Cañahua: An Ancient Grain for New Foods

Abstract

Cañahua (Chenopodium pallidicaule) is a remarkably nutritious grain of the high Andes area that is cultivated in small plots in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru and grows well at altitudes of up to 4400 m in the extreme highland environment where wheat, rye, nor corn can grow and where even quinoa cannot yield well at the altitudes where cañahua grows. The nutritional value is related to protein quality, regarding the content of essential amino acids, and can be considered as a high quality natural protein. Also, Cañahua seeds are rich in minerals (especially Fe and Zn) and have excellent potential as sources of health promoting bioactive compounds. Because of the high nutritional value and the composition of cañahua seed, its flour has been used to partially replace wheat flour in baked goods and pasta, improving the nutritional quality of these products. However, the inclusion of flour other than wheat in bread or pasta making modify the protein–starch matrix responsible for such quality parameters as volume and texture in bread, and cooking behavior in pasta. As the cookies are not leavened products, Cañahua has been used to make cookies successfully. The replacement of wheat flour by cañahua improved the nutritional quality (higher protein and dietary fiber content) and technological properties (diameter and top roughness).