Quinoa

Quinoa, also known as Chenopodium quinoa, is a pseudocereal or pseudograin that has its origins about 7000 years ago in the Andes. It can withstand extremely harsh climatic conditions rather well. It does well in conditions of salinized soil and dryness. Because of its exceptional biological and nutritional qualities, quinoa has been dubbed “the grain of the 21st century”. Quinoa is known as “The Golden Grain” because of its outstanding balance of essential amino acids and plenty of macro- and micronutrients such as lipids, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. The high quality of its protein has led to its recognition as a complete food. In addition, it has been regarded as an oil crop due to its noteworthy vitamin E content and intriguing omega-6 ratio. Numerous phytochemicals are also present in it, such as phenolics, phytosterols, phytoecdysteroids, saponins, and bioactive peptides. These substances might have positive impacts on digestive, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. Apart from its health benefits, it has several functional properties like solubility, water-holding capacity (WHC), gelation, emulsifying, and foaming that allow it a range of uses in food. Quinoa starch has several physicochemical properties (such viscosity and freeze stability) that give starch new uses and functional properties. This cultivar is a promising substitute for cereals.