Nutritional Value
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,539 kJ (368 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 64 g |
| - Starch | 52 g |
| - Dietary fibre | 7 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| - polyunsaturated | 3.3 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| - Tryptophan | 0.167 g |
| - Threonine | 0.421 g |
| - Isoleucine | 0.504 g |
| - Leucine | 0.840 g |
| - Lysine | 0.766 g |
| - Methionine | 0.309 g |
| - Cystine | 0.203 g |
| - Phenylalanine | 0.593 g |
| - Tyrosine | 0.267 g |
| - Valine | 0.594 g |
| - Arginine | 1.091 g |
| - Histidine | 0.407 g |
| - Alanine | 0.588 g |
| - Aspartic acid | 1.134 g |
| - Glutamic acid | 1.865 g |
| - Glycine | 0.694 g |
| - Proline | 0.773 g |
| - Serine | 0.567 g |
| Water | 13 g |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.36 mg (31%) |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.32 mg (27%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5 mg (38%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 184 μg (46%) |
| Calcium | 36 mg (4%) |
| Iron | 4.6 mg (35%) |
| Magnesium | 197 mg (55%) |
| Phosphorus | 457 mg (65%) |
| Potassium | 563 mg (12%) |
| Zinc | 3.1 mg (33%) |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. |
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Quinoa was of great importance in the diet of pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, quinoa has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (14% by mass), yet not as high as most beans and legumes. Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein. Furthermore, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights.
Read more about this topic: Quinoa