Kiwicha, the Peruvian power food to lose weight

Move over quinoa, your little cousin from Peru is the newest power food to hit the market. Kiwicha, also known as amaranth, is a tiny whole grain that does not contain gluten. This miniature version of the popular quinoa is known for its dense nutritional content. About the size of a poppy seed, it has been a staple food in Peru for more than 4,000 years.

Kiwicha is favored for many reasons, including that it is considered an anti-aging food because it is full of antioxidants. It is known as a superfood because it contains all 10 essential amino acids and is packed with protein. A cup of cooked kiwicha provides almost 10 grams of protein. That’s more protein than wheat, corn, or milk. In addition, the kiwicha contains lysine, an amino acid necessary for the construction of all proteins in the body.

One cup of cooked grain provides more than 5 grams of dietary fiber, nearly 20% of the daily fiber requirement for women. Fiber, as you may already know, helps prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fiber helps remove waste and toxins from the body and helps speed up weight loss.

At just 251 calories, a full cup of cooked kiwicha provides the healthy carbohydrates you need to stay active. Diets that are too restrictive can sometimes rob you of the vitamins and nutritional value you need to sustain yourself. Kiwicha is great for anyone who wants to lose weight because it is high in fiber, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and manganese.

Kiwicha helps restore youthful vibrancy with phenolic acids, carotenoids, and flavonoids, all rich in antioxidants. It also contains squalin, which acts as an anti-cancer agent and is said to lower LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Kiwicha has even been selected for the diet of astronauts due to its high nutritional value, amaranth has been grown in space travel since 1985, flourishing in space during the orbital flight of the Atlantis shuttle.

Kiwicha can be eaten as a cereal, garnish, in salads or popped and eaten like popcorn. You can also use popped kiwicha in stews and as a garnish for other entrees. Popping kiwicha is easy and requires very few ingredients. A great snack for anyone who is sensitive to gluten, the popped kiwicha also makes a great post-workout treat.

What do you need:

½ to 1 cup of pre-washed kiwicha

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

How to do it:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil

3. Add about ¼ cup of grain, enough to cover bottom of pan. Stirring the kernels with a wooden spoon as they pop. The kiwicha kernels pop very dramatically and change from dark yellow to white.

4. Once most of the kernels have popped, remove from pan and place on a plate to cool.

5. Mix with salt and enjoy.