Health Benefits, Nutrition Facts, and How to Prepare Quinoa and Quinoa Flakes (2024)

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has only recently become popular in the United States, but it has been cultivated by native peoples in the Andes Mountains of South America for over 5,000 years. Quinoa flakes are flattened grains of quinoa that still contain all the nutrition of quinoa, but cook more quickly.

Higher in protein than any other grain, quinoa is so nutritious that NASA has used it to feed astronauts on long-term space missions.

Health Benefits

Unlike most plant-based foods, quinoa is a complete protein, which means it contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that make up your muscles, bones, skin, and blood. The nine classified as “essential” must be obtained from food daily — your body cannot produce or store them — and quinoa provides all nine.

Disease Prevention

The USDA recommends that at least half of the grains you eat be whole grains like quinoa. Refined grains have been stripped of most of the fiber, iron, and vitamins present in the whole grain. Including whole grains in your diet can help lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Digestive Health

Quinoa is a great source of fiber. Fiber can prevent or treat constipation and may lower your risk of intestinal cancers. It also helps you feel full longer, so it may help with weight loss.

Heart Health

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for heart health. The fiber in quinoa can also help with cholesterol and blood sugar levels, lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Quinoa is rich in antioxidants, which can prevent damage to your heart and other organs. A diet high in antioxidants has been linked with a decreased risk of heart disease.

Nutrition

Quinoa and quinoa flakes are also good sources of:

Nutrients per Serving

A half-cup of cooked quinoa contains:

  • Calories: 111
  • Protein: 4 grams
  • Fat: 2 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 20 grams
  • Fiber: 3 grams
  • Sugar: 1 gram

Things to Watch Out For

As is the case with many superfoods, quinoa has been used to make packaged snacks and cereals sound healthier than they are. Quinoa chocolate bars and sweetened cereals are often still high in sugar, so be sure to consult the nutrition facts on all processed quinoa products.

How to Prepare Quinoa and Quinoa Flakes

Quinoa is a great base for salads, as it can soak up dressing without becoming mushy. As a savory side, quinoa makes a lovely bed for chicken, fish, or grilled veggies. It must be prepared properly, however, or it may taste bitter.

Quinoa flakes can be cooked like instant oatmeal (see Quick Quinoa Flakes Breakfast recipe below) or used in place of quick oats in recipes.

Cooked Quinoa for Use in Recipes

To make 3 cups of cooked quinoa:

  1. Place 1 cup raw quinoa in a fine mesh colander and rinse for at least 30 seconds.
  2. Mix 2 cups water and the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3. Decrease heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed.
  4. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and let it steam for 5 more minutes.

Savory Quinoa with Corn

To make 4 side dishes:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add 1 ½ cups of corn, season with salt and pepper, and cook 10 minutes or until corn starts to brown, stirring a few times.
  3. Add ¾ cup rinsed and well-drained quinoa and stir until it begins popping.
  4. Add 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth, stir, cover, and turn heat down to low.
  5. Do not disturb for 15 minutes. Check to see if grains have opened and are soft. If not, add just enough broth or water to keep the quinoa from sticking, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Quick Quinoa Flakes Breakfast

To make 3 cups of quinoa flakes:

  1. Heat 1 cup milk and 1 cup water in a pot over high heat until boiling.
  2. In the meantime, lightly toast 1 cup of quinoa flakes in a dry skillet until golden. (This helps with the bitterness and makes the quinoa flakes taste sweeter.)
  3. Add to the boiling liquid and stir. Let it cook a minute or two and stir again.
  4. Just like instant oatmeal, quinoa flakes can be dressed up with berries, sliced banana, nuts, or extra milk.
Health Benefits, Nutrition Facts, and How to Prepare Quinoa and Quinoa Flakes (2024)

FAQs

Are quinoa flakes as healthy as quinoa? ›

Nutrition: Quinoa flakes retain many of the same nutritional benefits as whole quinoa, including protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, the processing might lead to a slightly lower nutrient content compared to whole quinoa.

