This is a slight convoluted story. It is mainly in regards to a new discovery of ours which simply happened by mistake. So we wants to share it along.

We recently made a decision to do a 21 day detox program as illustrated inside a book called “CLEAN”. The program is largely juices, smoothies or soups inside mornings and evenings, however with a normal meal at lunchtime plus various supplements as well as there are foods and beverages which are NOT permitted.

Over the time we have taken part in other detox programs plus attended Health Retreats last Australia. Doing a detox and staying off food products is not always easy. What I like about it one is that you could have a main meal (restricting foods of course) at lunch break. This needless to say works well within Ecuador as lunch will be the main meal during the day and everyone needs time out to appreciate it.

Anyway one of several foods which is permitted from the CLEAN program is Quinoa(pronounced keen-wá). Funnily enough I had bought some Quinoa the week before we started as I planned to make a favorite curry recipe we picked up if we were in a HealthRetreat in Australia.
On about day 3 of our own detox program we used Quinoa in the soup. It was delicious. We then discontinued and did a lot more research within the product and were quite surprised about what we read. In fact there is certainly quite a great Ecuadorian success story that I would choose to summarize for you personally.

Quinoa is often a seed grain which has been cultivated from the Andean region over 7,000 many was considered sacred through the Inca Empire. It was later replaced almost completely by cereals for instance barley, wheat, potatoes and corn. But most of such crops would not do well inside high Andes, and in addition they were mostly be subject to the whims from the international markets.

In reply to the poor yield from non-native crops, US pesticide and fertilizer manufacturers led an aggressive campaign inside region with all the support from the government and governmental agencies. Pesticide and fertilizer use within Ecuador increased dramatically over the time leading to depleted soil along with a rise in associated health issues. In fact, DDT, given by a US company, continues to be used on Ecuador’s agricultural land.

This story is approximately farming families within the Chimborazo Province, in the village called Los Angeles de Colta. The altitude is approximately 10,000 feet. The area is nearby the city of Riobamba – part-way between Quito and Cuenca.

Not sometime ago, the crops of Los Angeles wasn’t any different than those from the rest with the Ecuadorian agricultural industry. The farmers’ yields were low, their return was almost nonexistent, along with their children were experiencing malnutrition.

In 1998, twelve Los Angeles de Colta families consented to cultivate quinoa within the traditional organic method for a group the Heirloom Quinoa Project. The Project may be the cooperative effort of four years old international organizations: The People’s Educational Radio of Ecuador (ERPE), a progressive radio station committed to education and social service; Germany’s Bio Control System (BCS), an international organic certification organization; the Canadian Development Fund, a fund for Ecuadorian development located in Canada; and Chicago’s Inca Organics, the distributor and marketer from the finished product.

In fact it turned out retired Chicago couple, Bob and Maggi Leventry, who founded Inca Organics and started the full program. They had spent 36 months in Ecuador from the Peace Corp as soon as they retired. Maggi, a dietician, became very thinking about Quinoa. In 1997 they then joined with another volunteer to get the parties together to find the Heirloom Quinoa Project started. The standard of living inside the local villages has risen, and for that reason has the standard of health.

The salary of the12 families was 50% higher inside first year compared to other farmers by just growing organic quinoa. In the following year, 36 families joined this course and in 2000, there are 51 families growing with the Heirloom Quinoa Project. By 2003, 4025 families in four provinces of Ecuador were planting over 2800 acres of Quinoa to generate over 400 metric plenty of organic heirloom quinoa for exportation – with approximately one-third more being consumed with the families themselves.

The Heirloom Project insisted that one-third of production be retained for home consumption. Malnutrition is virtually non-existent – down from 74% prior to a project started. I think that may be an amazing achievement in this short time.

It shows what are the power of only a small number of people is capable of doing. Just think exactly what a difference we will make if there are more Bob and Maggi Leventry’s within this country.

Compost can be used as the organic fertilizer, after it has been passed through large worm farms. Yields have risen from 1,000 kg per hectare to a single,400 kg/ha by employing worm castings as organic fertilizer. And the quinoa is rotated with lupins, legumes to set nitrogen back into the soil. In addition, amaranth is grown to supplement the diets, as well as sell excess production.

So if you would like try quinoa, making it a fundamental beauty tool part of your diet plan to improve cardiovascular issues, diabetes or migraines, or make use of it to lose weight, just browse the books which are written within this Andean product.

We have right now discovered that there may be a diet book depending on quinoa. The author claims that one could lose 7 pounds in few days just by following his quinoa program.

Here are a couple of nutritional information about Quinoa to wet your appetite:

The United Nations have classified quinoa as being a “super crop” because it is really a complete protein.

Quinoa has slow releasing, advanced of carbohydrates that provides the stomach the whole feeling for an extended time – great for weight control and maintain adequate glucose levels.

It is usually a complete protein since it contains all 9 essential amino acids, and is also well endowed with lysine, which can be essential for tissue growth and repair?

One cup of quinoa contains 8 grams of protein, about twice that regarding other grains.

Quinoa is often a very good method to obtain manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus – so that it is especially valuable for persons with migraine headache, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

It can be a good method of obtaining riboflavin, that’s necessary for energy production within cells?

As a good way to obtain manganese and copper, both of these minerals in Quinoa be cofactors for your superoxide dismutase enzyme – an antioxidant.

Quinoa is often a good method to obtain fiber – about 5 grams per cup (cooked)

It is gluten-free, ideal for gluten intolerant people. It is worth noting that gluten items are not allowed for the CLEAN program

We i do hope you have liked this Newsletter and you can pass it on to your family and friends.

Until next I write.

If you’re asking where to buy quinoa online then make sure to check out dailyquinoa.com, they have great prices on every type of quinoa.