We ran a marathon 5 hour boot camp session recently and half way throgh we made sure everyone was refuelled properly by laying on some lunch for them. The main dish was a quinoa recipe that was a massive hit. Everyone loved it.
We take it for granted in our household and have it on a regular basis (the kids even love it) as it’s a much healthier alternative to other grains or pastas.
With this in mind I thought you might know a little bit more about this superfood yourself:
Quinoa dates back 3000 to 4000 years and was discovered by the Incas. It was believed to be a ‘food from the gods’ and they fed it to their warriors to give them extra stamina.
Here are 7 of the main benefits:
- It’s protein rich containing 9 essential amino acids. Great alternative to meat if you’re vegetarian.
- It contains twice as much fibre as most other grains. A fibre rich diet helps to reduce constipation, prevent the risk of heart disease and keep blood pressure in order.
- High in manganese which is an antioxidant which protects cells from injury from free radicals.
- It contains Lysine. This is essential for muscle growth and repair.
- Quinoa is rich in magnesium. This promotes healthy blood sugar control and therefore reduce type 2 diabetes. It also helps to relax blood vessels which reduces the chances of migraines.
- Quinoa contains iron. Iron carries oxygen from one cell to another and supplies it to our muscles to aid in their contraction.
- It’s high in the vitamin B2 which improves energy metabolism.
So get down to your local supermarket and buy some. It’s great.
Let me know if you’d like a nice quinoa recipe to follow?
Ricky