How to eat quinoa flakes? ›

Unlike whole grain quinoa, quinoa flakes cook in almost no time, just like instant oatmeal. Bring water or milk to a rapid boil, add the quinoa flakes, let the pot sit for a minute or two, stir well, and you're ready to go. Use a 1:3 ratio of quinoa flakes to water (1 cup of quinoa flakes to 3 cups of water).

What is the healthiest way to eat quinoa? ›

Toss it in salads.

Quinoa is a complete source of protein and makes a great addition to a healthy salad. The combination of fiber, protein and healthy fats can turn a light side salad into a robust entrée.

Are quinoa flakes anti-inflammatory? ›

Contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory plant compounds

These are the main flavonoids found in quinoa ( 6 ). Quercetin and kaempferol have anti-inflammatory qualities and act as antioxidants in the body, meaning they help protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals ( 6 ).

Do you need to rinse quinoa flakes? ›

The best solution is to rinse and drain raw quinoa before cooking. It is not necessary to rinse quinoa pasta, quinoa flakes, etc., as the manufacturer has already done so.

Are quinoa flakes healthier than rolled oats? ›

Oats contain macronutrients such as total carbohydrates, calcium, magnesium, total fat, proteins, saturated fats, iron, zinc, potassium, etc. Though both kinds of cereals are rich in nutrients, Quinoa is considered to be the healthier of the two.

Are quinoa flakes ready to eat? ›

Organic Quinoa Flakes are made from white quinoa that has been rolled and flattened. After this process, the quinoa flakes can be eaten just like the puffed quinoa without any need for cooking.

How are quinoa flakes processed? ›

Each little quinoa seed is rolled flat to make a flake, just like an oat groat is rolled out to make a rolled oat.

Are quinoa flakes a complete protein? ›

One cup cooked provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Unlike some plant proteins, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own.

Does quinoa burn belly fat? ›

Quinoa: High in protein, quinoa keeps you full with its high levels of plant-based proteins. It decreases your appetite and promotes belly fat decrease.

What is healthier than quinoa? ›

While both provide excellent sources of fiber and protein, farro tops the charts and offers almost double the value compared to the same size serving of quinoa.

How many times a week should I eat quinoa? ›

You can eat one-two cups of cooked quinoa in a day. You should avoid eating it if you experience stomachache, itchiness or vomiting after consuming it. A study by Harvard Public School of Health has reported that eating a bowl of quinoa daily is healthy and without any side effects.

What's the difference between quinoa and quinoa flakes? ›

Quinoa flakes are flattened grains of quinoa that still contain all the nutrition of quinoa, but cook more quickly. Higher in protein than any other grain, quinoa is so nutritious that NASA has used it to feed astronauts on long-term space missions.

Does quinoa heal the gut? ›

Studies suggest quinoa may improve gut health by enhancing the diversity of beneficial gut bacteria and reducing the inflammatory symptoms of conditions like colitis. Acting as a prebiotic, quinoa supplies the fuel for beneficial gut bacteria, allowing them to thrive.

Is quinoa good for joints? ›

Quinoa, GF: This versatile, high-protein seed is an ideal grain substitute. Research suggests it might suppress the release of pro-inflammatory proteins in the body called cytokines, which could be helpful for preventing inflammation. Sorghum, GF: This cereal grain is rich in protein.

What is the healthiest form of quinoa? ›

The darkest variety of quinoa is the black quinoa which is super rich and healthy as compared to the other two versions. It is the healthiest option of quinoa that has more protein, dietary fiber, and less amount of fat content inside. It takes time to cook black quinoa due to its nuttier and fluffy texture.

Can I substitute quinoa flakes for quinoa? ›

Sure! Quinoa flakes can definitely be eaten raw, but honestly without flavor add-ins, I don't think they'd taste all that great. Since quinoa flakes are made from the whole quinoa seed, it's essentially the same as eating raw quinoa.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 5813

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Birthday: 2001-07-17

Address: Suite 794 53887 Geri Spring, West Cristentown, KY 54855

Phone: +5934435460663

Job: Central Hospitality Director

Hobby: Yoga, Electronics, Rafting, Lockpicking, Inline skating, Puzzles, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.