ABSTRACT
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) was known to the Incas as “the mother of all grains” and was believed to be sacred. It has been consumed in the form of food as well as medicine for the last 5000 years. Quinoa, a pseudo cereal, is recognized as one of the world’s healthiest foods due to its high nutritional value along with its potential to cater various health benefits. Being a good source of complete protein (contains all the nine essential amino acids), unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants, it is considered as “superfood”. Quinoa also helps to reduce the risk of various diseases like cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, some cancer, high blood pressure, obesity and is also a good option for people who are allergic to certain food groups. Its biodiversity and ability to sustain in adverse climatic conditions makes it an ideal crop to cultivate worldwide especially in under developing countries of Asia and Africa, where food production is threatened by global climatic changes. Hence, it is a demand of present world to increase the awareness regarding the various functional benefits of quinoa to combat one of the world’s major crises, that is, hunger and malnutrition.
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