What can you tell me about quinoa? Is this a good ingredient for a person with type 1 diabetes? How many grams of carbohydrates are in one cup (250 mg)?

Quinoa has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12 to 18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest.

A common cooking method is to treat quinoa much like rice, bringing two cups of water to a boil with one cup of grain, covering at a low simmer and cooking for 14 to 18 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ looks like a tiny curl and should have a slight bite to it (like al dente pasta). Alternatively, one can use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa. To that end, one volume of quinoa should be combined with two volumes of water.

One cup of cooked quinoa consists of approximately 47 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of dietary fiber.

JMS