Is Quinoa Paleo?

Quinoa has got a good rap for being one of nature's 'superfoods'. This is due to it's high protein content compared with other grains (14% by mass). But is it a grain and more importantly is it Paleo? Here is a bit of information about the wonder 'grain'. (I want it to be Paleo)!!!

Quinoa is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is apseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beetroots, spinach and tumbleweeds. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant.

'Its frequently called a grain because it is used and cooked like one, and is often called an "Ancient Grain" and a "Wholegrain". These terms can make it confusing, but trust me folks, it is not a grain. It is a gluten free super-seed, Pseudo-cereal.'

http://www.grainfreeliving.com/blog/118-is-quinoa-a-seed-or-a-grain

Technically quinoa is not a true grain, but is the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant. It is used as a grain and substituted for grains because of it's cooking characteristics. The name comes from the Greek words, chen (a goose) and pous (a foot). This is due to a resemblance of the leaves of the plant to the webbed foot of a goose. The leaves are lobed or toothed and often triangular in shape. The succulent like plant grows from 4 to 6 feet high and has many angular branches. The flower heads are branched and when in seed looks much like millet, with large clusters of seeds at the end of a stalk. The plant will grow in a variety of conditions but favors a cool, arid climate and higher elevations. Beets, spinach, Swiss chard, and lamb's quarters are all relatives of quinoa. http://chetday.com/quinoa.html


Because quinoa is typically consumed in the same way as the cereal grasses (wheat, oats, barley, and rye), we group it together with those foods on our website. However, quinoa is not a cereal grass at all, but rather a member of the same food family that contains spinach, Swiss chard, and beets. Many researchers refer to quinoa as a "pseudocereal." This term is typically used to describe foods that are not grasses but can still be easily ground into flour. The scientific name for quinoa is Chenopodium quinoa.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice#descr

'All of these plant seeds contain a variety of antinutrient compounds which potentially have deleterious effects in humans, particularly if they are consumed in high amounts on a regular basis. Quinoa seeds may contain very high concentrations (up to 5,000 mg/kg) of compounds known as saponins, which like the name implies, have soap like properties thay may cause a “leaky” gut by breaking down intestinal cell membranes. I believe that a leaky gut promotes chronic low level inflammation and likely represents a necessary step in the development of autoimmune diseases. Quinoa seeds may be “polished” during processing to lower their saponin content, because the highest concentration of these compounds are found in the outer layer of the seed. Fresh fruits and vegetables are superior nutritionally to all whole grains, including the psuedo grains, which I recommend should be consumed infrequently.' 

http://thepaleodiet.com/paleo-basics-2/quinoa-paleo/

Summary

Technically quinoa is not a grain it is a seed that is a member of the same family as spinach, and beets therefore it is PALEO, however there is conflicting information about it of course. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be consumed over and above anything else but personally if you don't have any adverse effects from quinoa it will not be harmful in moderation.



For more comprehensive information please see the websites cited above.