It has been shown that some types of cereals generate a great positive effect on people’s health, due to the components and nutrients they contain, helping to achieve a significant improvement in the prevention of some diseases.
One of these cereals is quinoa , which is a food recommended by experts due to the benefits it provides to people’s health. Therefore, the following article will be developed based on this cereal to detail several of its benefits.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is a seed, found in a specific type of plant native to the Andes of Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. It is characterized by being a whole grain , which is consumed as a cereal due to the high amount of nutrients it has.
To highlight: This food has had a certain popularity thanks to the nutrients and benefits it provides for people’s health, being a small and round biological seed that has been used to prepare various nutritional dishes for breakfast.
What benefits does quinoa have for health?
As previously mentioned, quinoa is a highly nutritional food that offers a large number of benefits to people’s health, the following being the most popular or effective of this cereal:
1. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases
One of the main benefits of quinoa is that it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in people. This is due to its great antioxidant power that protects the body from free radicals.
Important: A study carried out at the University of Córdoba in Spain, on the antioxidant activity of quinoa, concluded through tests that the antioxidants that this seed has help protect against cardiovascular diseases . (1)
Similarly, quinoa contains omega 3 and omega 6 acids that help regulate cholesterol levels, prevent heart complications and work as an anti-inflammatory.
2. Regulates blood sugar levels
One of the most recommended foods for patients with high sugar levels or diabetes is quinoa, because it has a low glycemic index , helping to regulate this component, preventing it from drastically increasing its value.
To highlight: A study published at the National Institute of Endocrinology in Havana, Cuba, mentions that quinoa is a suitable food for patients with diabetes , since it has a high protein value and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. (two)
3. Boosts brain function
Brain function can be enhanced with the consumption of quinoa, since this food has a component called “phenylalanine” which acts on the production of dopamine in people, thus improving their mental disposition in the daily routine.
4. Stimulates intestinal transit
Another of the benefits of quinoa is that it helps to stimulate intestinal transit in people, thanks to the fact that it has a large amount of fiber , for those who lack this component, which helps combat constipation and improve bowel activity.
Important: A study carried out in Venezuela on fiber and its health benefits confirms that this is a very important component for the intestinal process , since it helps to soften the stool, suppress inflammation of the colon and improve intestinal transit. . (3)
On the other hand, quinoa contains a significant percentage of essential amino acids that help break down food, thus facilitating the digestion process.
5. Improves muscle development and physical energy
The development of muscles and physical energy in people can improve after consuming quinoa frequently, since it is a food with a high protein and carbohydrate intake , thus providing the necessary nutrients that the body needs to improve these aspects.
6. Reduces migraine and stress
Quinoa is considered a natural anti-stress food , which helps people reduce migraine states or a lot of stress. This may be due to the components it has, one of these being phenylalanine .
7. Contributes to weight loss
People who have a high interest in foods that help with weight loss often consume quinoa, since it is part of the food group that provides low-glycemic carbohydrates , which gives enough energy without causing overweight.
8. Promotes pregnancy
Quinoa is one of the healthiest seeds that can be recommended to pregnant women, since it has enough vitamins, minerals, fiber and proteins that are necessary for the gestation process , so its consumption with other foods is recommended.
9. Improves skin and hair health
The skin and hair are favored with the consumption of quinoa , since it contains group B vitamins , which help prevent flaking and dehydration of the hair, prevents excess oil in it and works as an anti-aging agent. the skin.
10. Prevents some types of cancer
Finally, quinoa is a prominent food for providing an important benefit to people, which is to help prevent some types of cancer such as colon and stomach. This is due to the antioxidants it has, one of these being flavonoids that prevent the formation of malignant tumors in the body.
Quinoa properties
It has been mentioned that quinoa is a seed that has various nutritional properties , which are totally necessary for the proper functioning of the human body. Therefore, the following properties stand out:
1. Vitamins
Quinoa is characterized by being a rich source of micronutrients, some of which are vitamins A , C, D, E, B1, B2 and B9 . All of these are necessary to maintain good cell defense and function , as well as normal growth and development.
2. Minerals
After vitamins, a variety of minerals can be found in quinoa, the most prominent being calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium , phosphorus, potassium , and manganese. These help in bodily processes and nerve impulses.
3. Other compounds
Finally, other additional important compounds that quinoa possesses are carbohydrates, fiber and essential amino acids, the latter being the components that form proteins, which help provide energy to the body and the construction or development of muscle mass.
How is it better to eat quinoa?
Quinoa is a very versatile food, serving to be consumed in various ways, although it is more common to do it as a cereal, since it can be combined with other fruits or yogurts for breakfast , as well as adding it to soups and salads typical of each culture. .
Note: Its most popular form of consumption is as a cereal, since it is quick and easy for many people. However, this food is known and recommended to be eaten with ice cream, fruit, brown rice and even in any type of food.
Key Findings
- Quinoa is a seed well known for its health benefits. Its popularity is due to its high nutritional composition.
- It helps people in the prevention of chronic diseases , weight loss, regulation of blood sugar and favoring pregnancy.
- It has a large amount of vitamins, minerals and other compounds such as fiber, low-glycemic carbohydrates and essential proteins.
- Being a very versatile food , its way of consumption can be very varied, even so, the most popular method is to eat it as if it were a cereal.

University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.