Quinoa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Amaranthaceae Subfamily: Chenopodioideae Genus: Chenopodium Species: C. quinoa
Binomial name
Chenopodium quinoa Willd.

For the town with a similar name, see Quinua, Peru.

Quinoa (pronounced /kwɨˈnoʊə/, or /ˈkiːnoʊə/ as in Spanish) is a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium) grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal as it is not a grass. Its leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is currently limited. Image File history File links Name Chenopodium quinoa Family Chenopodiaceae Image no. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Divisions Green algae land plants (embryophytes) non-vascular embryophytes Hepatophyta - liverworts Anthocerophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses vascular plants (tracheophytes) seedless vascular plants Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongue ferns seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Orders See text. ... Families See text. ... Type Genus Amaranthus L. Subfamilies Amaranthoideae Chenopodioideae Gomphrenoideae Salicornioideae Salsoloideae The flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, the Amaranth family, contains about 160 genera and 2,400 species. ... Genera See text The Chenopodioideae is a subfamily of the of the Amaranthaceae, formerly treated as a distinct family, Chenopodiaceae. ... species See text Chenopodium is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants, known generically as the Goosefoots. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Carl Ludwig von Willdenow (August 22, 1765 - July 10, 1812) was a German botanist and pharmacist. ... For the plant with a similar name, see Quinoa. ... Species See text Chenopodium is a genus of plant in the family Amaranthaceae, known generically as the Goosefoots. ... Agriculture (from Agri Latin for ager (a field), and culture, from the Latin cultura cultivation in the strict sense of tillage of the soil. A literal reading of the English word yields tillage of the soil of a field.) is the production of food, feed, fiber and other goods by... A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... // “Grain” redirects here. ... Grain redirects here. ... Subfamilies There are 7 subfamilies: Subfamily Arundinoideae Subfamily Bambusoideae Subfamily Centothecoideae Subfamily Chloridoideae Subfamily Panicoideae Subfamily Pooideae Subfamily Stipoideae The true grasses are monocotyledonous plants (Class Liliopsida) in the Family Poaceae, also known as Gramineae. ... Fresh Swiss chard Fresh water spinach Creamed spinach Steamed kale Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. ... For other uses, see Amaranth (disambiguation). ...

Overview

Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for 6,000 years. Its name is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name. Quinoa is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy, so it can be easily cultivated in the Andes up to about 4,000 meters. Even so, it grows best in well-drained soils and requires a relatively long growing season. In eastern North America, it is susceptible to a leaf miner that may reduce crop success; this leaf miner also affects the common weed Chenopodium album, but C. album is much more resistant. The word Andean refers to the geographic area in and around the Andes Mountains of South America, and to the indigenous peoples that inhabit the area, such as the Inca. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Quechuan languages. ... This article is about the mountain system in South America. ... Leaf miners are insect larvae that live within leaf tissue. ...

Similar Chenopodium species, such as Pitseed Goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri) and Fat Hen (Chenopodium album) were grown and domesticated in North America as part of the Eastern Agricultural Complex before maize agriculture became popular. Fat Hen, which has a widespread distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, produces edible seeds and greens much like quinoa, but in lower quantities. Caution should be exercised in collecting this weed, however, because when growing in heavily fertilized agricultural fields it can accumulate dangerously high concentrations of nitrates. Binomial name Chenopodium berlandieri L. Chenopodium berlandieri, also called pitseed goosefoot, Southern Huauzontle, and lambsquarters, is a fast-growing, upright, weedy annual species of goosefoot. ... Binomial name L. Chenopodium album is a fast-growing, upright, weedy annual plant that is common in temperate regions. ... The sunflower was one of the plants that made up the Eastern Agricultural Complex. ... This article is about the maize plant. ... Binomial name L. Chenopodium album is a fast-growing, upright, weedy annual plant that is common in temperate regions. ... Nitrates are the salts of nitric acid. ...

Chenopodiums were also used in Europe as greens.

Wild distribution

Chenopodium quinoa (and a related species from Mexico, Chenopodium nuttalliae) is most familiar as a fully domesticated plant, but it was believed to have been domesticated in the Andes from wild populations of Chenopodium quinoa.^[1] There are non-cultivated quinoa plants (Chenopodium quinoa var. melanospermum) which grow in the same area where it is cultivated, which probably are related to the wild progenitors, but which could instead be the descendents of cultivated plants.^[2] Binomial name Huauzontle, Chenopodium nuttalliae is a Mexican vegetable related to the common American weed goosefoot, that vaguely resembles broccoli although the stems are much thinner and support fewer of the leaves. ...

