Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa): Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds of grain and leaf, and impact of heat treatment and germination

Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is an Andean pseudocereal produced in countries such as Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and southern Colombia, with more than 3,000 varieties, distinguished by their nutritional properties and adaptation to different agro-ecological zones. Quinoa's nutritional profile stands out for its protein, carbohydrate, lipid and gluten-free content; it is rich in vitamins; and it is an excellent source of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus. It is one of the few foods that have in its composition all the essential amino acids, standing out from other cereals such as rice or wheat. It is an excellent source of bioactive compounds, which have antioxidant, cytotoxic, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. With respect to quinoa leaves, several studies have indicated that they have higher protein content than grains, as well as inorganic nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. In addition, they can potentially serve as a rich source of phenolic compounds and carotenoids. Conventional heat treatments greatly or slightly affect the composition of the food, including bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. Germination provides the product with greater bioavailability and an increase in bioactive compounds. The purpose of this work was to document research on quinoa and its leaves, the effect of thermal treatments and germination on its bioactive compounds, in order to promote the creation and innovation of products based on its bioactive compounds, thus combating malnutrition in our population.

Enhancing Nutritional Profile of Pasta: The Impact of Sprouted Pseudocereals and Cushuro on Digestibility and Health Potential

“…In comparison to WF, SQF and SKF exhibited lower starch content, and higher TDF, IDF, protein, fat, ash (minerals), and PA were observed for (p < 0.05, Table 1), consistent with findings from previous studies [21][22][23]. In general, all analyzed minerals were present in significantly higher concentrations in SQF and SKF compared to WF, except for iron (Fe), which was found in slightly lower concentration in SQF compared to WF, in consistency with observations reported for iron content in quinoa and wheat grains in the review by Campos-Rodríguez et al [24]. Data are means ± standard deviation (n = 2).…”

Current trends and prospects in quinoa research: An approach for strategic knowledge areas

“…Research focused on gene expression and regulation includes hybridization (Hodková & Mandák, 2018), phylogenetic (Li et al, 2022), and proteomic studies in relation to edaphoclimatic factors where cultivars are grown (Zhao et al, 2022). The main objective of genic expression studies has been to find the relationship between the agri-environmental offer and the genetic variability associated with the greater production of seeds with high contents of vegetable proteins (El-Hakim et al, 2022) and high-value biocomposites (Campos-Rodriguez et al, 2022). This is consistent with what was reported by and García-Parra, Zurita-Silva, et al (2020), who indicated that the environmental temperature plays an important role in the phenological phases prior to the development of the seed, influencing productive and compositional aspects.…”

Functional, nutritional, and technological potential of quinoa through lactic acid fermentation: a review

“…In terms of its essential amino acid composition, quinoa stands out for its high lysine content and a very complete amino acid profile (18,19). Most cereals are deficient in essential amino acids such as threonine, lysine, and tryptophan (20).Table 1 describes the amino acid profile of some pseudocereals, showing that quinoa has a high content of arginine (14.0 g/100 g of protein), proline (9.4 g/100 g of protein), and lysine (6.9 g/100 g of protein) compared to other pseudocereals. Furthermore, the lysine content exceeds the FAO/WHO recommended value (5.5 g/100 g of protein) (21,22).…”