Difference Between Amaranth and Quinoa

Shedding weight without losing the nutrients from the human body is always preferred. A healthy diet is considered to be the best and even suggested by physicians. Many food items include the grains that are available in the market that shall offer you the best results. Amaranth and Quinoa are excellent grains that provide the body with the needed nutritional value while it also aids in reducing weight.

Amaranth vs Quinoa

The main difference between Amaranth and Quinoa lies in the size of the grain. Yes, the Amaranth is smaller in size when compared to the size of the Quinoa grain. This is because of the Saponins coating that covers the Quinoa grain, and it eventually allows you to rinse the grain several times while cooking.

Amaranth is an impressive health food that is suggested for dieting purposes. It is a grain that is consumed as a staple food in certain parts of the world. Amaranth is indeed a pseudocereal, meaning that it is biologically not a cereal like oats or wheat but has more nutritional value than those.

Quinoa, on the other hand, is from the Amaranth family. Ideally, a flowering plant that gives out highly nutritious seeds. The nutritional world considers Quinoa as the whole grain. Quinoa substitutes the rice and other grains in various dishes that we make in our day-to-day life.

Comparison Table Between Amaranth and Quinoa

What is Amaranth?

Amaranth is a very ancient crop that gives out seeds that have high nutritional value. It is a native of South America and is also consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. It is indeed not a cereal but a seed that is considered to be a grain.

Amaranth is highly rich in protein, iron, and fibre. It is used in many dishes and in recent times considered as a healthy diet food item.

There are many benefits of Amaranth.

1. Consuming the grain shall reduce cholesterol levels in the body.
2. If you are suffering from gluten intolerance or celiac’s disease, Amaranth is the best medicine to consume
3. Amaranth also helps in building muscles. It is essentially due to the presence of amino acids.

Apart from that, the grain is filled with needed minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. This helps in strengthening the bones. It prevents your hair from getting grey too. Recent medical science has proved that consuming Amaranth shall help control diabetes.

The more prevalent emotional problem is hypertension. Amaranth is the best solution for the same. The good news is, Amaranth has good taste. It can be made as popcorn and consume the same as you watch a movie or a sport.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is a seed extracted from a plant that belongs to the Amaranth family. The seed is considered to be the whole grain because of the method of consumption. As such, it does not fall under the usual cereal category. This is mainly because the usual grains are procured from the grasses, while Quinoa is obtained from plants.

Quinoa is a perfectly healthy diet that has all the essential amino acids in it. The size of the grain is slightly larger than the Amaranth. Quinoa is considered a super grain as it has needed minerals for the human body.

The benefits of consuming Quinoa are mentioned below

1. Alpha-linolenic acid that is present in the seeds helps in maintaining the health of the heart.
2. If you are planning to reduce extra weight, this is a good substitute for many food items
3. Quinoa helps in reducing the sugar levels too, this is mainly because the grain has a very low glycemic index

If you are planning to look young, Quinoa is the best edible product the earth can offer you. The anti-oxidants that are present in the grain fight free radicals aggressively. The seed is indeed rich in flavonoids. This means to say, consuming this makes it a true anti-depressant. Also, it is anti-viral.

Main Differences Between Amaranth and Quinoa

1. The main difference between Amaranth and Quinoa is the taste. The saponin coat that is applied to prevent it from damage makes the Quinoa bitter in taste, while Amaranth has a delectable taste in any dish made.
2. The Fiber content is very high in Amaranth, while Quinoa has less when compared to the former.
3. In the market, Amaranth is relatively less expensive compared to purchasing Quinoa.
4. The protein content is also high in Amaranth, while Quinoa has less amount of protein in it.
5. Amaranth and Quinoa help fight diabetes, so Amaranth is usually used in curries, soups and the like, while Quinoa is predominantly a salad dish while it is also used in fried items.

Conclusion

If you have to look at health benefits, it is the Amaranth that stands tall. Incidentally, it is a perfect health diet product too. Amaranth improves the immunity levels in the body. Saying goodbye to carbohydrates cannot make you slim, but consuming these super grains shall compensate for the carbohydrate loss.

This shall give you complete food for every team you eat. As both of them are high in minerals and vitamins, it is advised to add both in equal proportion to one’s diet. Nutritional experts advise consuming these grains in proper proportions as too much consumption may lead to gastrointestinal problems.

References

1. http://www.ask-force.org/web/Feral-New/Stallknecht-Amaranth-1993.pdf
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1081/FRI-120018883