Difficult digestion: A dietitian reveals a common mistake in the preparation of quinoa

Have you planned quinoa for your meal? Before you start preparing this cereal, the dietician wants to warn you about a mistake you mustn’t make. This has a direct impact on your digestion. Explanations.

quinoa is a cereal that stands out for its richness in protein and fiber, useful for health. It is the perfect choice for a tasty and filling meal. In the salad, as a vegetable filling, in vegetarian pancakes or simply with meat or fish, is suitable for many delicious recipes. Only, a small error during its preparation may have effects on your digestion. Immediately after a meal, this causes digestive problems, which are unpleasant. Dietician Nathalie Majcher, better known as @drbonnebouffe on Instagram, warns us about this mistake that should be avoided in the kitchen.

Difficult digestion: what mistake should you not make when preparing quinoa?

Ago cook the quinoa, dietician Nathalie Majcher believes that there is a mistake that should not be made! In a post on Instagram (@drbonnebouffe) she explains ithe is “It is important to rinse quinoa before cooking”. This is due to the substance that coats the seeds. “Each quinoa grain is naturally protected by a substance called saponin”. It has advantages, but also disadvantages. “Saponin acts as a natural insecticide, allowing quinoa to resist birds and insects. However, this substance may cause digestive problems in some people”. Indeed, saponin can cause nausea or vomiting.

Why remove saponin from quinoa?

As mentioned earlier, removing saponins from quinoa helps prevent digestive problems such as nausea and vomiting. But that is not all! Protecting your health is not the only interest to consider. Rinsing quinoa before cooking also affects its flavor and texture. Dietician Nathalie Majcher (@drbonnebouffe) reveals this in her post on Instagram saponin can “give quinoa a bitter taste” but also, “make foam on the surface of the quinoa”. This bitter taste and foamy texture on the surface are not very pleasant in the mouth, so it is better to rinse the quinoa beforehand.

How to remove saponin from quinoa?

The secret? Rinse thoroughly! Proper washing removes saponin from quinoa seeds. Don’t worry, it’s not very complicated. The most common method is to put the quinoa in a colander and rub it under cold or lukewarm water for 1 to 2 minutes. It’s fast and efficient! Another method, soak the quinoa overnight in a bowl of cold water and rinse the next day. With this, it is possible to remove the saponin, but also part of it phytic acidenzyme inhibitor that reduces the ability to digest starch in quinoa.