Quinoa oil

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Quinoa oil is a vegetable oil extracted from germ of the Chenopodium quinoa , an Andean cereal and has been cultivated since at least 3000 B.C. [1] Quinoa itself has attracted considerable interest as a source of protein, but the oil derived from quinoa is of interest in its own right. Quinoa oil is most similar to corn oil, and is rich in essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and linolenic acid), linoleic being predominant. [2] Although, quinoa oil contains more essential fatty acids than corn oil. [3] Quinoa yields an average of 5.8% oil by weight, compared to 3-4% for corn (maize), which means it could potentially be used to produce more oil than an amount of corn of the same weight.

Contents

Most oils with high concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids spoil quickly, but quinoa and corn oil both have high quantities of natural antioxidants, specifically tocopherol [4] isomers, which makes them more stable [5] and less likely to become rancid, guaranteeing a longer shelf-life.

Uses

Quinoa is a natural source of vitamin E and therefore is used in many anti-aging skin products, [6] as well as hair products. Quinoa oil is used in many recipes as a substitute for other various kinds of cooking oil. For example, it can be used in cooking, frying and salad dressing. The high level of saturated fatty acids present in the oil make it an ideal candidate for cooking use. [7] Quinoa oil has also been used in eczema treatments.

Production

Quinoa oil is produced from the cold pressing of the quinoa seed. [6] The yield of oil by weight is an average of 6 percent and ranges from 2-9 percent. The amount of oil in quinoa is relatively high compared with other cereal grains such as corn or wheat.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cereal</span> Grass that has edible grain or fruit

A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain, composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food energy worldwide than any other type of crop and are therefore staple crops. They include wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Edible grains from other plant families, such as buckwheat, quinoa and chia, are referred to as pseudocereals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinoa</span> Edible plant in the family Amaranthaceae

Quinoa is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and dietary minerals in amounts greater than in many grains. Quinoa is not a grass, but rather a pseudocereal botanically related to spinach and amaranth, and originated in the Andean region of northwestern South America. It was first used to feed livestock 5,200–7,000 years ago, and for human consumption 3,000–4,000 years ago in the Lake Titicaca basin of Peru and Bolivia.

<i>alpha</i>-Linolenic acid Chemical compound

alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA), also known as α-Linolenic acid, is an n−3, or omega-3, essential fatty acid. ALA is found in many seeds and oils, including flaxseed, walnuts, chia, hemp, and many common vegetable oils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemp oil</span> Oil from hemp seeds

Hemp oil is oil obtained by pressing hemp seeds. Cold pressed, unrefined hemp oil is dark to clear light green in color, with a nutty flavor. The darker the color, the grassier the flavour. It should not be confused with hash oil, a tetrahydrocannabinol-containing oil made from the Cannabis flower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bran</span> Hard outer layers of cereal grain

Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the hard outer layers of cereal grain. It consists of the combined aleurone and pericarp. Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a byproduct of milling in the production of refined grains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omega-6 fatty acid</span> Fatty acids where the sixth bond is double

Omega-6 fatty acids are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids that have in common a final carbon-carbon double bond in the n-6 position, that is, the sixth bond, counting from the methyl end.

Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula COOH(CH2)7CH=CHCH2CH=CH(CH2)4CH3. Both alkene groups are cis. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n-6) or 18:2 cis-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sesame oil</span> Edible oil from sesame seed

Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. The oil is one of the earliest-known crop-based oils. Worldwide mass modern production is limited due to the inefficient manual harvesting process required to extract the oil. Oil made from raw seeds, which may or may not be cold-pressed, is used as a cooking oil. Oil made from toasted seeds is used for its distinctive nutty aroma and taste, although it may be unsuitable for frying, which makes it taste burnt and bitter.

<i>Chenopodium pallidicaule</i> Species of plant

Chenopodium pallidicaule, known as cañihua, canihua or cañahua and also kaniwa, is a species of goosefoot, similar in character and uses to the closely related quinoa(Chenopodium quinoa).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corn oil</span> Oil from the seeds of corn

Corn oil or maize oil (British) is oil extracted from the germ of corn (maize). Its main use is in cooking, where its high smoke point makes refined corn oil a valuable frying oil. It is also a key ingredient in some margarines. Corn oil is generally less expensive than most other types of vegetable oils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chia seed</span> Edible seeds of Salvia hispanica and S. columbariae

Chia seeds are the edible seeds of Salvia hispanica, a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to central and southern Mexico, or of the related Salvia columbariae of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Chia seeds are oval and gray with black and white spots, having a diameter around 2 millimetres (0.08 in). The seeds are hygroscopic, absorbing up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked and developing a mucilaginous coating that gives chia-based foods and beverages a distinctive gel texture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunflower oil</span> Oil pressed from the seed of Helianthus annuus

Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of the sunflower. Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pecan oil</span>

Pecan oil is an edible pressed oil extracted from the pecan nut. Pecan oil is neutral in flavor and takes on the flavor of whatever seasoning is being used with it. Pecan oil contains 9.5% saturated fat, which is less than in olive oil (13.5%), peanut oil (16.90%) or corn oil (12.70%). It is also used as a massage oil and in aromatherapy applications.

<i>Chenopodium berlandieri</i> Species of edible flowering plant

Chenopodium berlandieri, also known by the common names pitseed goosefoot, lamb's quarters, and huauzontle (Nahuatl) is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Amaranthaceae.

<i>Cucumeropsis mannii</i> Species of fruit and plant

Cucumeropsis mannii is a species of melon native to tropical Africa west of the East African Rift, where it is grown for food and as a source of oil.

<i>Chenopodium giganteum</i> Species of flowering plant

Chenopodium giganteum, also known as tree spinach, is an annual, upright many-branched shrub with a stem diameter of up to 5 cm at the base, that can grow to a height of up to 3 m.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staple food</span> Food that is eaten routinely and considered a dominant portion of a standard diet

A staple food, food staple, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten often and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given person or group of people, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally forming a significant proportion of the intake of other nutrients as well. A staple food of a specific society may be eaten as often as every day or every meal, and most people live on a diet based on just a small number of food staples. Specific staples vary from place to place, but typically are inexpensive or readily available foods that supply one or more of the macronutrients and micronutrients needed for survival and health: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. Typical examples include tubers and roots, grains, legumes, and seeds. Among them, cereals, legumes, tubers, and roots account for about 90% of the world's food calories intake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooking oil</span> Oil consumed by humans, of vegetable or animal origin

Cooking oil is plant, animal, or synthetic liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. It is also used in food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips, and may be called edible oil.

The Future 50 Foods report, subtitled "50 foods for healthier people and a healthier planet", was published in February 2019 by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Knorr. It identifies 50 plant-based foods that can increase dietary nutritional value and reduce environmental impacts of the food supply, promoting sustainable global food systems.

References

  1. Railey, Karen. "Quinoa from the Andes" . Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  2. Quinoa ...: the next cinderella crop for Alberta?. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. 2005. p. 9.
  3. Quinoa ...: the next cinderella crop for Alberta?. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. 2005. p. 18.
  4. Koziol, M.J. (1993). "Quinoa: A potential new oil crop": 328–336.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Michael J. Koziol (1983). "Quinoa: A Potential New Oil Crop". New Crops Proceedings. 2: 328–336.
  6. 1 2 "The Scent Works" . Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  7. Ogungbenle, H. N. (2003). "Nutritional evaluation and functional properties of quinoa (Chenopodium". International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 54 (2): 153–158. doi:10.1080/0963748031000084106. PMID   12701372. S2CID   38284077.