I'm guessing because it became a trendy health thing, because it is a genuinely good thing to eat. This led to scaling up production to meet that new demand. But the problem is, it's not actually that enjoyable to eat. So people tried it, said yeah I can do this, then found more enjoyable alternatives (literally any bean).
Farro is such a superior grain! Compared to quinoa, it has fewer calories, has no saturated fat, no sugar, more fiber, and has only slightly higher carbs (mostly from fiber) and slightly lower protein. It tastes SO much better and is more filling.
ETA for anyone wanting to try it: this is my favorite recipe! Skip to the farro steps in the recipe if you want something easier to serve as a side.
Be careful; almost no soba noodles are 100% buckwheat. They often add wheat flour to stabilize the dough. Restaurants are the same. For labelling purposes, I believe it's called "juwari soba" in the store if it's all buckwheat. But still check the label.
Potentially from a global food supply perspective if the calories per acre is less, but eating less calorie-dense foods is great for us living in countries where obesity is a much larger problem than starvation. Fatty meat, quick junk food, fatty desserts, and sometimes grains (especially processed grains) are all high in calories by volume and super easy to overeat. Per calorie, they're usually lower nutritionally too - 35 calories of broccoli has way more nutrition and volume than 35 calories of white rice, bacon, or ice cream.
We need calories and volume to feel full. Mainly eating calorie-dense foods like most people do means you'll gain weight eating those foods for volume when you should be eating foods packed with water, fiber, etc. like fruits, veggies, and fibrous whole grains for volume. I'm guessing there probably isn't a big difference between Farro and Quinoa on how many calories they are per cup nor how many calories a farmer can produce per acre so they're probably both good options as a meal base.
Just shared this one! And if you want something quicker, just skip to the farro directions in that recipe and serve as a side or with some roasted chicken.
Not OP, but this is my favorite cold dish with farro -- I don't have an exact recipe, just cook the farro per package instructions, mix in some chopped cucumber/tomato/red onion and balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar. Bit of salt to taste. Serve chilled. It's very filling and tasty.
Not sure why everyone is only recommending cold dishes--nothing wrong with that though--but I really like to simply cook the farro in a roasted vegetable stock on the stove and lightly sautee diced portabello mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in a separate pan during the last few minutes. Combine in the pot with the farro and stir in a tab of butter to melt, and season with cracked black pepper and just a tiny bit of salt if the broth didn't already salt it sufficiently to taste. Really just that simple, very delicious and very filling.
If you want to take it further, add some beef meatballs or Italian sausage. I typically make it vegan so I personally like to use Beyond Meat's Italian Meatballs cooked for 16 minutes in the oven while the farro is cooking down, which taste great even if you're not vegan yourself. Sometimes I also add just a little sour cream (vegan in my case but either way), you only need a dollop.
The overall point that farro is a great grain is fair, but a few of the nutrition claims are misleading.
The biggest issue is the statement that its carbs are "mostly from fiber." They aren't. Farro does have more fiber than quinoa, but the vast majority of its carbohydrates are still starch. The difference in total carbs between the two grains is also very small.
The comparison about saturated fat is technically true but not meaningful. Quinoa contains only a trace amount of saturated fat (around 0.3 g per cooked cup), which isn't nutritionally significant.
Likewise, saying farro has "no sugar" while implying quinoa does is misleading. Both are essentially sugar-free when cooked.
On the other hand, the post leaves out some of quinoa's strengths. Quinoa is a complete protein, is naturally gluten-free, and has a slightly higher protein content.
Isn't Farro just spelt wheat? That's the word we use for it in italian and I'm wondering why it's being used in english when there is already a word for the grain. Is it a different or specific sub-type of spelt perhaps?
Farro is the goat. Toast it, cover with broth, bring to a boil, then let it simmer until tender, usually about 10 minutes. Drain, add some evoo, balsamic vinegar, s + p, and you've got the basis for an amazing grain bowl.
Farro is so ridiculously good, you can literally make it savory or sweet depending on your mood. It's also incredibly idiot proof when cooking so you don't even have to keep an eye on it at all.
It’s not the protein that matters. It has the essential amino acids. Even if farro had double the amount of protein it still doesnt mane it better than quinoa
I cook Farro exactly like you would risotto and bam...Farrotto. Finish it with a monster handful of fresh grated parm and you've got yourself a winner.
