By Jane Sandwood
The Truth
Not all quinoa varieties are the same. Quinoa has one of the highest percentages of protein of any grain however, the protein content of Quinoa varies between variety due to where it is grown and how it is processed. For example, Canadian grown Quinta Quinoa is the only quinoa on the market to conduct the third-party accredited testing to claim ‘high in protein’, with almost double the protein of its competitors. Most imported quinoa brands have 4-6 g of protein per ¼ cup (50 g) serving, while Quinta Quinoa has 10 g of protein per 50 g serving.
High Quality, Complete Protein
These days, quality is everything. And the protein that you get from quinoa is of the highest quality, especially compared to other staple grains like rice and pasta. What makes quinoa superior than other traditional grains is that it is a ‘complete’ protein. In order to get this title, a protein has to be made up of nine different essential amino acids. These are methionine, leucine, tryptophan, isoleucine, threonine, phenylalanine, valine, lysine and histidine. Quinoa has all nine, and has much higher levels of these than rice (which is very low in lysine).
Other Health Benefits
While we can now see that not all quinoa varieties are created equal with respect to protein content (and other nutrients), there are a number of overarching beneficial properties of this pseudo-grain. Quinoa is cholesterol-free, gluten-free, low-fat, and contains beneficial amounts of iron and fiber, which are often lacking from many vegetarian or vegan diets.
Not only that, but it tastes great, and can be used in both savory or sweet dishes. It’s perfect for a healthy salad, or can even be cooked like porridge as part of a breakfast bowl, offering a protein kick to start the day off. Needless to say, if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, or just looking for the added benefits of vegan protein, quinoa, especially Canadian Quinta Quinoa, should absolutely be a consideration as part of a healthy, protein-packed diet.
Check Out Quinta Recipes HERE!
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