Quinoa
Edible plant in the family Amaranthaceae / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa; /ˈkiːn.wɑː, kiˈnoʊ.ə/,[2][3][4] from Quechua kinwa or kinuwa)[5] is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and dietary minerals in amounts greater than in many grains.[6] Quinoa is not a grass but rather a pseudocereal botanically related to spinach and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), and originated in the Andean region of northwestern South America.[7] It was first used to feed livestock 5,200–7,000 years ago, and for human consumption 3,000–4,000 years ago in the Lake Titicaca basin of Peru and Bolivia.[8]
Quinoa | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Amaranthaceae |
Genus: | Chenopodium |
Species: | C. quinoa |
Binomial name | |
Chenopodium quinoa | |
Natural distribution in red, Cultivation in green | |
Synonyms[1] | |
The plant thrives at high elevations and produces seeds that are rich in protein.[9] Almost all production in the Andean region is done by small farms and associations. Its cultivation has spread to more than 70 countries, including Kenya, India, the United States and European countries.[10] As a result of increased popularity and consumption in North America, Europe, and Australasia, quinoa crop prices tripled between 2006 and 2014.[11][12]