Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa, is the Andean seed crop eaten for thousands of years in Peru and Bolivia and now sold in Indian supermarkets. It is a close cousin of bathua, the common Indian leafy weed. The seeds are coated in bitter saponins that must be washed off before cooking. It is high in protein and contains no gluten.
- Botanical name
- Chenopodium quinoa Willd.
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Tamil
- Quinoa
- Hindi
- Quinoa
- Parts used
- Seed
- Habit
- Andean seed; bathua is C. album
- Last updated
- 2026-10-26
How to recognise Quinoa
It is an upright annual, one to two metres tall, with broad, goosefoot-shaped leaves that are often mealy or powdery.
The flower heads are dense, branched clusters at the top of the stem, ripening in shades of cream, red, purple or black depending on variety.
The seeds are small, flat, round discs. When cooked, a white germ ring separates and curls around each seed.
Bathua, Chenopodium album, is a smaller weedy relative eaten as a leafy green in North India.
Traditional use of Quinoa
Andean food
Quinoa was a staple of the Inca and earlier Andean peoples, eaten as porridge, soups and fermented drinks.
Andean food history
Modern notes on Quinoa
Quinoa provides all essential amino acids in good proportions, which is unusual for a plant food. It is also rich in fibre and minerals.
Trial plantings in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand have shown it can be grown in India, mostly as a winter crop.
The United Nations named 2013 the International Year of Quinoa.
Quinoa safety
Rinse quinoa well before cooking to remove bitter saponins. Most packaged quinoa is pre-washed, but a rinse does no harm.
Ecology and sourcing
It was domesticated around Lake Titicaca in the high Andes, and it tolerates cold, drought and salty soils.
Its saponins deter birds and insects, which is one reason traditional varieties keep them.
Related plants
Also in Amaranthaceae
Questions about Quinoa
Is quinoa a grain?
It is a pseudocereal, a seed from a plant in the amaranth family.
Is Quinoa related to bathua?
Yes. Both are Chenopodium species.
Why rinse Quinoa?
To wash off bitter saponins.
Sources
- Chenopodium quinoa Willd. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q139925 (Chenopodium quinoa)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.