The Superfood Of The Future (May Replace Pasta?)
The days of ordering wheat toast or an English muffin as the ‘healthy choice’ are pretty much over.
Thanks to pioneer researchers and nutritionists, the symbiosis of ‘health food’ and ‘processed foods’ is a myth we’ve pretty much debunked.
The Great Grain Debate has been around for an incredibly long time – but really began gaining traction when low-carb diets became popular.
Why Grains Aren’t What They’ve Been Cracked Up To Be…
Researchers found that despite the fact that birthday cakes, baguettes, cereals, and spaghetti have become commonplace in societies around the world – even the foundation of the U.S. food pyramid – most grains aren’t even remotely good for us.
Our bodies simply do not digest grains well.
Carbs from grains spike insulin levels, and they effectively block our body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
Moreover, gluten found in some processed grains causes digestive problems in up to 1/3rd of the population!
Leaky bowel syndrome and gluten sensitivity are two of a myriad of digestive issues that manifest themselves in even non-Celiacs.
Whereas children grew up believing that whole grains were a necessary part of a balanced diet – we now know that grains have wreaked major havoc on our health.
What’s The Alternative?
There are a plethora of substitutes we can use for traditional bread/pasta products in our diets.
Instead of traditional spaghetti, learn to make zucchini noodles (It’s the easiest thing in the world!)
But what’s my favorite grain replacement? Quinoa!
Quinoa is a seed that derives from a grain-like plant. That’s why quinoa, though being a seed, is classified as a grain – or a pseudocereal.
It’s not new – in fact it was discovered almost 4 thousand years ago in Incan civilization.
…Or some believe it was only 3,000 years ago by the Andian people.
Nevertheless – it’s definitely been around a long time!
It was even believed by ancient peoples to give energy to warriors before a fight!
The Quinoa Company has dubbed this yummy food the “Supergrain of the coming times”.
(It’s enjoying quite a resurgence of popularity, so we’ll forgive The Quinoa Company’s implication that it hasn’t been around for the past 4,000 years… and the fact that it’s NOT technically a grain.)
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa looks like miniature balls of cous-cous when cooked.
You can usually find fresh, organic quinoa in the store where the loose grains, rice, and beans are sold.
Quinoa can be prepared and served as an almost perfect substitute to rice and barley, but it’s also creatively used as a pasta and an oatmeal in my new cookbook.
Quinoa is full of protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids.
It has double the benefits of most other foods that are used in it’s stead.
A short list of quinoa benefits:
- Fiber – known to help your digestive system
- Naturally lowers blood pressure
- Fights high cholesterol
- May decrease hemorrhoids
- Regulates appetite by helping you feel full longer
- Helps regulate sugar in the body – beneficial for diabetics and those who are trying to lose weight!
Exotic Benefits of Quinoa
Our bodies create blood with the assistance of iron, which is found in quinoa.
Did you know that our brains consume approximately 20% of the oxygen our bodies use?
Iron carries oxygen between cells in order for our bodies to make use of oxygen – and quinoa is a great source of iron.
It also has magnesium that helps your body get rid of headaches naturally.
Additionally, magnesium is powerful in helping your body to regulate blood sugar.
If you aren’t sure how to cook this gluten free ‘non-grain’, check out some of the recipes I’ve included here with quinoa… and get started switching out those carbs that are nutrient-void and harmful to insulin levels!
I’ll teach you how to cook quinoa and a plethora of other gluten-free items in my Holiday Cookbook.
I’ve included warm winter recipes for baked apples, quinoa oatmeal, and quinoa salad to share.
Check some of them out here today, because even though these recipes will be delicious all year round – I’m only selling my cookbook for a couple more weeks!
Read here about how weight loss and longevity can be absolutely delicious, and easy-to-share with friends and family!
~Stephanie