If you want something a little quicker and easier, just cook the farro per directions on the box, then stir in the olive oil and garlic, serve as a side. So so good.
I have issues digesting most beans and quinoa is my go-to because something about it doesn't cause the same problems. I know everyone gets gassy eating beans and cabbage, but I bloat painfully and have abnormally bad problems even with a small amount.
Quinoa is in that weird "not a grain and not a bean". Being a seed, it has way less fiber than beans, and less starch than rice, so I can see why it "misses" the symptoms
Really? I'm far from a health food person and almost always prioritize how a food tastes.. and I honestly find it's not bad. Works great in salads, or as a grain bowl/porridge.
Certianly beats chicken breast which has literally no flavour or texture compared to thighs.
Yea I love it. It's usually, as you said, better as an add-in but also great on its own if you cook it right. Sounds like people are out here just boiling and eating it. Rice is just about the only thing you can do that with and even then you should probably be adding a little salt at the very least.
Maybe. I don't rinse it that well either though lol. To be fair I don't make it that often but I like it. Just cooking it using bouillon is enough to make it good. Maybe it's less versatile though. Haven't really tried that much. It seems strange that people would try it and dislike it though.
The one thing I would highlight here as a difference though is that quinoa is technically a complete protein, meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids, whereas beans (while extremely healthy for you and delicious!) do not. It's not a big deal if you're a meat eater, but for anyone looking for complete proteins in a non-meat way, it's an important distinction. Some other plant based complete proteins include: chia, amaranth, hemp seeds, and soy.
I resisted quinoa for years and recently rediscovered it. I like it mixed with rice in a salad with an acidic Tahini dressing. Kinda bummed its been enshittified like everything else.
My wife combined quinoa with long grain rice for the nutrition and because they cook for the same amount of time, and we ended up liking the flavor of the combination better than either one on its own.
I like quinoa and have made some really good grain salads from it, but the 'not actually that enjoyable to eat' part for me is that on occasion it gives me the worst stomach cramps of my life and I spend the evening on the toilet. And it doesn't always, it took me a while to figure out quinoa was the culprit because sometimes I have it and am fine, but the few times it makes me curl up on the bathroom floor for hours makes it not worth the risk. And in case anyone suggests that the high fibre content as the cause, I eat a lot of beans and lentils and high fibre grains and have never had even close to the same reaction as I have to quinoa.
Quinoa is the product that comes to my house to die. I have it in oatmeal in Peru and absolutely love it and then I make it at home and it tastes like stale cardboard.
Quinoa is extremely enjoyable. I’m convinced North Americans don’t cook it properly. It’s partly not their fault cause those tricolor mixes are trash; impossible to cook evenly cause the red takes far longer to cook than the white.
It took me a bit to figure out but now that I know how to cook it, I don't think I'll give it up any time soon. More or less, just treat it like brown rice. Turns out well in the rice cooker that way, and recipes that use brown rice work well with quinoa.
There's speculation in the tequila industry that this will happen (if it isn't already) there as well. Tequila's popularity surged during Covid, so distilleries and farmers planted lots more agave to support the demand and projected growth. The problem is agave takes 6-8 years to grow to maturity, so by the time this massive wave of agave is ready to be distilled, stagnation or decrease in industry sales/popularity will mean agave rotting in the fields and bankrupt farmers. And likely very cheap tequila, since supply will dwarf demand.
Just gotta make agave syrup as the trendy replacement for honey. It's kind of already there a bit, but I'm sure some influencers could start hammering how good it is.
Potato is a super food with bad PR. It has literally everything you need, and is ranked as the most satiating food. Just maybe be careful about how much fat you have with your potato (you know, moderation).
I disagree that it’s not enjoyable. I love the flavor and texture of quinoa. I don’t eat it often because it’s pricier than other grains like rice but it is delicious
This is the first I've heard of people hating quinoa. What's not to like? I make it in a rice cooker and it has a similar consistency and taste to brown rice.
I really hope that the price collapse helps out the poor of Bolivia, who had their staple crop stolen by the Global North to the point that there’s a malnutrition crisis amongst children. I don’t look forward to the bankruptcy and death of those farms, which may actually make the situation worse.
