Quinoa, a super-nutrient, high-energy food, is suitable for meeting a variety of dietary objectives. Dieting is often equated with body fat reduction. This view overlooks the point that dieting can be used to support good health, build muscles, improve exercise stamina, improve flexibility, maintain mental alacrity, and reverse numerous chronic diseases. The balanced and adequately proportioned nutrients of quinoa make this super-nutrient pseudo grain an important component of different dietary goals.
Maintaining Good Health
A healthy dietary protocol is important for maintaining good health. Quinoa simplifies the task of finding adequate sources of nutrients for good health because foods from many food groups are needed to match the nutrients in quinoa.
The trace minerals and antioxidants in quinoa contribute to good health. Selenium and manganese are among these trace minerals in quinoa. Anti-cancer and antioxidant effects have been attributed to these trace minerals. In particular, manganese is known for its antioxidant effects in the mitochondria. Manganese acts as a catalyst for the enzyme, manganese superoxide dismutase, to prevent oxidative damage to the mitochondria [1]. Protecting mitochondria from free-radical damage is important because mitochondria produce energy that supports your life and your activities.
Building Muscles and Physical Stamina
Quinoa can provide a strong nutritional support for building muscles. It supports all types of muscle-building goals, including building of strong muscles, massive muscles and powerful muscles. The complete protein in this pseudo grain assures that protein synthesis and muscle-building cannot be impaired by shortage of essential amino acids.
Quinoa has adequate amounts of carbohydrates to support stamina during high-intensity exercises. Quinoa contains 60 percent carbohydrate and 13.8 percent protein [1, 2]. From the carbohydrates in quinoa, glycogen stores in the muscles can be expanded. Glycogen usually supplies most of the metabolic energy needed during high-intensity exercises because this energy comes largely from anaerobic respiration. Energy from aerobic respiration is too slow to support high-intensity exercises.
Reversing Metabolic Disorders
Numerous chronic and metabolic diseases can be prevented or reversed by the healthy nutrients in quinoa. These disorders include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, ischemic stroke and others.
Body Fat Reduction
A quinoa-based diet is very effective for body fat reduction. Dietary fibers and complex carbohydrate in quinoa are two of the important factors that support body fat reduction.
With a quinoa-based diet, blood glucose level is stabilized at normal or near-normal levels. Insulin level parallels plasma glucose level because of the way glucose regulates insulin release. Since high levels of insulin facilitate fat synthesis, excessive body fat and obesity do not occur when insulin is controlled in this manner.
Sources
- (1) Alternative Field Crops Manual. Quinoa.
- (2) New Crops: Proceedings of the Second National Symposium. Quinoa.
- (3) Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. Co-Localization of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase and NADH Diaphorase. Fang, S. August 1995.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Michael Onwochei - Dr. Michael O. Onwochei is a retired medical scientist and teacher. For over twenty years, he was active in laboratory research, mainly in ...
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