Eating quinoa to help you lose weight

What are its benefits?

Quinoa is a food of high nutritional quality that can help you lose weight when accompanied by a healthy diet. Its consumption contributes to increasing energy and curbing cravings for food.
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For some time, it has become fashionable to eat quinoa for weight loss, a food that is part of what is commonly called "super foods", due to its nutritional value. It is a good source of fiber, omega 3 and essential amino acids that help fight overweight.
In fact, it is a pseudo cereal of great versatility and low glycemic index. Due to its fiber content, it prolongs the feeling of satiety, which is why it is highly recommended to complement the diet when you want to lose weight (or maintain it).
Why has it become so popular? 
How can it be prepared?
 We know that many still do not know its properties. For this reason, below we want to share in detail its main benefits and some simple ways to add it to the diet.

Benefits Of Eating Quinoa

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), also known as quinoa, is a small grain originating in South America that has managed to capture the interest of thousands of consumers around the world. It stands out for its similarities with some cereals, although it is a gluten-free food with a higher amount of nutrients.
According to the FAO report (2011) 
«Quinoa is the only vegetable food that has all the essential amino acids, trace elements and vitamins and does not contain gluten. Essential amino acids are found in the kernel of the grain, unlike other cereals that have them in the exosperm or husk, such as rice or wheat.

Quinoa Nutritional Information

One of the reasons to eat quinoa to lose weight is its low caloric intake. Although its carbohydrates and proteins serve the body as "fuel", it is an ingredient with very few calories. Approximately, for every 100 grams of quinoa we can obtain:
12 grams protein
8 grams of insoluble fiber
53 grams carbohydrates
6 grams of fat

Vitamins A, E, C, thiamine and riboflavin

Minerals like calcium, potassium, iron and zinc
The calorie intake of quinoa can vary depending on the cooking method to which it is subjected. If the seed is cooked, it provides about 120 calories per 100 grams. If instead it is inflamed, it contributes up to 364 calories for the same portion.
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Why you should consume quinoa?

Reasons why eating quinoa to lose weight

After reviewing the nutritional qualities of quinoa, it is time to know in detail why it is such a recommended food to help us fight against excess weight. This is a great complement to the diet, since its properties benefit metabolic health:
For example, its high content of protein and carbohydrates helps maintain optimal energy expenditure, which is decisive in helping us lose weight.
It is a food whose caloric intake is lower, which forces the body to burn more calories than it gets.
Thanks to its high contribution of dietary fiber, it is ideal to control cravings and lower cholesterol.
Its omega 3 content is useful to improve cardiovascular health and help reduce excess inflammation.
It favors the assimilation of enzymes and controls digestion problems. In fact, it can have slight cleansing effects that promote waste removal.
It contributes to the use of sugars as an energy source and, therefore, helps regulate glucose in the blood. Therefore, quinoa can be a recommended food for patients with diabetes mellitus.
Also read: Tips to start a good diet

How to eat quinoa to help lose weight?

Due to the great acceptance it has had in the diet, today there are many ways to prepare quinoa. From salads to drinks and hamburgers, it is an ingredient that is increasingly integrated into the regular meals of those who want to maintain a healthy weight.
Before being included in recipes, the ideal is to wash it very well to eliminate the bitter taste that characterizes it. This procedure is very simple, since it only consists of rinsing the seeds several times until they are clean.
On the other hand, we cannot forget to consult a professional if we want to lose weight, since quinoa is nothing more than a supplement to achieve it.

Quinoa milk

Quinoa milk is one of the alternative ways to take advantage of the benefits of this food in a weight loss plan. It is a drink that helps to increase the feeling of vitality and curb the feeling of hunger.
Although it can be prepared only with quinoa, we suggest adding cinnamon and vanilla to give it an extra touch of flavor. Follow the steps below to prepare it:
Ingredients
1.5 liters of water.
1 cup of quinoa (200 g).
A pinch of ground cinnamon.
Honey (1 tablespoon, 10 g).
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Also read: 9 things that will happen when you start eating honey daily

Preparation

Incorporate the quinoa in a container with water and soak it overnight.
The next morning, drain it in a strainer and put the beans in a pot with two cups of water.
Cook over low heat until tender.
Then, bring everything to the blender and process with the rest of the water.
Process until you get a homogeneous drink.
Finally, strain it and add the vanilla, cinnamon and honey.
Consumption mode
Drink 2-3 cups of quinoa milk throughout the day.
Other ways to eat quinoa for weight loss
Quinoa milk is a good option to calm hunger at snack time. However, other alternative preparations can also be given to make it easier to incorporate into regular diet:
Quinoa soup.
Quina with vegetables.
Quinoa cookies.
Quinoa salad.
Quinoa vegetable burger.
Quinoa instead of rice or pasta.
These simple recipes will help you if you want to eat quinoa to lose weight. Do not hesitate to prepare them!
To take into account!
Quinoa is a very complete food that can help you lose weight when included in a healthy diet. However, it is not a “miracle” product, nor does it work on its own.
If we want to take quinoa to lose weight, we must bear in mind that this ingredient must be part of a balanced and low-calorie diet and that, in addition, we must consult a specialist to resolve all doubts appropriately.