History and culture

Top Quinoa Producers - 2005 (thousand metric ton)
Peru	27.0
Bolivia	23.5
Ecuador	0.7
World Total	51.2
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)Actual figures from FAO

The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to quinoa as "chisaya mama" or "mother of all grains", and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using 'golden implements'. During the European conquest of South America quinoa was scorned by the Spanish colonists as "food for Indians", and even actively suppressed, due to its status within indigenous non-Christian ceremonies. Image File history File links Flag_of_Peru_(state). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bolivia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ecuador. ... FAO emblem With its headquarters in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that works to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... A Conquistador (Spanish: []) (English: Conqueror) was a Spanish soldier, explorer and adventurer who took part in the gradual invasion and conquering of much of the Americas and Asia Pacific, bringing them under Spanish colonial rule between the 15th and 19th centuries. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ...

On another religious note, quinoa is considered by many Jews to be kosher for Passover, if properly processed.^[3][4] The circled U indicates that this can of tuna is certified kosher by the Union of Orthodox Congregations. ... This article is about the Jewish holiday. ...

Nutritional value

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content (12%–18%) is very high. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete food. This means it takes less quinoa protein to meet one's needs than wheat protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.^[5] The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the Americas continent. ... The word Andean refers to the geographic area in and around the Andes Mountains of South America, and to the indigenous peoples that inhabit the area, such as the Inca. ... For other uses, see Potato (disambiguation). ... This article is about the maize plant. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ... Lysine is one of the 20 amino acids normally found in proteins. ... An essential amino acid or indispensable amino acid is an amino acid that cannot be synthesized de novo by the organism (usually referring to humans), and therefore must be supplied in the diet. ... Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the digestive system, absorbing water and making defecation easier. ... General Name, symbol, number phosphorus, P, 15 Chemical series nonmetals Group, period, block 15, 3, p Appearance waxy white/ red/ black/ colorless Standard atomic weight 30. ... Introduction Magnesium is an essential element in biological systems. ... For other uses, see Iron (disambiguation). ... Wheat - a prime source of gluten Gluten is an amorphous mixture of ergastic (i. ... Controlled (or Closed) Ecological Life Support Systems or (acronym CELSS) are a type of scientific endeavor to create a self-supporting life support system for space stations and colonies typically through controlled ecological environments, such as the BioHome, BIOS-3, Biosphere 2 and Mars Base Zero. ...

Saponin content

In its natural state quinoa has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it essentially unpalatable. Most quinoa sold commercially in North America has been processed to remove this coating. Some have speculated that this bitter coating may have caused the Europeans who first encountered quinoa to reject it as a food source, even as they adopted other indigenous products of the Americas like maize and potatoes. However, this bitterness has beneficial effects in terms of cultivation, as it is a crop that is relatively untouched by birds and thus requires minimal protection. There have been attempts made to lower the saponin content of quinoa through selective breeding in order to produce sweeter and more palatable varieties of the crop. However, when these varieties were introduced by agronomists to native growers in the high plateau, they were rejected after just one season. The growers returned to their traditional high saponin varieties, the reason being that despite the newer varieties giving 'magnificent' yields, birds had consumed the entire crop. Saponins are the glycosides of 27 carbon atom steroids, or 30 carbon atom triterpenes. ... This article is about the maize plant. ... For other uses, see Potato (disambiguation). ...

The saponin content in quinoa can be mildly toxic, as can be the oxalic acid content found in the leaves of all of the chenopodium family. However, the risks associated with quinoa are minimal provided that it is properly prepared and leaves are not eaten to excess. Oxalic acid (IUPAC name: ethanedioic acid, formula C2H2O4) is a dicarboxylic acid with structure (HOOC)-(COOH). ...

Preparation

A spoonful of milled, organic quinoa

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous. Photograph of a spoonful of raw, organic quinoa by methylsoy. ... Photograph of a spoonful of raw, organic quinoa by methylsoy. ... White rice is the common term for milled rice which has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. ... Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas Couscous or kuskus (pronounced - Berber Seksu - Arabic: , called maftoul in Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories) is a food from the Maghreb of Berber origin. ...

The first step in preparing quinoa is to remove the saponins, a process that requires soaking the grain in water for a few hours, then changing the water and resoaking again, or rinsing it in ample running water either in a fine strainer or in cheesecloth. Boxed quinoa typically has been pre-rinsed for convenience. Saponins are a class of glucosides found in plants. ... Cheesecloth is a loosewoven cotton cloth, such as is used in pressing cheese curds. ...

