Quinoa is a highly nutritious food and is considered a high protein “grain”. The protein quality and quantity in quinoa seed is often superior to those of more common cereal grains. The nutritional quality of this crop has been compared to that of dried whole milk by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Quinoa is higher in lysine than wheat. Lysine is an amino acid that’s scarce in the vegetable kingdom. The amino acid content of quinoa seed is considered well balanced for human and animal nutrition.

Quinoa can be used to make flour, soup or breakfast cereal. Most quinoa sold in the U.S. has been sold as whole grain that is cooked separately as rice or in combination dishes such as pilaf.

Quinoa has lower sodium content and is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese and zinc than wheat, barley or corn. It is also very high in iron and fiber.