Quinoa Diet: How to do it? benefits, tips and menu

The quinoa diet  is becoming very popular as a grain and weight loss food alternative, but is quinoa really helpful for weight loss? We will tell you everything you need to know about this diet that we have prepared for you.

Quinoa is actually more of a vegetable than a grain. It originated in South America and has been used as a staple food for centuries.

Plus, quinoa is a close relative of spinach , kale , and Swiss chard , it’s high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, and leaves you feeling full even though you’re not incredibly full.

What is the quinoa diet?

Many people talk about the quinoa diet , but in reality, it’s best to include quinoa in your diet without going on a diet that includes little else.

Replacing the consumption of rice with quinoa or pasta has already achieved weight loss and, of course, much more if what we replace is white products, such as white rice or white pasta.

It is ideal, as we avoid producing high blood glucose spikes and at the same time we ingest a very complete protein source with quinoa.

Does the quinoa diet help you lose weight?

The quinoa diet  helps with weight loss for a reason, it gives us a lot of nutrients and yet very few calories, so it is a nutrient-dense food that feeds us without having too many calories.

How does the quinoa diet work?

When inflated, it can be consumed along with yogurt as such. Like any other oat cereal .

And the puffed quinoa can also be used as a substitute for bread crumbs to coat chicken or fish!

However, if it’s raw, cook it. You can boil it with almond milk , or even with water to prepare it in the same way as rice.

Thus, we see that the uses that we can give quinoa are extended beyond breakfast, leading to it being featured at lunch or dinner.

One of the great dishes where to use quinoa is salad. And some of the main protagonists mentioned to accompany it:  avocado ,  tomato  and a little   mozzarella cheese .

Health benefits of quinoa diet 

1. Contains manganese and copper:

The combination of these minerals acts in the body as an antioxidant, a condition that allows the body to fight free radicals that cause the development of cancer and some metabolic diseases.

2. The most nutritious of grains:

Its use in regions such as Bolivia has shown, through different studies, that the quinoa diet  is an important support for maintaining nutritional levels.

This has also been proven in research done on vegetarian populations.

3. Provides satiety:

Due to the fact that it is an excellent source of protein, the  quinoa diet makes you feel full for a long time, making it ideal for weight reduction processes.

4. As gluten:

When it does not contain gluten, it is ideal in weight loss diets. The properties of quinoa work very well in the diet for diabetics.

5. Rich in protein:

Quinoa contains less carbs and more healthy fats, fiber,  phosphorus and calcium than any other cereal, and to top it off, it’s rich in iron .

Other benefits of quinoa diet

• Reduces the risk of heart disease.
• Increase Iron in Pregnant Women.
• Avoid the accumulation of fat in the body.
• Contributes to the prevention of gallstones.
• It helps people with type 2 diabetes to eat a healthy and delicious diet.

quinoa meatballs   recipes

Ingredients:

– 150 g of cooked quinoa;
– ½ onion ;
– ½ red pepper;
– Parsley , 2 garlic cloves ;
– 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (optional);
– 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil;
– Flour (you can use quinoa) to cover the meatballs;
– 1 egg.

In some quinoa recipes, you can see that the meatballs are covered with bread crumbs.

As you know, one of the tips we give you is not to mix starches in the same food, so we recommend replacing them with quinoa flour.

With these amounts you can make 12 quinoa meatballs.

Preparation method:

• Chop the onion , red pepper, parsley and garlic , place them in the pan with the oil.
• When finished, add the quinoa that should already be cooked and the soy sauce.
• Stir well to be homogeneous.
• When it is well homogeneous, this is the time to add the egg.
• Pass everything through the blender and when it is cold, make the balls.
• Cook them in quinoa flour and brown them in the pan with very little oil.
• This last step you can save and take the meatballs without coating them, heating them a little in the microwave.

Complete quinoa diet menu 

Breakfast:

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day.

When we wake up, the body goes many hours without eating or hydrating and therefore it is essential not to skip ahead to start the day on the right foot and follow the other nutritional guidelines correctly.

The options are varied, as long as they resemble the general idea that we give you:

• 25 grams of  flaked oats  (or another type of whole grain);
• 200 ml of  oat  milk or skimmed cow’s milk (can be replaced by yogurt);
• 1  Kiwi  or 1  Plum  or 90 grams of natural pineapple;
• A single coffee or an infusion (no added sugar).

As you can see, it is a hearty breakfast in which the energy part is covered without adding fats like those that provide butter or sweets.

Morning snack:

Mid morning essentials

For those who work or study, the days start very early and end very late, so by mid-morning the body is already starting to demand fuel to recharge its batteries.

We propose these options for a healthy and energetic lunch.

It is recommended to consume 20 grams of Wasa bread, preferably with fiber, or 20 grams of corn tortillas and accompany it with one of the following options:

• 100 grams of lean turkey sausage, or breast or loin;
• 60 grams of serrano ham or stuffed loin;
• 100 grams of fresh cheese with 0% fat.

Lunch:

The most important consumption of the day

Food is important as lunch is the time of day when the body requires the most food – or at least that’s what usually happens in Western culture.

Taking a “break”, disconnecting from work, sitting quietly and relaxing to eat is essential for the rest of the day to proceed successfully.

Lunch options are varied and provide the necessary nutrients.

As a first you can choose between a green salad (lettuce only) or 200 grams of cooked vegetables (green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach , etc.), along with one of the following:

• 75 grams of cooked brown rice ;
• 75 grams of drained canned lentils ;
• 100 grams of boiled potatoes.

The second mainly consists of proteins, from which you can choose:

• 125 g grilled chicken or turkey
• 125 g grilled red meat or lean pork
• 150 g grilled or baked white fish

Afternoon snack:

Snack to face the end of the day

Although sometimes the snack is the great forgotten, in reality it is very important not to arrive at night with the desire to devour.

This is going to be a low-calorie food with a reduced intake; Even so, there are different options to choose from:

• 1 low-fat yogurt and 20 grams of walnuts (or other type of nuts)
• 20 grams of Wasa bread or corn pancakes with 50 grams of turkey
• 1 cup 0% fat fresh cheese with 20 grams of walnuts

The snack will vary depending on the lunch chosen on the same day. As you can see, they are similar options, although they reduce the amounts in some of the foods. In this case, the fruit, as shown, is not included among the options.

Dinner:

Low in calories but rich in nutrients

Dinner is the last meal before bed; After this intake, the body will remain at rest for several hours and will not be able to burn the carbohydrates that, although desirable, should be avoided at this time of day.

The dinner base consists of 200 grams of boiled or steamed vegetables (green beans, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), along with one of the following options:

• 100 g grilled chicken breast or turkey
• 125 g white fish, grilled or baked
• 100 g of surimi (snail sticks)
• 1 can of tuna or clams in natural

Benefits of the quinoa diet 

There is no contraindication to the consumption of quinoa if it is done in adequate amounts (up to two tablespoons per day).

This is because it is a caloric food, which when consumed in excess can unbalance the diet.

Extra quinoa diet tips 

During the quinoa diet, to consume it, they must be thoroughly washed before cooking, quinoa seeds are covered with saponin, a type of resin substance that is extremely bitter and forms a soapy solution, the saponin must be removed by washing, left 15 minutes Soak and then wash with plenty of clean water using a filter to prevent it from being wasted.