Nutrition

There are a lot of quinoa facts but I'd like to share with you the things that I think are worth your interest:

1.) Everyone thinks that quinoa is a type of grain, it's actually not. It is a seed and its plant belongs to the same family as spinach and chard. It's called as the "mother of grains" by the Incans.

2.) It is considered as a sacred staple of the ancient Incan empire and in South America, for centuries it is mainly used for religious ceremonies. It is said that its use was partially refused or suppressed by the Catholic Spanish conquerors because of the perceived pagan rites associated with it.

3.) One of the quinoa facts that really caught my attention is it is loaded with plenty of nutrients and it offers complete protein no wonder it is hailed as one of the super foods we have around. It also contains magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc and manganese. It is packed with dietary fiber that's why it's easy to digest.

4.) U.S. farmers harvest more than 200,000 pounds of quinoa every year in the Rocky Mountains. Did you know that if it grows about 12.500 feet that it can be the whitest and sweetest thing you'll ever taste? While it can be produced and harvested at much lower elevations, it tends to be more bittersweet in taste.

5.) Saponin is also one of the quinoa facts that I'd like to share. It is the substance that makes quinoa taste bitter when not properly rinsed. It is however what prevents the bird from eating the seeds because of its bitter taste. An attempt to raise less bitter quinoa will result in an entire crop being eaten by birds. If you want less bitter quinoa, make sure you purchase the refined one.