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As people look to eat healthier foods, quinoa is really making its presence known in the world of consumption. Sure, plenty of people know about quinoa, but why exactly is it healthy?

A Substitute for Less Healthy Foods

Quinoa is quite a versatile little food, and it can be used in place of many other foods that are not quite as healthy. For example, instead of serving rice or pasta, you could cook quinoa in a similar manner and still have a delicious meal. Sauces, seasonings and light butter all work well with quinoa just as they do with the less healthy options.

Eating Quinoa in Place of Beef

Unless you choose the leanest cuts of beef, you are almost always consuming more fat and calories than when you choose chicken, fish or a vegetable dish. What are you supposed to put in the tacos and burritos though, and how will you ever have burgers again? When mixed with a binding agent, quinoa becomes the perfect substance to replace burgers. You can add in some cheese, lettuce or your other favorite burger mixing Ingredients

; you could even make a quinoa loaf! As for Mexican dishes, you can use quinoa in instead of beef.

It's a Whole Grain

White breads, flours and pastas really bring the pounds onto your body, but whole grains do not have the same effect. Not only do white breads and the like make you gain more weight, but they also are not suitable options for people who are gluten free. Due to dieting trends and an increase of various medical conditions, more people are looking to eat gluten free but cannot find enough choices. Fortunately for them, quinoa is one food that is free of this substance.

It Contains Plenty of Necessary Nutrients

Now, eating healthy is not all about avoiding foods that make you gain weight; it's also about finding dishes that have the necessary nutrients that you need. According to the Food Network, quinoa contains iron, vitamin B6, zinc, folate, thiamin, potassium, selenium and magnesium. It seems that no matter what nutrient you are lacking, quinoa is there to help make up the difference. Quinoa will help to provide you with the necessary energy and body building agents that can help you get through the day and function to the best of your abilities.

The Nutritional Components

When it comes to health, everyone is very concerned about the amount of calories and such that they are putting into their bodies. When it comes to quinoa, the Food Network is able to report exciting information about these numbers as well. A full cup of quinoa, once it has been cooked, has 220 calories, eight grams of protein and five grams of fiber. If you are a little bit concerned about the calories, don't worry. Quinoa is a very filling substance, and, if you are having it as a side dish, it's unlikely that you would be able to eat an entire cup.

It Can Curb Your Appetite

As noted earlier, quinoa is an extremely filling food. When it's in the package, it might not look as though it is so. However, once you cook quinoa, it really fluffs out. The texture also makes it suitable for chewing, so you don't just inhale it all up. If you are having a serving of quinoa with your lunch or dinner, it might fill you up so that you do not wind up eating an excessive amount of healthy food. After eating a dinner with quinoa, you likely will not be tempted to reach for that tub of ice cream either.

Eating More Slowly

When it comes to any sort of grainy substance, you're going to usually have to eat more slowly. It's not as though you are eating a slice of steak or taking a bite out of a burger. Quinoa requires some time to eat, and this will let you fill up at a more normal pace. When you gobble through food, your body often does not realize that it is full until you have consumed way too much food for your body to handle without putting on weight.

Protecting Against Certain Diseases

Another of the health benefits of quinoa is that it can actually help to protect your body against certain types of diseases. According to the World's Healthiest Foods, the nutritional benefits of quinoa can help you avoid medical issues such as diabetes. While conclusive evidence has not been shown, it is true that many of the nutrients in quinoa have been associated with an increased risk of this disease. Furthermore, this site also reports that quinoa can help to reduce cholesterol. It's also necessary to point out that quinoa can have some secondary positive effects on your health as well. Essentially, as we have seen, quinoa is likely to help lower your chances of becoming overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of other types of diseases, so quinoa helps to protect against them as well.

It is probably quite difficult to make an argument against the health benefits of quinoa after reading through all of this information. One of the other positive notes about quinoa is that it actually tastes good, and it does work very well as a substitute in many foods. You can enjoy the health benefits and the taste at the same time.