Exploring the Health Benefits of Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd.): A Review of the Recent Literature

Quinoa is a particularly nutrient-rich grain crop, which is abundant in micronutrients, fibre, and essential amino acids, making it an excellent staple food source. The current review provides an outline of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of quinoa and a critical evaluation of health benefits following its consumption focusing on diabetes and diabetes risk factors, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hypertension, cancer risk, body weight regulation and obesity, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Quinoa has been demonstrated to have as hypoglycaemic effect and inducing favourable changes in cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels, inflammatory markers as well as body weight in humans.