In this brief guide we will answer the following question, “can you freeze quinoa?” We will also discuss the proper ways to freeze quinoa. We will also get to know the health benefits of eating quinoa along with the signs of spillage of quinoa.
Can you freeze quinoa?
Yes, you can freeze quinoa as freezing increases its shelf life for upto 6 months. You can freeze cooked quinoa as it will go bad after 1 week of storage in the refrigerator. You can also freeze soaked quinoa but there is no need to freeze raw quinoa.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is edible seeds of a plant that belongs to the Amarnath family. It is a flowering plant whose seeds are eaten and are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals which is usually greater than any other grains.
Quinoa is eaten in many forms all over the world and now it is grown in almost 70 countries of the world. The nutritional value of quinoa is mentioned below.
100 g of quinoa contains the following nutrients.
| Nutrients | Value |
| Energy | 368 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 64 g |
| Fats | 6 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Fibres | 7 g |
| Thiamin | 0.3 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.3 mg |
| Niacin | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.4 mg |
| Folate | 184 mcg |
| Choline | 70 mg |
| Calcium | 47 mg |
| Iron | 4.6 mg |
| Magnesium | 197 mg |
What are the proper ways to freeze quinoa?
Quinoa can be frozen in soaked raw form and cooked form. Quinoa is already a dry food item and it does not need refrigeration or freezing in its dried form. It is already stored at room temperature in the pantry.
Freezing raw quinoa
- Yes it is possible to freeze raw dry or soaked quinoa. The major problem why we freeze raw quinoa is that quinoa gets contaminated with bugs and insects when it is kept outside for too long.
- If your quinoa is getting spoiled outside then you need to put it in the freezer.
- If you give dry quinoa you can put it in an airtight box and keep it in the freezer this way will not go bad easily and it will be safe for the next 6–7 months.
- If you have soaked quinoa and you do not have time to cook it then you can freeze it. For this, you need to remove the water from it first, and then you can freeze it in the air-tight boxes. It will be easy for you if you are storing it in portion sizes.
- You can also freeze it in the zip lock bags. Put it in the bags and make sure to remove all the air from the bag so that it may not get spoiled.
- When you are ready to eat it just put it in the microwave for a few minutes and it will be good to eat.
Freezing cooked quinoa
You can also freeze and store cooked quinoa. For this you need to cook quinoa first.
- Boil or cook your quinoa or cook it as you like to eat it.
- Now spread it on the tray and let it cool down. Do not freeze your quinoa when it is still hot otherwise, it will go bad
- Once it is cool enough put it in an airtight box and keep it in the freezer this way will not go bad easily and it will be safe for the next 6–7 months.
- You can also freeze it in the zip lock bags. Put it in the bags and make sure to remove all the air from the bag so that it may not get spoiled.
- When you are ready to eat it just put it in the microwave for a few minutes and it will be good to eat.
What are the health benefits of quinoa?
Quinoa is a rich source of B vitamins, minerals, and especially protein. The consumption of quinoa has increased worldwide in the last century due to its health benefits.
- Quinoa is a rich source of fibres and these fibres help regulate the gastrointestinal tract. Fibres help in reducing blood cholesterol and it also helps in keeping your colon healthy.
- Quinoa is a good source of carbohydrates for people who are suffering from celiac disease and are on a gluten-free diet. Quinoa provides all the nutrients just like grains and it is also gluten-free.
- The regular intake of quinoa has been linked to reduced levels of cholesterol, and LDL. It is also linked with a decrease in body weight.
Conclusion
In this brief guide we answered the following question, “can you freeze quinoa?” We also discussed the proper ways to freeze quinoa. We also got to know the health benefits of eating quinoa along with the signs of spillage of quinoa.
