QUINOA OR RICE?

"Keen-wah". Yes, that is how you pronounce quinoa and we often see a lot of people pronouncing it wrong including myself.



So rice has been in every staple Malaysian meal but there's a new grain in town and it packs a whole load of nutrients and it's QUINOA!



White rice, on the other hand, is a refined starch, so it has a high glycemic index and isn’t a very good weight-loss food. The next time you plan to eat white rice, consider substituting quinoa as a high-protein, high-fiber alternative.

Comparing quinoa with rice isn’t fair, because quinoa isn’t actually a grain. It’s the seed of the goosefoot plant and a relative of beets and spinach. However, quinoa is known as a pseudocereal because it’s cooked and eaten like a grain and has a similar nutritional profile.

A delicious addition to a salad or a main meal, quinoa can be light and nutty and flavorsome. It has also come into favor as many people look to eating healthier and cutting their intake of refined carbohydrates.

A delicious addition to a salad or a main meal, quinoa can be light and nutty and flavorsome. But is the added expense and the effort of thinking up creative quinoa recipes worth it? Here’s a look at the health benefits of quinoa and its advantages over rice so you can decide for yourself.


1. Quinoa Has Fewer Calories And Carbs Than Rice



Quinoa contains 120 kcal in a 100 gm serving of the cooked food. This translates to about 21.3 gm of carbs, 4.4 gm of protein, 1.92 gm of fat, and a whopping 71.61 gm of water.

A comparable portion of cooked long grain white rice has 130 kcal, 28.17 gm of carbohydrates, 2.69 gm of protein, 0.28 gm of fat, and 68.44 gm of water.

2. Quinoa Is Richer In Antioxidants Than Rice




While the antioxidant capacity of quinoa has still to be fully understood and researched, consuming it could improve your body’s ability to respond to oxidative stress.

Compounds in quinoa can help to regenerate antioxidants in the body, which in turn protect you from oxidative damage.

3. Quinoa Packs In A Protein Punch Compared To All Rices




What makes quinoa so compelling is that it is a complete protein from a plant source. So you can get your protein without the usual issues of counting grams of saturated fat, unlike an animal protein like meat or a dairy product like yogurt or milk.

Thus, you’ll be able to provide your body with all the essential amino acids it needs to stay healthy, without having to resort to an animal protein source.

The protein levels in rice, both white and brown, unfortunately, pale by comparison, clocking in at about a little over half of what quinoa offers.

4. Quinoa Keeps You Full Longer Than White Rice




Aside from the protein, quinoa also boasts of a decent fiber content, with 2.8 gm of fiber per 100 gm of cooked quinoa compared to just 0.4 gm in 100 gm of cooked rice.

Protein and fiber help with satiety and quinoa can make you feel fuller for longer than when you have refined grains like white rice.


5. Quinoa Can Help With Weight Loss And Improve Lipid Profile



Quinoa could help you with your weight loss goals. Consumption of this pseudograin is linked to an improvement in lipid profile and decreased weight gain.


6. Quinoa Has More Betaine Than Rice And Better Impact On Liver And Heart



Betaine is an amino acid that your body needs for liver function and detoxification. It also helps ward off atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, strokes, and osteoporosis.


7. QUINOA IS FREE WHEN SHOPPING IN SIGNATUREMARKET!



That's right. Sure quinoa is more expensive than rice but here at Signature Market, we're giving it away for free at a limited time. Now that's a deal! CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO GET YOURS NOW!