What is better for you – Rice or Quinoa? Reading Quinoa nutritional information may mean very little to you unless you have something to compare it to. Well, at least that’s how it was for me

I decided to compare the nutritional information from the most popular brand of Quinoa and compare it to the most popular brand of rice. By looking at some basic nutritional information side-by-side, I was able to determine…

Is Quinoa REALLY Better For Your Than Rice?

Now, just for the record, I didn’t compare the nutritional information of Quinoa with just any ol’ white rice – I chose the cream of the crop – a very nice mixture of white and wild rice that is also supposed to be really good for you. I wanted to compare healthy food with healthy food.

So, let’s take a look at what I found out.

Quinoa vs Rice –

I took a look at the nutritional information for this very popular brand of Quinoa (which also happens to be my favorite brand that I talked about in my Quinoa buying tips here at QuinoaKitchen.com).

Quinoa Nutritional Information:

Calories per serving = 160

Carbohydrates per serving = 28g

Fiber per serving = 6.5g

Protein = 6g

Now I compared that to this extremely popular brand of rice. This rice happens to be a mixture/medley of many types of rices but it also boasts to be very healthy, a good source of protein, and high in fiber.

Rice Nutritional Information

Calories per serving = 140

Carbohydrates = 30g

Fiber = 1g

Protein = 3g

And The Winner Is….

The nutritional benefits of Quinoa far out-weight the nutritional benefits of that rice. To me, that is a BIG difference in the fiber and protein counts.

Quinoa – it’s super nutritious, helps you lose weight, is gluten-free and so much more.  Here is a great article that talks about the health benefits of Quinoa.

Health Benefits of Gluten Free Quinoa

Did you know the Incas valued not only gold as a metal, but also a golden grain? Actually, it’s not a true grain, but a seed classified in the pseudocereal family. Quinoa (keen wah) is the seed of the goosefoot plant and rich in nutrients. The Incas have used this food in their diet for 6,000 years.

Quinoa is grown in the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains. It is also being grown in Canada and the United States, but most quinoa is imported from Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It can only be grown at high elevations.

The Incas valued quinoa second only to the potato for nutrition. Spanish explorers and colonists destroyed the quinoa crops and forced the Incas to stop growing it. It was kept alive by isolated farmers throughout the last few centuries and grew back into popularity. In the 1980’s, 2 farmers from Colorado learned about quinoa from a Bolivian and began experimenting with it.

Quinoa is an important addition to the diet of those who have trouble digesting grains. Quinoa is gluten free and easy to digest. It is high in protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids, classified as a complete protein. Vegans and vegetarians will enjoy adding this grain to many recipes. It is rich in manganese, magnesium, iron, tryptophan, copper and phosphorus. It has many of the B vitamins as well.

This super grain package of nutrition is a must for those that suffer from migraine headaches, cardiovascular problems and diabetes. In fact, quinoa was a staple food in the diet of Inca warriors to increase their stamina and endurance. And it tastes wonderful. It has a nutty earthy flavor that can border on bland, so it combines very well in other dishes like casseroles or as a breakfast cereal with honey and fruit.

Here’s how to prepare quinoa:

Just run cool water over the seed to rinse off the saponin coating. Saponin is a soapy bitter compound that protects the seed from birds and insects. Then cook and use as you would rice. A basic recipe is 1 part quinoa to 2 parts broth or water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

©2009 Shanna Ohmes

Want to know more about how to boost your immune system? Traditional diets and how to prepare them, healthy fats, herbal remedies and debunking health myths are some of the subjects covered in The Natural Living Site Newsletter at http://thenaturallivingsite.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Ohmes

Don’t let this wonder food called Quinoa fool you!  Just because it’s good for you does NOT mean it is difficult to learn how to cook Quinoa.  Quinoa cooks similar to your normal household rice does.  For starters, all you have to remember is 2:1 – 2 parts water for every 1 part of Quinoa (note: if using a rice cooker to cook your Quinoa, you might need more liquid than what you use for standard white rice).

Quinoa can be used in many recipes.  Since it is gluten-free, you can also work with it to put some baked goods back into your diet that you CAN eat.

Vegetarians can really benefit from adding Quinoa to their diet, too.  Quinoa is a wonderful source of iron and protein and the slow-releasing carbohydrates in Quinoa can help maintain blood sugar levels.

How to Cook Quinoa, the Incan Superfood

If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, you owe it to yourself and your family to cook and serve some tonight.

This cereal-like food was eaten for thousands of years by the Incas of South America, who worshipped it as sacred. And no wonder. It is one of the most nutritional foods in the world, higher in essential amino acids than wheat. Yet unlike wheat, quinoa is gluten free.

Although some natives of the Andes region where it originated also eat its leaves, most people eat quinoa in its seed or “grain” form. Happily, it’s easy to prepare and cook in this form.

Quinoa is showing up on more supermarket shelves in the United States, Canada and Europe, but—depending on where you live—you might have to seek it out in a specialty or organic grocery store. Try to find a package containing seeds that have had their waxy outer coatings removed through rinsing or some other process.

If you buy quinoa with its coating still on, you must rinse it vigorously in a strainer, then soak it for several hours in water, then rinse it again. If you leave behind any of the coating, which is full of a bitter substance called saponin, your quinoa will taste terrible.

Fortunately, most commercially marketed quinoa sold in North America and Europe today has been pre-processed to remove the coating.

The easiest way to prepare quinoa is to cook it much as you would rice. Just put a cup of the de-coated grain in a saucepan and pour two cups of water over it. Bring the pan to a boil, cover, and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, then remove from heat.

Your cooked quinoa should be light and fluffy, much like cooked rice; in fact, you can use it in almost any dish where you would normally use rice. Add your favorite vegetables, meats or seasonings and enjoy. My south Louisiana heritage is showing here, but I have to say that my own favorite way to make quinoa is in a jambalaya with shrimp and sausage.

If you would like to try baking with it, look for quinoa flour form in the store. You will probably need to combine it with something else such as sorghum flour or tapioca starch to get a good baking mix. Some cooks recommend a mix of 2 parts quinoa flour, 2 parts sorghum flour and 1 part tapioca starch.

Is there a gluten allergy sufferer in your life? Try making some special treats using such a quinoa-based mix and see how easy it is to bring baked joy back to the table.

Sarah Sandori is the food and entertaining columnist for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? Check out Sarah’s article where she reveals her secret source for the most mouth-watering restaurant recipes in America: http://www.solid-gold.info/most-wanted-recipes.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Sandori

Cooking quinoa is easy and fast.  Watch our quick video lesson and learn how to cook Quinoa.