6 Things You Need to Know before Buying Quinoa (2024)

Whether you've bought a bag of quinoa every week since 2008 or are thinking about trying it for the very first time, STOP! There's some important info you should know about the delicious, albeit oddly-named little grain. Before you hit the grocery store, read this. You'll be glad you did.

1) Pick whatever color you want.

White, red, or black? They're pretty much all the same nutritionally—so go with what tastes best to you, says Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, owner of Nutrition Starring You, LCC. White quinoa is the least bitter of the three, while red and black have a chewier texture that holds up better in cold dishes like salads.

2) Buy pre-rinsed to make your life easier.
Raw quinoa grains are coated with saponin, a compound that acts as a natural pest repellent. (Mother Nature, always thinking!) Eating saponin won't hurt you—but it tastes really bitter, so it might make you want to toss your perfectly fluffy bowl of quinoa in the trash. Sure, you could just rinse the saponin off your quinoa by running it under cold water before cooking. But most strainers aren't actually fine enough to keep the grains from getting everywhere, so that can be a hassle. Do yourself a favor and buy quinoa that's already pre-rinsed. It's easy to find (the label will say so) and usually isn't any more expensive.

3) Double-check the label if you're gluten-free.
Quinoa is touted as a gluten-free grain—and usually, it is. But get this: One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that looked at 15 strains of quinoa found that two actually contained measurable levels of gluten. Even though the quinoa you find at the grocery store is probably free of gluten, if you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, it always pays to double-check. Before buying, make sure your quinoa is certified gluten-free. (Check out these gluten-free flours.)

MORE: Gluten-Free Quinoa Pancakes with Caramelized Apples and Hazelnuts

4) Don't stress over organic and non-GMO.
Save your dough for organic apples and grass-fed beef. Because quinoa comes with built-in, nasty-tasting saponin, farmers don't need to do much in the way of spraying to repel pests. "Unless you insist on buying all organic foods, quinoa probably isn't the best way to spend your organic food budget," Harris-Pincus says. And since quinoa isn't a genetically modified grain, all quinoa in its raw form is non-GMO.

5) Don't feel bad that it's grown in South America.

You might remember the frenzy that ensued when, a few years back, news broke that quinoa was becoming so popular in the US that the South American farmers who grew it could no longer afford to actually eat the stuff themselves. (The majority of the world's quinoa is grown in Peru and Bolivia.) Fortunately, that isn't true: According to NPR, quinoa farmers are still eating the staple grain—and earning big bucks for selling it to us. (Plus, it's popping up in restaurants all over America.)

6) Feel free to mix it up a little bit.
Yes, we all know that quinoa is crazy good for you. And while eating it every day is totally fine, it's still smart to make room for other sources of complex carbs. "I'm a believer in including many different whole grains in your diet, because they each offer a different nutritional profile," Harris-Pincus says. (Though if you're vegan, making quinoa a staple food makes sense, since it's the only whole grain that's a complete protein.) Brown rice and millet bowl, anyone?

These quinoas are top quality:Still not sure where to find the perfect quinoa? We love Ancient Harvest, Bob's Red Mill, andArrowhead Mills.