Quinoa is a grain crop grown for its edible seeds. These seeds are what we call quinoa — pronounced KEEN-wah. Although it’s usually lumped in with cereal grains, like oats and barley, quinoa is actually a pseudocereal grain (2).
When I was writing we ran into the query “Why is quinoa not a grain?”.
You see, however, quinoa is not a grain…. it is a seed, and it comes from the same plant family as beets, chard, and spinach; hence the term “pseudo-grain”. As it is not a grain, it is also naturally gluten-free, which is one of the many reasons it has become so popular in the last decade.
While quinoa is often prepared like a grain, it’s actually a member of the spinach, chard, and beet family. Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium plant, a green leafy plant that sprouts numerous flowers.
So quinoa isn’t really a grain at all. It’s actually a seed. Because it’s part of the goosefoot family, quinoa is a useful little plant. Its leaves can be eaten like spinach but its seeds can also be used in the same way as grain.
You should be wondering “Is quinoa a cereal or a pseudo-cereal?”
And so quinoa is technically classified as a pseudo-cereal grain, along with amaranth and buckwheat. Pseudo-cereal grains are seeds from a number of different plant species external to the Poaceae family that are eaten in a similar fashion to cereal grains.
What is quinoa and how is it used?
Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium plant, a green leafy plant that sprouts numerous flowers. Occasionally, different parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, and the leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Still, quinoa is mostly grown for its seeds which are cooked similarly to rice and can be used in a large variety of recipes .
Are quinoa seeds gluten free?
Quinoa seeds are naturally gluten free, making them a healthy alternative to many gluten-containing grains, especially for those suffering from celiac disease. Quinoa seeds are also fairly easy to digest, which helps prevent stomach discomfort.
Is quinoa gluten free?
The quinoa seed is a pseudocereal, as opposed to a grain. Pseudocereals are plants that produce seeds and fruits that are similar to grains and used in virtually the same ways. High in protein, nutrients, and vitamins, pseudocereals are most commonly gluten free and considered whole grains, despite not being a true grain.
What does uncooked quinoa taste like?
Uncooked quinoa seeds are oval in shape and have an outer germ layer around each. When cooked the seed becomes soft, while the outer germ layer remains crunchy and twists outwards away from the seed. The “tail” created by the germ is responsible for giving the soft quinoa its signature crunch.