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| Chenopodium quinoa Willd. |
- For the town with a similar name, see Quinua, Peru. Carl Ludwig Willdenow ( 22 August 1765 - 10 July 1812) was a German Botanist, Pharmacist, and plant taxonomist For the plant with a similar name see Quinoa. Quinua is small town in the province of Huamanga, in Peru 's central highland "Quinoa" is also a title of a 1992 music album by Tangerine Dream. Tangerine Dream is a German Electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese.
Quinoa (pronounced /ˈkinwɑ/ KEEN-wah or /ˈkinoʊə/ KEE-no-uh, Spanish quinua) is a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium) grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds. "Goosefoot" redirects here The unrelated Smearwort ( Aristolochia rotunda) is sometimes called "Mercury Goosefoot" Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal as it is not a grass. Pseudocereals are broadleaf plants (non-grasses that are used in much the same way as Cereals (true cereals are Grasses) Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. Its leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is currently limited. Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth or pigweed, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs
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Overview
Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for 6,000 years. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Its name is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Quinoa is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy, so it can be easily cultivated in the Andes up to about 4,000 meters. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. 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. Leaf miner is a term used to describe the Larvae of many different species of Insect which live in and eat the Leaf tissue of plants album is much more resistant.
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. Chenopodium berlandieri, also called Pitseed Goosefoot, Southern Huauzontle, and Lambsquarters, is a species of goosefoot native Chenopodium album is a fast-growing Weedy Annual plant in the genus Chenopodium. The term Eastern Agricultural Complex refers to the group of plants that originally formed the basis of agriculture in the eastern regions of North America north of Mexico Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Fat Hen, which has a widespread distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, produces edible seeds and greens much like quinoa, but in lower quantities. Chenopodium album is a fast-growing Weedy Annual plant in the genus Chenopodium. 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. In Inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of Nitric acid with an Ion composed of one Nitrogen and three Oxygen atoms
Chenopods 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. Huauzontle, Chenopodium nuttalliae is a Mexican vegetable related to the common American weed Goosefoot [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]
History and culture
| Top Quinoa Producers - 2005 (thousand metric ton) |
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 Peru |
26. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. 0 |
 Bolivia |
25. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. 1 |
 Ecuador |
27. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. 2 |
| World Total | 78. 3 |
| Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)Actual figures from FAO |
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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. This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Quinoa is considered by many Jews to be kosher for Passover, if properly processed. Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish [3][4]
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. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high, making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans (12%–18%). Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl 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. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Lysine (abbreviated as Lys or K) is an α- Amino acid with the Chemical formula HO2CCH(NH2(CH24NH2 An essential amino acid or indispensable amino acid is an Amino acid that cannot be synthesized de novo by the organism (usually referring to It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Magnesium is an essential element in biological systems. Magnesium occurs typically as the Mg2+ ion Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. Gluten is a composite of the proteins Gliadin and Glutenin. These exist conjoined with Starch, in the Endosperms of some 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. Controlled (or Closed) Ecological Life Support Systems (acronym CELSS) are a type of scientific endeavor to create a self-supporting Life support [5]
Saponin content
In its natural state quinoa has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it unpalatable. Saponins are a class of chemical compounds one of very many Secondary metabolites found in natural sources with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant Most quinoa sold commercially in North America has been processed to remove this coating. Some have speculated this bitter coating may have caused the Europeans who first encountered quinoa to reject it as a food source, since they adopted other indigenous food plants of the Americas like maize and potatoes. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae However, this bitterness has beneficial effects during cultivation, as the plant is unpopular with birds and thus requires minimal protection. There have been attempts to lower the saponin content of quinoa through selective breeding in order to produce sweeter, more palatable varieties. However, when new varieties were introduced by agronomists to native growers in the high plateau, the native growers rejected the new varieties, despite their 'magnificent' yields. Because the seeds no longer had a bitter coating, birds had consumed the entire crop after just one season.
The saponins in quinoa can be mildly toxic, as can be the oxalic acid in the leaves of all the chenopodium family. Oxalic acid is the Chemical compound with the formula H2C2O4 This Dicarboxylic acid is better described with the However, the risks associated with quinoa are minimal, provided it is properly prepared and leaves are not eaten to excess.
Preparation
Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous. White rice is the name given to milled Rice which has had its Husk, Bran, and germ removed For the possum species see Cuscus Couscous or kuskus as it is known in Morocco Algeria Tunisia and Libya (ˈkuːskuːs in the US /ˈkʊskʊs/
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. Saponins are a class of chemical compounds one of very many Secondary metabolites found in natural sources with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant Cheesecloth is a loosewoven Cotton Cloth used in Cheese making such as to press cheese curds for Poutine. Boxed quinoa typically has been pre-rinsed for convenience.
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). In Cooking, the adjective al dente (æl ˈdɛnteɪ describes Pasta and (less commonly Rice that has been cooked so as to be firm but not hard Alternatively, one can use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa. A rice cooker or rice steamer is a device used primarily for Cooking Rice. To that end, one volume of quinoa should be combined with two volumes of water.
Vegetables and seasonings can also be added to make a wide range of dishes. Chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted for water during cooking, adding flavour. It is also suited to vegetable pilafs, complementing bitter greens like kale. Pilaf, also called polao, pilau or pulao, is a dish in which a grain such as Rice or cracked wheat is browned in oil and then cooked in a Kale or Borecole is a form of Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) green in color in which the central leaves do not
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. A breakfast cereal (often simply called cereal is a packaged food product made from Cereal intended to be consumed as part of a Breakfast.
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. Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part Tapioca is a flavorless colorless odorless Starch 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.
Lastly, quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content. Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy 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, e. g. , 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.
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
References
- ^ Barbara Pickersgill (August 31, 2007). Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Aymara ( Aymar aru) is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes. The Chibchan languages (also Chíbchan, Chibchano) make up a Language family indigenous to the Isthmo-Colombian area which extends from Mapudungun (from mapu 'earth land' and dungun 'speak speech' is a Language isolate spoken in central Chile and west central Argentina "Domestication of Plants in the Americas: Insights from Mendelian and Molecular Genetics". Annals of Botany 100: 925. doi:. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Is Quinoa Kosher for Passover?. Orthodox Union.
- ^ Tzvi Rosen. Quinoa: The Grain That's Not. Star-K Kosher Certification.
- ^ Greg Schlick and David L. Bubenheim (November 1993). Quinoa: An Emerging "New" Crop with Potential for CELSS (NASA Technical Paper 3422).
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. Plants For A Future ( PFAF) is an online Not for profit resource for those interested in edible and useful plants of Temperate regions The project g. , in the UK
- Alternative Field Crops Manual
- Plants for a Future database entry on quinoa
- Guillet, Dominique. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 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
- NPR Kitchen Window: Quinoa: A Sacred, Super Crop
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