes the hair follicles from within. The protein extracted from this grain
is also used to produce high-quality hair products.
The
nine essential amino acids quinoa contains act as natural strengtheners and
protect the hair shaft. They also repair damaged hair and promote hair growth.
The
humectants in quinoa nourish and hydrate the scalp and keep it well
conditioned. They form an invisible film over the hair to protect it from
environmental conditions like pollution and dust.
And
the vitamin E reduces breakage due to tangling
by balancing the production of natural oils on the scalp.
15. Helps Treat Dandruff
Quinoa
contains important minerals like calcium, iron, and phosphorus that seal
moisture in the scalp to keep dandruff at bay.
You just have to mash quinoa and apply the paste to your hair and scalp. Leave
it on for 15 minutes and then rinse as usual.
The protein in quinoa also
helps treat split ends. And the tyrosine in quinoa helps maintain the original
color of your hair.
We have seen
the quinoa benefits. But there is something else about quinoa we need to know.
Some interesting facts.
Any Cool Facts about Quinoa?
- Though we cook and eat quinoa
like most other grains (and we have called it a grain too, in this post),
botanically speaking, quinoa is not a grain. It’s a relative of spinach,
chard, and beets.
- There are more than 100 types of
quinoa. The most commercialized of these are the white, red, and black
varieties.
- Unlike brown rice (which cooks in
about 30 minutes), quinoa cooks in just 15 minutes.
- Humans have been consuming quinoa
for over 4,000 years now.
- 80% of the world’s quinoa is
cultivated in Peru and Bolivia.
- About 20 years ago, NASA researchers declared quinoa to the perfect snack for astronauts on long-term missions as it is rich in minerals, gluten-free, and a complete protein.Read more
 |
| www.sehatapni.com |
