Dr. Parveen Kumar, Dr. D. Namgyal
Standing tall and proud amongst all the grains for its high quantum of proteins, monounsaturated fat, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, vitamin E and B6, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, iron and magnesium, Quinoa is rightly called as the mother grain. Quinoa or Quinua (Chenopodium quinoa) is a flowering plant in the Amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds and is native to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. This crop has been eaten continuously for 5,000 years by people who live on the mountain plateaus and in the valleys of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile. Quinoa is also in the same botanical family as sugar beet, table beet, and spinach, and it is susceptible to many of the same insect and disease problems as these crops. Quinoa is also sometimes referred to as a ‘pseudo cereal’ because it is a broadleaf non-legume that is grown for grain unlike most cereal grains which are grassy plants. It is similar in this respect to the pseudo cereals buckwheat and amaranth.
The plant is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy; it is grown from coastal regions to over 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in the Andes near the equator, with most of the cultivars being grown between 2,500 m (8,200 ft) and 4,000 m (13,000 ft). Quinoa plants do best in sandy, well-drained soils with a low nutrient content, moderate salinity, and a soil pH of 6 to 8.5. The seed bed must be well prepared and drained to avoid water logging. Depending on the variety, optimal growing conditions are in cool climates with temperatures that vary between −4 °C (25 °F) during the night to near 35 °C (95 °F) during the day. Some cultivars can withstand lower temperatures without damage. Light frosts normally do not affect the plants at any stage of development, except during flowering. Rainfall requirements are highly variable between the different cultivars, ranging from 300 to 1,000 mm (12 to 39 in) during the growing season.
INDIAN SCENARIO: Cultivation of Quinoa has also started in India as the crop can be grown in barren lands and areas where there is low availability of water. At present Quinoa is being cultivated in isolated pockets in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Once processed, quinoa can fetch prices anywhere between ₹50,000 and ₹100,000 per quintal. The cultivation of Quinoa has also been catching up in cold arid region of Ladakh. Field trials of this crop have given encouraging results and yield of 4000 kg per hectare has been reported. The High Mountain Arid Agricultural Research Institute (HMAARI) of SKUAST-K is also conducting research on various aspects of Quinoa cultivation on its research farm.
NUTRITIVE VALUE: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has compared the nutritional quality of this crop to that of dried whole milk. The protein quality and quantity in quinoa seed is often superior to those of more common cereal grains. Quinoa is higher in lysine than wheat, and the amino acid content of quinoa seed is considered well-balanced for human and animal nutrition, similar to that of casein.
The leaves are frequently eaten as a leafy vegetable, like spinach. Quinoa grain has lower sodium content and is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn. Raw uncooked quinoa is 13% water, 64% carbohydrates, 14% protein, and 6% fat. After cooking, which is the typical preparation for eating the seeds quinoa is 72% water, 21% carbohydrates, 4% protein, and 2% fat. In a 100 g serving, cooked quinoa provides 503 kilojoules (120 kilocalories) of energy and is a rich source of manganese and phosphorus (30% and 22% DV, respectively), and a moderate source (10–19% DV) of dietary fiber, folate, and the dietary minerals, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Because of the high concentration of protein, ease of use, versatility in preparation, and potential for increased yields in controlled environments it has been selected as an experimental crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied space flights.
USES OF QUINOA: Quinoa is used to make flour, soup, breakfast cereal, and alcohol. Most quinoa sold in the countries like the United States has been sold as whole grain that is cooked separately as rice or in combination dishes such as pilaf. Quinoa flour works well as a starch extender when combined with wheat flour or grain, or corn meal, in making biscuits, bread, and processed food. In their natural state, the seeds have a coating that contains bitter-tasting saponins making them unpalatable. Most of the grain sold commercially has been processed to remove this coating. This bitterness has beneficial effects during cultivation, as it deters birds and therefore, the plant requires minimal protection. The toxicity category rating of the saponins in quinoa treats them as mild eye and respiratory irritants and as a low gastrointestinal irritant. The saponins also have many uses, including their use as a detergent for clothing and washing, and as a folk medicine antiseptic for skin injuries. The leaves and stems of all species of the genus Chenopodium are also characterized by the high levels of oxalic acid. The risks associated with quinoa are minimal, provided those parts are properly prepared and the leaves are not eaten to excess. Quinoa is gluten free and good for people with gluten intolerance, is fully loaded with antioxidants, has a low Glycemic Index (GI) and excellent for diabetic people, has very high fiber content when compared to other grains and also helps in weight management.
United Nations recognition
The United Nations has also recognized this crop and the U N General Assembly had already celebrated 2013 as the ‘International Year of Quinoa’ in recognition of the ancestral practices of the Andean people who have preserved it as a food for present and future generations, through knowledge and practices of living in harmony with nature. The objective was to draw the world’s attention to the role that quinoa could play in providing food security, nutrition and poverty eradication in support of achieving Millennium Development Goals.
Considering the health benefits and the nutritive value of this largely unexplored food grain, it is important to make the farming community aware of this wonder grain so that more area can be brought under its cultivation. It has proved to be a more nutritious and healthier, high yielding, remunerative and a crop resistant to climate vagaries. |
