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Quinoa

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Quinoa is a grain-like crop native to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Chile and Peru, providing a rich source of protein for the people of this region. It has been a staple food for the Inca people for over 5,000 years, who appreciated its dietary significance so much, that each year the Inca emperor would plant the first seed with a golden spade.[1] In the Inca language Quinoa means mother grain.[2] Its new-found popularity in the Western world is an acknowledgement of the exceptional nutritional value of this treasure food. In recognition of this gift preserved for us by the Andean people, the United Nations declared 2013 as the International Year of Quinoa.

Quinoa, is a hardy broad-leafed plant that is able to flourish in the harsh conditions of the Andes highlands, reaching altitudes of 4,000 m. It is prized for its cluster of seeds that are valued throughout the world for their outstanding nutritional content.
It is an annual, dicotyledonous herb usually standing about 1-2 m high. The woody central stem carries alternate leaves that can be green, red, or purple. It is of the same botanical family as spinach and beet, and the leaves can also be eaten. Flowers emerge at the top of the plant in radiant variations of yellow to purple. The seeds are clustered and encased in a hard, shiny, four-layered fruit. Each seed has a covering that is removed after harvesting. The seeds are flat and come in different colors – white, pink, orange, red, brown and black.

Nutrients and Applications
Quinoa has more protein than grains and cereals. Its protein levels are extremely close to the FAO standard for human nutrition.[3] Present in Quinoa are the amino acids lysine, methionine and cystime, which are essential for human growth, the well-being of bone tissue, and provide energy for breaking down fats.[4] It contains linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid for the human diet. Quinoa contains calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese and zinc. It is considered a super food with significant dietary benefits. Quinoa flours, flakes, tortillas, pancakes, and puffed grains are produced commercially in Peru and Bolivia.

References:
[1]Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation, Board of Science and Technology for International Development, National Research Council, U.S.
[2] Alternative Field Crops Manual, Quinoa, University of Minnesota, Center for Alternative Plant & Animal Products.
[3] Lost Crops of the Incas
[4] http://www.aminoacidsguide.com/
Other Sources: Quinoa: Production, Consumption and Social Value in Historical Context, Alan L. Kolata, Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago.

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6 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

6 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

1) Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Heart

Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure. Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent the formation of blood clots. Eating dark chocolate may also prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). [click to continue…]

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Blackberries

Blackberries
blackberries
These are growing in my backyard.

Blackberries are sweet and succulent fruits that grow on fast growing perennial trailing vines or on bushes. Despite its being called a berry, a Blackberry is not actually a berry but an aggregate accessory fruit, based on botanical definitions. Like the raspberry and strawberry, the Blackberry is composed of a cluster of tiny fruits or drupelets attached to a central core. Each of the tiny Blackberry drupelets has a juicy pulp and a tiny seed which all contribute to the fruit’s overall nutritional value. [click to continue…]

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Hemp ” Vegan High Quality Protein”

Hemp PlantsHemp, a variety of Cannabis sativa, is an extremely versatile plant. Often confused with marijuana which is also a variety of Cannabis, hemp barely and in some cultivars does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol or THC; the psychoactive compound found in marijuana.

Hemp’s practical uses are amazingly varied and numerous with its different parts yielding a total of 25,000 different end products[1]. In fact, the whole hemp plant itself can be fermented and turned into biofuel. Hemp’s contribution to health however is stored in its seeds that have been an important source of nutrition in different cultures for thousands of years. With a pleasant nutty taste, hemp seeds contain nutrients vital for good health. [click to continue…]

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Arugula

ArugulaArugula is a popular fresh salad vegetable with a distinct peppery, bitter and nutty flavor. Once collected in the wild or grown in home gardens together with other cooking herbs, Arugula is now grown commercially in different parts of the globe and widely available by itself or part of premixed salad greens. [click to continue…]

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Ashitaba

AshitabaAngelica Keiskei Koidzimi, more popularly known by its Japanese name Ashitaba, is a biennial herb that has been used in both Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine for hundreds of years. The name Angelica, which in Latin means angel, was given to the plant due to its so-called godly effect of slowing down the aging process [1].

The name Ashitaba on the other hand, literally means “Tomorrow’s Leaf” in Japanese, aptly describing the plant’s extraordinary ability to regenerate. Plucking a leaf from the plant at dawn often results in the growth of a new sprout the very next day. [click to continue…]

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Brown Rice

Brown Rice

Brown Rice
Our ancestors thrived on a diet of whole grains for millennia, until the 19th century when large mills were used to strip the outer layer of the grain, diminishing the nutritional value. However, with the popularity of wholegrain foods and awareness of their natural goodness, supported by research, wholegrain is back on the menu. Brown Rice is high in protein and rich in amino acids. Once again, like our ancestors, we can benefit from the goodness of this grain. [click to continue…]

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White Kidney Beans

Rich in Good Nutrition

White Kidney Beans

Loved for their texture and their ability to easily absorb flavors and seasonings White Kidney beans are part of many delectable and healthy recipes. Although native to Central and South America these beans have become part of traditional European and even Asian cuisine. Known as cannelleni in Italy these legumes don’t just make delicious meals but they deliver good nutrition for they are packed with vital minerals, vitamins, protein and fiber. [click to continue…]

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Kelp “Premium Nutrients from the Seas Natural Bounty”

KelpKelp

Premium Nutrients from the Seas Natural Bounty

This blog post is an attribute to my friend, Chef, and Johnson & Wales Providence Alumni, Chef Brian Wilson in Philadelphia, PA. After our conversation on 8-15-14, about the future of our world, I did some research on Kelp.

Kelps are large brown algae or seaweeds that thrive well in clear, cold and shallow oceans in the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 30 different genera of Kelp mostly known for their rapid growth rate. The genus Nereosystis luetkeana and Macrosystis, for example, grow rapidly at a rate of half a meter a day reaching a length of some 30 to 80 meters [1]. [click to continue…]

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Beet Root “Boost Your Wellness!”

BeetsBeet root, or simply beet, is the taproot of the beet plant. Beets have been around since prehistoric times and were reported to have grown abundantly along the North African, Asian and European coastlines. During that time, it was the beet greens which were eaten and not the plant’s fleshy deep red root. It was only during the era of ancient Roman Empire that cultivation of the beet plant began for its taproots. Since then its popularity spread far and wide. [click to continue…]

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