Well, it’s neither. but you might be asking…is it a seed or is it a grain? Is it a carbohydrate or is it a protein? Right now, it’s getting called a super-food, and so today I’m thinking all about the curious case of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)…

Strictly speaking, quinoa is a carbohydrate. It has a glycaemic load which means it affects your blood sugar levels like any other carbohydrate such as bread, rice or lollies. But what does glycaemic load mean, and is it any different to the term glycaemic index? Both can be confusing, but they go hand-in-hand when thinking about the effect of foods on blood sugar levels. This is important when thinking about appetite management and avoiding cravings after bariatric surgery.

Foods with a high glycaemic index will spike your blood sugars. On the other hand, lower glycaemic index foods will release sugars into your blood stream more slowly, but they are not necessarily healthy choices. For example, ice cream has a low glycaemic index, but the glycaemic load is really high. The glycaemic load shows how much sugar a food will be giving you in a particular serving – regardless of how fast or slow it’s delivered. That’s a major reason for avoiding carbohydrates altogether until at least 8 months after surgery, and only then including very small amounts of those with low glycaemic load (if any at all). For example, complex carbohydrates like kumara, pumpkin, or corn as opposed to refined sugars from biscuits, baking or lollies. But the plot thickens with quinoa…

Did you know that quinoa is a seed rather than a grain? It’s from a leafy plant related to spinach. Grains on the other hand, are harvested from grassy crops like wheat, oats, rice and barley – otherwise known as the carbohydrate clan. That means quinoa has a different origin to the classic carbohydrate foods. It has a relatively low glycaemic load (which means low glycaemic index too) because of the amount of protein it contains. For example, in 100g of quinoa, you’ll find about 13g of protein, while the same amount of white rice provides only about 2g of protein. Thinking back to the Protein Olympics, that’s how quinoa gets the bronze medal while the rice comes home with a wooden spoon. So, let’s start thinking about how to incorporate this ‘super food’ into your eating.

Drews Hotseat – adapting recipes

I’m forever raving on about recipes. In my mind, making meals from scratch is better than buying any pre-made where hidden sugars are a constant threat to you and your bowels…if you get my drift. Basically, with a recipe you are in control of what goes in, and what gets left out or even replaced. I’ll use quinoa to explain what I mean.

I was on the Healthy Food Guide website the other day, and I came across a tasty looking fish curry that might appeal to a a few readers for lunch or dinner. Can you see any elephants in this room?? Yep, this recipe’s got a whole lot of carbohydrate with the rice, but with a little thought, that rice can be exchanged for quinoa. All of a sudden our protein-packed curry is now served without the glycaemic load of rice, and with the bonus of our bronze protein of quinoa.

I’m hoping you’ll agree that recipe adaption was quite straight forward. Shall we have another go now? I reckon this chicken and feta pasta salad looks like a bit of alright. With my bariatric patient eyes on though, I’m also thinking it looks like a ticket to bloating and dumping too.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking for making this recipe our own? Lets change it slightly and call it our chicken and feta quinoa salad with thanks again to the Healthy Food Guide website. It’s as simple as ditching the pasta and cooking up some quinoa instead. Once the quinoa’s cooled, toss it into the salad and Bob’s your Uncle or Amy’s your Aunty for having a protein-packed lunch or dinner.

Quinoa also works really well for replacing breadcrumbs in recipes. Once cooked and cooled, you can use it directly in place of the breadcrumbs. This final recipe adaption proves that point. Have a look at this recipe from the Healthy Food Guide for Baked Greek style meatballs with risoni and use your adaption skills to make it a green light rather than red-flag recipe.

Recipe here

Have you arrived with the same recipe as me? It calls for using risoni which is a carbohydrate. It also asks for using breadcrumbs, and I can’t help but see starchy vegetables like carrots in there too. Meanwhile, there is a gold medal protein with the meat, and also a silver with the feta. Now, quinoa can claim the bronze by replacing the breadcrumbs. In a recipe like this, there’s no harm in not adding the risoni at all considering the meat in itself, eaten first will fill you up. The sauce can be thickened with a touch of cornflour if you find it too watery. As for the carrots, I’m thinking a couple of courgettes instead will be quite nice. If you’re at an appropriate stage after your surgery, the carrot might be okay for leaving as is, considering the much lower glycaemic load of the adaptions already made.

The Take Home

Quinoa is considered quite trendy right now. It’s a great option when using your flare for adapting recipes to suit your needs. In other words, putting you in the driver’s seat of your journey rather than being in the passenger’s seat of eating pre-made meals with unknown ingredients.

At the end of the day, I’m hoping you can feel a sense of adventure with the idea of using quinoa in creative ways for invigorating your taste buds and meeting your daily protein needs without the worry of including other carbohydrates.

All the best until next time.