Plant Quinoa - Help Solve World Hunger

According to Merriam-Webster, this crop, quinoa is primarily pronounced with two syllables with the accent on the first (KEEN-wah). It may also be pronounced with three syllables with the accent on either the first syllable (KEE-noh-a) or on the second (kwi-NOH-a). The pronunciation and spelling varies in other languages.

Quinoa is a leafy herb that grows up to six feet (2 m) tall and produces an abundance of seeds - seeds that serve as a nutritious food. It is an amazingly sturdy plant that thrives even in the harsh climate of the South American altiplano.

In Bolivian, for example, on farm lands that are too rocky to be plowed, quinoa is planted simply by digging holes in the ground with a spear-like instrument and then dropping in the seed. Within months, and with a minimum of care, the quinoa matures. The desert is then set aflame with color - yellow, purple, green, and red.

There are some 17 kinds of quinoa, and often a number of varieties grow together. It is very inexpensive to grow quinoa. One gram of seed will sow 50 feet (15 m) of row. An acre requires about one pound of seed.

The wild relatives of quinoa have long been familiar to North American gardeners and is often called pig weed and also called lamb's-quarters. (Chenopodium album). "Aha," you say, "I have heard of pig weed. In fact, I have some growing in my garden." What you may not know is that pig weed has the amazing ability to flower and go to seed at any stage of its growth. Quinoa retains this ability also. Beets, spinach and swiss chard are also relatives of quinoa.

Quinoa has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value. Unlike other plants, its protein content is very high (12-18%) and contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source. High in calcium, magnesium and iron, quinoa is also considered a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus. Quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest.

Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's "Controlled Ecological Life Support System" for long-duration manned spaceflights.

Quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content. In fact, quinoa has a notably short germination period: Only 2 - 4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, e.g., 12 hours with wheat. This process, besides its nutritional enhancements, softens the grains making them suitable to be added to salads and other cold foods.

Another remarkable feature of quinoa is its versatility. Quinoa has a unique, nutty taste. You can use it as a breakfast cereal. You can serve it cold with salad, hot with meat dishes, or sweet as a dessert.

After a rain the sun came out. These seeds are ready to burst.

Harvesting is mainly done by hand and rarely by machine because of the extremely variable periods of maturity of native quinoa. An exact timing of harvest is important in order to avoid a high loss of grains due to shattering. However, the exact harvesting time is difficult to determine because panicles of the same plant mature at different times.

The grain yield reaches comparable dimensions to wheat yields. (Often around 3 t/ha up to 5 t/ha.) When the time for harvest arrives, the plants are uprooted, allowed to dry in the sun, and threshed by hand.

Now another remarkable property of quinoa becomes manifest. It can be stored for years without spoiling. Quinoa proves to be a real treasure during long dry seasons. It is easy to see why it is the staple food of people in Bolivia. But of what interest is it to the rest of the world?

Famine relief organizations believe that quinoa could play a key role in reducing world hunger. The grain is tough and can be grown in a hostile environment without expensive farming equipment. Through crossbreeding, researchers have already developed exceptionally tough strains of quinoa that are resistant to such adverse conditions as hailstorms and frost. Additionally, it is nutritious and delicious and can be served in a variety of ways.

As to whether quinoa will make a dent in the global hunger problem, only time will tell. In the meantime, you may want to see if you can obtain quinoa locally. With a little imagination and experimentation, you may be able to add to your menu a nutritious dish made of quinoa - the everyday superfood.