Quinoa

[Stewie]

I'm looking to expand my garden this spring. Quinoa is a complete protein that's a vegetable. The only other complete protein that's a veg is soybeans. Anyone have experience growing this?

[seclark]

can you smoke it?
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[seclark]

just googled it...not in.
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[MOhillbilly]

looks like a real pain in the ass to harvest.

[Frosty]

Buckwheat and potatoes also contain complete proteins.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Buckwheat and potatoes also contain complete proteins.

Buckwheat yes, potatoes no. I'm looking for efficient complete vegetable protein.

[Groves]

carbs ftw

[DaneMcCloud]

Growing it? No.

Eating it? Yes.

It's an awesome complement to any grilled or sauteed chicken or fish.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Stewie

potatoes no. I'm looking for efficient complete vegetable protein.

They are not a great source of protein but they do contain all essential amino acids.

Potatoes Alone Suffice

Many populations, for example people in rural Poland and Russia at the turn of the 19th century, have lived in very good health doing extremely hard work with the white potato serving as their primary source of nutrition. One landmark experiment carried out in 1925 on two healthy adults, a man 25 years old and a woman 28 years old had them live on a diet primarily of white potatoes for 6 months. (A few additional items of little nutritional value except for empty calories—pure fats, a few fruits, coffee, and tea—were added to their diet.)11 The report stated, “They did not tire of the uniform potato diet and there was no craving for change.” Even though they were both physically active (especially the man) they were described as, “…in good health on a diet in which the nitrogen (protein) was practically solely derived from the potato.”

The potato is such a great source of nutrition that it can supply all of the essential protein and amino acids for young children in times of food shortage. Eleven Peruvian children, ages 8 months to 35 months, recovering from malnutrition, were fed diets where all of the protein and 75% of the calories came from potatoes. (Soybean-cottonseed oils and pure simple sugars, neither of which contains protein, vitamins, or minerals, provided some of the extra calories.)12 Researchers found that this simple potato diet provided all the protein and essential amino acids to meet the needs of growing and small children.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/apr/dairy.htm

Chris Voight did his 60 day potato only diet recently and did really well on it.

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.co...pretation.html

http://www.20potatoesaday.com/

There are also cultures that get nearly all of their protein from potatoes.

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.co...-part-iii.html

Considering that you have to eat 6 -10 potatoes a day to get enough protein, they probably don't fit into the "efficient" category. My point is simply that they do contain complete proteins (and, I might add - without the anti-nutrients like phytates that are in quinoa, buckwheat and soy).

Good luck in your search.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

can he play free safety?

[BucEyedPea]

Quinoa is delicious. It's a great substitute for taboulah if you have a wheat allergy. It's great as a stuffing in poblano peppers. Never grew it though. I also never knew it was a complete vegetable protein either.

[T-post Tom]

"Quinoa is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy, so it can be easily cultivated over 4,000 meters. Depending the on the variety, quinoa's optimal growing conditions are in cool climates with temperatures that range from 25°F/-3°C, during the night, to below 95°F/35°C, during the day, with an annual precipitation of 10-15 inches (26–38 cm). Quinoa does best in sandy, well-drained soils with a low nutrient content and a soil condition of 4.8 pH (high acidity) to 8.0 pH (alkaline). Yields are maximized when 150 to 180 lbs N/acre are available. The addition of phosphorus does not improve yield. A typical growing season lasts 90 to 125 days from germination to full maturity. In eastern North America, it is susceptible to a leaf miner that may reduce crop success; this leaf miner also affects the common weed and close relative Chenopodium album, but C. album is much more resistant."

[Buehler445]

I've never grown Quinoa, but I've grown soybeans.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I prefer couscous, especially with craisins.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by T-post Tom

"Quinoa is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy, so it can be easily cultivated over 4,000 meters. Depending the on the variety, quinoa's optimal growing conditions are in cool climates with temperatures that range from 25°F/-3°C, during the night, to below 95°F/35°C, during the day, with an annual precipitation of 10-15 inches (26–38 cm). Quinoa does best in sandy, well-drained soils with a low nutrient content and a soil condition of 4.8 pH (high acidity) to 8.0 pH (alkaline). Yields are maximized when 150 to 180 lbs N/acre are available. The addition of phosphorus does not improve yield. A typical growing season lasts 90 to 125 days from germination to full maturity. In eastern North America, it is susceptible to a leaf miner that may reduce crop success; this leaf miner also affects the common weed and close relative Chenopodium album, but C. album is much more resistant."

I know there are varietals that withstand KS summers. I wonder how they'll do in rich soil? Probably overkill. Maybe I should grow it in plastic buckets full of sand with minor amounts of soil and nutrients. What a cheap way to get complete protein!