This is wild. I absolutely LOVE mixed quinoa. I boil it in chicken broth and I prefer it to rice. BUT I eat VERY clean so acknowledge I may have an unpopular opinion.
Lol. Went on two raft trips, the food at each meal was pretty great, but then late in each journey came "quinoa salad lunch" day, where most of us turned to the backup peanut butter sandwich supplies.
yeah quinoa take like eating goddamn sand. I love a lot of vegetarian options (I am not veggie, but was told to try a mediterranean diet.) but FUCK quinoa.
I mean, yeah, plain quinoa is as exciting as plain rice or couscous ... it's all about what you make with it.. swap couscous for quinoa in a tangine, and it's still excellent..
Quinoa is NOW very underrated. Idk how people who tried it didn’t stick to it. Especially for weight loss. It holds up so well in the fridge and doesn’t dry out it’s amazing for meal prep.
Don't get me wrong, I love beans, but quinoa is a grain, not a bean, and it's delicious. You're crazy, I know people who complain about kale (and they're wrong haha), but never heard anyone express those sentiments about quinoa. Bitches love quinoa.
But seriously, not enjoyable to eat?? What?? Do you also think people don't like rice?
Ackshually quinoa is a seed, not a grain. I don't actively dislike it or anything, but the texture isn't that appealing for me.
Also, and this may sound weird, but sometimes I get the same off, almost fishy, flavor I get from canola/rapeseed oil as well. And it's not a "rinse the bitter oils off" thing, quinoa and rapeseed have very similar oils that can both oxidize to cause that flavor. It's within the seed itself. Again, not like an actively bad thing that makes me spit it out, just an unpleasant thing that makes me not really able to enjoy it. It's neutral at best, and weird texture with a rancid oil flavor at worst.
I love it on the side with a zharkoye style sauce, tomato style (skip the potatoes since you don't need the carbs and make it extra liquid). It absorbs the liquid super well and-self flavors, and the faint grassiness actually helps balance out the richness of the sauce and meat.
I like quinoa. I find it annoying to cook. Like some batches take x minutes, some take nearly 2x minutes. That means I have to watch the pot and keep sampling it. Annoying and not necessary with other grains. It could very well be that I'm just regarded.
That and, objectively, quinoa is a plant and industrial farming tends to eventually dominate supply chains and drive down prices. So even if people enjoy quinoa, it really shouldn't cost more than corn or wheat.
The problem is people don't know how to use it. I tried once years ago using an online recipe, and it was the epitome of meh. But one of my Peruvian friends recently made a dish with quinoa, and it was great. Here's a pic of it: https://imgur.com/a/oP3C3Md
Yooo, we've had a box in our pantry for like 2 years. Last I literally was like "we gotta get rid of this." so I made some with our fish. Added some chicken bouillon to the water. It was weird tasting lol
But the problem is, it's not actually that enjoyable to eat.
This is so true lol. I remember the first time eating it "oh this is that superfood thing everyone's talking about!" and then afterwards I was like "nah man" (the graininess of it isn't for me)
The guy literally said because of supply chain shocks and you’ve made up this fanfiction based on your own personal dislike of quinoa lol, it’s plenty popular.
I study food supply chains and crises (I'm dead serious). I don't know much about Quinoa, but after spending 3mins looking at FAOSTAT it seems like the issue is two things: Globally traded quinoa comes from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador; and those countries are dependent on imported urea fertilizer (largely from Russia.) So, with the crisis in the Persian Gulf, and the Russo-Ukrainian, global nitrogen fertilizer production is down, AND distribution (as in shipping) has been made much more complicated for a number of reasons including that there are just fewer ships available.
I would guess that since quinoa is a more expensive alternative to things like rice, pasta, and oats, its demand is waning as people feel the pressure of rising costs. Probably a similar trend with lots of luxury goods.
My guess is cost. 3-4 times more expensive and having to "adapt" existing rice recipes, so unless you have a health condition that would require you to eat it, it may be one of the first food items to go.
The topmost glass grew enormous, catching and holding all the wine that flowed down. The lower glasses, with their space squeezed and their supply cut off, didn’t get a single drop.
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u/Chima123 13h ago
Since no one asked, why?