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How to Sound Educated on Quinoa Quinoa is everywhere. It's in your plate, on your table, in your refrigerator, inside your pantry, in the supermarket lining up the shelves and everywhere else you see. More than that, it is now inside your mind and is a part of the talk at any 'I love health food' group. Let's admit it, Quinoa has invaded your life, if not as a food then at least as a fad. And it is up to you to be a part of the crowd or risk being left out. Like any self-respecting girl on Justin Bieber, you need to sound knowledgeable on quinoa. It's your reputation at stake and we are here to help you. Here are the most significant five facts on quinoa that you need to gather together prior to starting separating the seeds from the grains. 1. Its Keen-wah, not Qui-noa-uh: "Why something spelt so should simply be pronounced to confuse half of North America?" asked my five-year old the other day. He was referring to Quinoa, which he pronounces as Quin-ahh. Now he is a five year old and that is a good excuse, but that will not work for you. You, my friend have to know that it should ideally sound as keen-wah. For some reason if you cannot manage that then the next best alternative is kee-no-wah. And if you, like my son, cannot fathom why something as simple looking as quinoa should be pronounced in such a stylish way, blame it on Quechua, the ancient language of the Andean people. That's where the word originally comes from. Here is a YouTube video that will educate you on pronouncing quinoa. Where is it grown? Well, a lot of it comes from Altiplano. That to you is a very impressive sounding high altitude plateau in the Andes mountain region in Latin America. Parts of the plateau fall within Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. The Altiplano is known for dryness, cold winds and very adverse climate. Not your ideal holiday destination then. Worse, the adverse climate means that very little can grow in Altiplano. Apparently, quinoa is most of that very little. But, and this is the interesting part - not all quinoa in the world comes from the Altiplano. Based on data from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Bolivia and Peru accounted for more than half of the 70,000 tonne of quinoa in 2011. Significantly, US and France accounted for nearly 7000 tonnes each. In the US, a big chunk of production comes from the Rockies region of Colorado. Things may change further in a few years as the UN has declared 2013 as the International Year of Quinoa. The target is to spread quinoa's popularity worldwide and already countries like the Netherland, Denmark, Italy, India, Kenya, Morocco, China and others are undertaking agronomic trials towards commercial production. I have a hunch that Tibet may turn out as good a region as the Altiplano in goring quinoa. How many types of quinoa are there? White, Red and Black? No, not really. Market brings in Pink and Orange varieties of quinoa as well. And there is a Purple variety as well. All are edible once they have been processed and the outside coat has been removed. Quinoa in the market also comes as quinoa flakes and quinoa flour. And quinoa is not just about the seeds. Apparently quinoa leaves are also edible and healthy though they are mostly a part of the Andean diet. Their popularity hasn't spread mostly due to logistical issues. And for those who love exotic, there is the quinoa wine chicha and even vodka made from quinoa. For an indepth look at quinoa, visit my extensive resource at http://myquinoanutrition.com
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