Chenopodium quinoa from the amaranth family is used in Latin America as a cereal. It originally comes from the Andes mountains, Bolivia, Peru and Chile, where it was known as early as 5,000 years ago. In the language of the ancient Incas, it was called the "mother of all grains". It disappeared with colonisation and only began to be cultivated again in the 1970s, not only in South America but also in Europe, mainly thanks to healthy eating and its use in vegan diets. The leaves are consumed in various salads, flour is ground from it, which is mixed with wheat or corn flour to prepare bread and biscuits. Porridge is cooked from the whole grain, it is used as a thickener in soups, and spirits are also produced from it.

The seeds are a great source of B vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and contain 60% starch, 23% essential proteins, 5% carbohydrates and about 9% fats. Thanks to its low glycaemic index, it is a suitable food for diabetics. Due to its very high protein content, it is an inseparable part of the diet of vegetarians and vegans.

It does not contain gluten.

It has a neutral nature and a bitter taste, and supports the function of the heart and small intestine.