| Quinoa is a popular alternative for rice and bulghur | | | | cooking. You can wash quinoa yourself, but that |
| wheat. Quinoa is very high in nutrients. Most | | | | can be a pain and may not remove all traces of |
| notably, it's a complete protein because it contains | | | | the unpleasant taste. Many companies claim that |
| all 9 of the essential amino acids - very unusual | | | | they wash quinoa, but they don't do a thorough |
| for a plant. Although it's sometimes referred to as | | | | job. Also some companies don't sort quinoa |
| a grain, it's actually a seed - a relative of green | | | | carefully so you might get small rocks or bit of |
| leafy vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. | | | | twig or worse in your package. |
| Quinoa can be a novel part of a gluten free diet | | | | 2. Be cautious about buying quinoa from bulk bins |
| and appropriate in moderate grain free diets | | | | If you're on a gluten free diet, this is a no-no due |
| (because quinoa is not a true grain). But are all | | | | to the risk of cross contamination with gluten |
| quinoa brands equal? | | | | grains. Also, although quinoa is very shelf stable, it |
| After testing several kinds of quinoa, including | | | | will usually taste fresher when it's sold in a |
| no-name brands sold in bulk bins, I can say with | | | | package instead of from an open bin. |
| confidence that all brands of quinoa are NOT | | | | 3. Buy organic quinoa |
| equal. | | | | Quinoa that isn't certified organic is sometimes |
| To find the best tasting and safest brands, here | | | | grown in questionable soil with chemicals that may |
| are 3 crucial tips: | | | | compromise health and/or from plants that have |
| 1. Buy from a company that cleans the quinoa | | | | been genetically modified. |
| properly. | | | | Follow these tips and quinoa can be a tasty |
| Quinoa is coated with a bitter substance that can | | | | addition to your diet. |
| also be toxic. It must be washed off before | | | | |