HYBRID EVENT: You can participate in person at Singapore or Virtually from your home or work.

8th Edition of International Conference on

Nutrition and Food Sciences

March 26-28, 2026 | Singapore

Nutri 2025

Quinoa green leaves: A promising nutrient-rich vegetable to improve human health

Speaker at International Nutrition Research Conference 2025 - Safiullah Pathan
Lincoln University of Missouri, United States
Title : Quinoa green leaves: A promising nutrient-rich vegetable to improve human health

Abstract:

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a nutrient-rich grain native to the Andean region of South America, domesticated around 7,000 years ago. Once a forgotten crop, quinoa has recently been rediscovered. The seeds are gluten-free and contain high levels of protein, essential amino acids, important minerals, and vitamins. Due to these nutritional properties and health benefits, quinoa is considered a novel, functional, and popular health food – often referred to as a 'superfood.' In addition to its grains, quinoa's green leaves, known as quinoa greens, are also packed with nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals. However, the consumption of quinoa greens as a vegetable is uncommon. Like the grains, the leafy greens are rich in nutritional value, boasting higher protein content, lower carbohydrates, and more omega-3 fatty acids compared to similar leafy vegetables. They are also an excellent source of essential amino acids and minerals. Moreover, quinoa leaves offer health-promoting properties, including antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-obesity benefits. Quinoa greens are higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than vegetables like spinach and amaranth. Quinoa, as a crop, is drought-, salinity-, and cold-tolerant, and requires minimal water and fertilizer to grow. This makes quinoa greens an ideal vegetable crop in a climate-changing environment, as they can be grown year-round in fields, greenhouses, or high tunnels, with a harvesting period of about 30 days. Quinoa greens can be enjoyed in various ways: stir-fried, sautéed, stewed, steamed, and in salads. In taste surveys, quinoa leafy greens were found to have a taste, texture, and flavor comparable to or even better than spinach.

Biography:

Dr. Safiullah Pathan is an Associate Professor of Crop Science at Lincoln University of Missouri in Jefferson City, MO, USA, with more than 42 years of experience in teaching, research, and extension. He holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. His research centers on developing improved crop varieties with higher yields, enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress, and value-added traits. In recent years, Dr. Pathan has focused on the production and promotion of quinoa as a nutrient-dense leafy green. He has authored more than 100 publications, including journal articles and book chapters. He has presented at national and international conferences on the nutritional and health-promoting properties of quinoa, both as grain and a leafy green.

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