Why No Quinoa??

[AmyDMBFan]

So, I see it's listed as not on the compliant list, but it's doubly better for you that a baked potato...with less carbs...I'm just not sure where the justification of not allowing it is?  Anyone have any reasons?  Also, what if I eat quinoa, but no potatoes?  Since the carb amounts are almost identical, yet, quinoa has double fiber, protein, iron and almost half the bodies necessary magnesium daily. And a bunch of of other vitamins and minerals. I've done this diet once before, but was really bad timing and I didn't plan it well, but now that I'm really into this and want to do it right, but know that quinoa will absolutely bring a lot more nutrition into my whole 30 days than without it.  But if someone really honestly has a valid reason for not having it, because the book even says it's not a grain, but could cause similar "problems?"  What problems are they referring to?

 

Thanks,

Amy

[SugarcubeOD]

Because the rules are that no grains or pseudo grains are allowed.  It would be impossible for us to write rules based on allowing some but not others.  For the science on why, you might read It Starts With Food.

From a post by the creators of the program:

"Pseudo-grain" is a seed that, while technically (botanically) not a grain, has a similar structural and biochemical makeup. So quinoa is a dense source of carbohydrate, but it's not micronutrient-dense compared to many vegetables and fruit. Furthermore, it contains compounds called saponins, which are known to elicit abnormal permeability in the cell membranes (including those in your gut). We don't recommend against quinoa because it's a categorically a pseudo-grain - we recommend against it because it has minimal benefit when weighed against the potential downsides. And concerning the "amino acid profile" - that's a fallacious argument. There's 4 times as much carbohydrate in quinoa as there is protein, so unless you're a hard-training Ironman athlete using quinoa as your post-workout recovery carb source, you're getting waaaaaay more carbohydrate than you'd need (to get enough protein), when you'd be better off eating a few ounces of naturally-raised/fed meat and eating some vegetables and fruit for the micronutrients. Win/win

 

From the Can I have guide:

Quinoa is another one of those pseudo-cereals. While it might not technically be considered a grain, it contains properties that could be similarly problematic to your body, which makes it off-limits for your Whole30. The same guideline applies to buckwheat, amaranth, and other gluten-free grain substitutes.

[AmyDMBFan]

Ok, I get your point that meat/veggies would work just as well. But what about potatoes?  They have just as many carbohydrates as quinoa, but quinoa has more nutrients and protein.  So because potatoes are technically a vegetable, that's why they are allowed? I'm just curious, 

I also have IBS, which Quinoa was suggested by my Dr. as well as being a low FODMAP diet food as a great fiber source as well as protein, and iron, since i have had previous issues with anemia. 

I wasn't trying to make you defensive, I was just curious as to why it wasn't allowed when all I've heard were good things about it...

[kirbz]

If you like the "why" behind all the rules, I highly, highly recommend reading It Starts With Food! When I first started looking into Whole30 several years ago, some of the rules just didn't make sense to me and it really bothered me. I found myself thinking of different ways to change the program to better suit my needs. 

But then, I read It Starts With Food and it made it so much easier to fully embrace the program, including all of the rules and recommendations! I have since done two Whole30s and have loved my results! 

Best wishes to you! 

[AmyDMBFan]

Is that a separate book?  "It Starts with food."  I'll have to grab it, my parents and I are starting it next Monday, so I'm just trying to prepare as much as possible. A lot of the 7 day meal plan just don't sound appetizing to me, so I'm using other recipes from the book, and I've heard the whole30 site has a lot more recipes to choose from?  I haven't had a chance to explore the website as much as I'd like because my grandma is in home hospice and I'm her only caregiver at the moment.  She's been keeping me quite busy, but my parents are going to help me out by staying with her while a grocery shop. While she naps throughout the day, I'll prep a lot of the foods and such. 

 

If you have any good recipes that you love, please share. I'm not a big pork and super fishy fish girl.  Halibut, Tilapia, Salmon if grilled, and love shellfish. What really sucks if that I LOVE spicy foods, but my IBS hates them, but Jalapeños don't seem to bother it, which is great for salsa and guac. 

 

I'm just looking to get on a healthy lifestyle type diet, as well as losing a decent amount of weight. After the 30 days, I might go back to my quinoa, only because I have a great thai quinoa salad that is satisfying and delicious. Plus it's something that is an easy food on my IBS.  Anyways, I know they have carbs, but I don't eat a lot of potatoes, which is the same amount of carbs, so I'm kind of hoping that's a happy trade off.  We will see! : )

 

Thanks,

Amy 

 

 

[ShannonM816]

Yes, It Starts With Food is a book.

There are recipes here:  https://whole30.com/category/recipes/, and you can follow Whole30 Recipes on Facebook or Instagram, which has a guest "host" each week, a food blogger who highlights new Whole30 recipes each day, so you can find new styles of cooking.

For IBS, you may want to check out the site thepaleomom.com -- not everything on her site is whole30, but she focuses on leaving out FODMAPS and nightshades. This explains her focus:  https://www.thepaleomom.com/start-here/the-autoimmune-protocol/

Also remember that you don't have to make a bunch of recipes with weird ingredients. You can brown some ground beef or chicken or turkey with whatever seasoning you like, put that over a bunch of roasted vegetables, top with some kind of fat, like some mayo or some other sauce. Or make a spaghetti squash, mix cooked ground meat, Italian seasoning mix, and olive oil with it. Or if you're in a hurry, it can be nice to have precooked chicken on hand, you can mix it with broth and vegetables for a soup, or mix it with mayo and raw vegetables for a chicken salad.