KACHEN #28 (Autumn 2021) English Edition

Hidden treasure
In the Andes, quinoa has been grown for over 6,000
years. No grain grew on the desolate mountains. No
surprise then that the original inhabitants saw the plant
as a wonder plant that helped them survive. All that
changed with the Spanish conquerors. They dismissed
the so-called Inca wheat as cheap, poor people food and
even went so far as to prohibit the cultivation. No wonder
that the plant was hardly known in the West until a few
years ago.
The quinoa boom of the last few years has, above all,
one cause: the sensational components of the “mother of
all grains,” as the Incas call it. The superfood contains
large amounts of iron, folic acid, magnesium, zinc and
manganese. In addition, quinoa is full of vitamins and
complex carbohydrates. The latter must be first split by
the body and is then used slowly and continuously. The
feeling of satiety lasts for a long time – in contrast to the
effect of simple carbohydrates such as can be found in
products made with white flour or sweets. They cause the
notorious ravenous hunger pangs.
If you struggle with your digestion, it would be a good idea
to frequently add the grain from the Andes to your meal
plan. The numerous dietary fibres serve as a food source
for the healthy enterobacteria. Good news for vegetarians
/ vegans and all who want to reduce their meat consumption:
quinoa can easily compete with animal-derived
protein. Besides soy, it is the only plant that can provide
the body with essential amino acids.
Pseudo wheat without gluten.
From their appearance the millet-sized grains remind of
cereal. But quinoa belongs to the chenopods that also include
mangold, spinach and beetroot. That means that they don’t
contain any gluten, in contrast to the classic cereals. Quinoa
comes in different colours. The white variety is the one seen
most often in shops. It has a mild-nutty flavour and can be
used in savoury as well as sweet dishes. Red quinoa keeps
a good consistency during cooking and is therefore an optimal
base for salads or bowls. Black quinoa has a slight earthy
flavour and is thus good for hearty dishes. Both the black
and red varieties have a longer cooking time than the white.
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KACHEN No.28 | AUTUMN 21