Saturday, December 31, 2011

Calories in Quinoa - Is it Healthy For You?

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Quinoa is actually not a grain, surprisingly enough, it belongs to the same family as spinach. It is a great source of protein and as a matter of fact it contains 9 essential amino acids. Did you know that ½ cup serving of dry quinoa has approximately 11 grams of quality protein? Lots of protein and fewer calories in quinoa. No wonder a lot of vegans are raving about it!

Not only vegans will benefit from quinoa but people who want to be healthier. It can be a delicious alternative to rice, pasta, oats and pearl barley. What I like about this super food is its versatility. You can serve it for breakfast and just add fruits or yogurt. Quinoa is also great for lunch and supper.

What about the calories in quinoa? 2 oz or 50grams contain 200 calories so a cup of uncooked quinoa has a total of 637 calories. Not bad right? When cooked, one cup has about 254 calories and 9 grams of protein.

Aside from protein, what else can quinoa offer? It has potassium, magnesium and manganese. Out of the three mentioned minerals, people tend to lack magnesium and this is considered as the most common mineral deficiency in the body. What does magnesium do? It helps regulate the absorption of calcium and it aids with muscle contraction.

You are assured that you are getting the right calories in quinoa and at the same time you are getting essential nutrients. If you can find it in your local grocery store then you can just conveniently order it online and you'd be happy to know that it is pretty cheap.           

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