A common cooking method is to treat quinoa much like rice, bringing two cups of water to a boil with one cup of grain, covering at a low simmer and cooking for 14–18 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ looks like a tiny curl and should have a slight bite to it (like al dente pasta). Alternatively, one can use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa. In cooking, the adjective al dente (pronounced al DEN-tay) describes pasta and (less commonly) rice that have been cooked to be edible but still firm, or vegetables that are cooked to the tender crisp phase - still offering resistance to the bite, but cooked through. ... Electric rice cooker including scoop, before cooking For the car modification term, see Rice burner. ...

Vegetables and seasonings can also be added to make a wide range of dishes. It is also suited to vegetable pilafs, complementing bitter greens like kale. Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi, pulao rice, and cucumber raita Pilaf, (Turkish pilav, Azeri plov, Bosnian pilav, Serbian pilav, Armenian pilav, Romanian pilaf, Persian polow, Afghanistan palow, Greek πιλάφι, India/Pakistan pulav/ pulao, Uzbek and Russian plov, Kazakh palaw) also spelled pilau, perloo, perlau, plaw, pilaw, and pilaff is a Middle Eastern and... Kale or Borecole is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head. ...

Quinoa can serve as a high-protein breakfast food mixed with honey, almonds, or berries; it is also sold as a dry product, much like corn flakes. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Quinoa flour can be used in wheat-based and gluten-free baking. For the latter, it can be combined with sorghum flour, tapioca, and potato starch to create a nutritious gluten-free baking mix. A suggested mix is three parts quinoa flour, three parts sorghum flour, two parts potato starch, and one part tapioca starch. Quinoa flour can be used as a filling for chocolate. Species About 30 species, see text Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are utilised as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. ... For other uses, see Tapioca (disambiguation). ...

Lastly, quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content. In fact, quinoa has a notably short germination period: only 2-4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, eg., 12 hours overnight with wheat. This process, besides its nutritional enhancements, softens the grains, making them suitable to be added to salads and other cold foods. Not to be confused with Gemination in phonetics. ...

red quinoa

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Name

This crop is known as "quinoa" in English and is pronounced with the stress on either the first syllable (/'kiːn.wɑː/) or the second (/kɪ.'nəʊ.ə/). In Spanish, the spelling and pronunciation vary by region. The accent may be on the first syllable and is usually spelled quinua (/'ki.nwa/), with quínoa (/'ki.no.a/) being a variant, or on the second syllable quinoa (/ki.'no.a/). The name ultimately comes from the Quechua kinua or kinoa. There are multiple other native names in South America:

• Quechua: ayara, kiuna, kuchikinwa, achita, kinua, kinoa, chisaya mama
• Aymara: supha, jopa, jupha, juira, ära, qallapi, vocali
• Chibchan: suba, pasca
• Mapudungun: dawe, sawe

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Quechuan languages. ... Aymara is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara of the Andes. ... The Chibchan languages (also Chíbchan, Chibchano) make up a language family indigenous to Colombia and Central America. ... Mapudungun test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator Mapudungun (mapu means earth and dungun means to speak) is a language isolate spoken in central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche (mapu is earth and che means people) people. ...

References

1. ^ Barbara Pickersgill (August 31, 2007). "Domestication of Plants in the Americas: Insights from Mendelian and Molecular Genetics". Annals of Botany. doi:10.1093/aob/mcm193. 
2. ^ Charles B. Heiser Jr. and David C. Nelson (1974 Sep). "On the origin of the cultivated chenopods (Chenopodium)". Genetics 78 (1): 503-5. PMID 4442716. 
3. ^ Is Quinoa Kosher for Passover?. Orthodox Union.
4. ^ Tzvi Rosen. Quinoa: The Grain That's Not. Star-K Kosher Certification.
5. ^ Greg Schlick and David L. Bubenheim (November 1993). Quinoa: An Emerging "New" Crop with Potential for CELSS (NASA Technical Paper 3422).

A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ...

External links

• Primal seeds article about less usual grain varieties
• Alternative Food Crops article by Plants for a Future that includes quinoa as potential cool temperate region food crop, e.g., in the UK
• Alternative Field Crops Manual
• Plants for a Future database entry on quinoa
• Guillet, Dominique. The Seeds of Kokopelli: A manual for the production of seeds in the family garden. Association Kokopelli, 340-344. 
• Pictures of quinoa fields
• NutritionData.com Nutritional Summary for Quinoa
• NMSU Crop Plant Resources page on Quinoa