August 2011 - Try something different
Hardly a month goes by without some journalist contacting me to ask my opinion of whatever is being promoted as the latest superfood. This month it was incaberries from Peru. They turned out to be what we usually call cape gooseberries. They come up in my garden, seeded by birds who drop the seeds after enjoying the golden fruits in their paper lantern jackets as much as I do.
The name ‘cape gooseberry’ apparently came because they were taken to South Africa and grew there as prolifically as they grow at my place.
Giving them the new name of incaberries may add some exotic overtones. They are apparently being grown in Peru, dried and then shipped to Australia where they are coated in chocolate. Journalists all over the country are being exhorted to promote them as a new superfood. As it happens, cape gooseberries are nutritious little fruits and an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fibre, but they don’t really qualify as a superfood.
Other products from South America are also being lauded as superfoods as they appear in our supermarkets and food shops, but they are being grown in Australia. I don’t give any particular food ‘superfood’ status, but some of these foods that many of us have never included before are worth adding to our regular fare.
I’ve picked a couple of grains and a seed that are relatively new for many Australians. They are worth trying for taste and nutritional value. They are all also gluten free so useful for those who have coeliac disease or need to avoid wheat.
Chia
Native to Mexico and Guatemala, chia seeds come from a desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. The tiny seeds have a long history of use in these countries where they formed an important part of the Aztec diet. The seeds are produced by an annual bush that grows to about 1 metre in height, making harvesting easy. Australia now rates as the world’s greatest producer of chia.
From a nutritional perspective, chia seeds are a rich source of alpha linolenic acid, an omega 3 fatty acid classified as an essential fat. It’s also found in linseeds, canola and walnuts. The seeds are a good source of protein and dietary fibre and contribute some calcium.
Some marketers claim the seeds are a super food, but there are no studies backing their stories that the seeds will help with weight reduction or reduce inflammation, blood pressure or cholesterol levels.
Chia seeds can be eaten raw or you can add them to your morning muesli. They can also be soaked and when they form a gel, this can be stirred into mayonnaise. If that doesn’t sound very appealing, try making them into a porridge or a sweet pudding. Bread companies are also adding them to breads, muffins and some crackers.
An easy and acceptable recipe adds chi to couscous. Saute some onion and garlic in a little olive oil and add a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds and 2 cups of stock and bring to the boil. Stir in 1 cup of couscous, remove from the heat, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork, adding a little Parmesan or chopped parsley if desired. The chia improves the nutritional value of the couscous. If you make your own bread, add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to the dough for a delicious slightly nutty flavour.
Quinoa
Originally grown in the Andes, quinoa was a staple food of the Incas. The grain is now grown in Australia (in Tasmania and also in the New England region of New South Wales) and is available in supermarkets or organic food stores.
White or black quinoa is available. The white grain has a milder flavour so it might be best to try that first.
Quinoa comes top of the grain class for its nutritional virtues. It has a high content of protein and dietary fibre, as much iron as meat and it scores well for zinc, magnesium, potassium and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, folate and vitamin E. That’s a fair nutritional line-up.
Cook quinoa like rice, using the absorption method. However, it does need to be washed first to remove some bitterness. Just cover it with water and then pour the water off. Add fresh water (2 cups of water for 1 cup quinoa), bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes by which time it will have absorbed the water. Use it as you would rice or couscous.
Quinoa is also popular as a breakfast porridge and goes well with cooked dried prunes, apricots or any other fruit. It has no gluten and is therefore a highly nutritious and appropriate food for those with coeliac disease.
For recipes, go to
www.goodness.com.au/organic-recipes.html
Amaranth
A wide variety of plants fit into amaranth category. Some are grown and used as a vegetable; other types produce a grain.
Like the other two products described above, amaranth was cultivated and enjoyed by the Aztecs for thousands of years. It’s a useful crop because it grows in quite poor soils.
Nutritionally, amaranth grain is also a winner with a high content of protein, iron and zinc plus some calcium and dietary fibre. It has no gluten and can be used as a breakfast cereal or as a nutritious substitute for rice.
These are foods with a long history of use. Now that they are grown in Australia and sold in supermarkets, they can add interest – as well as lots of nutrients – to our diets.