User:Supercrop22/sandbox

Natural Distribution

Kiwicha is an indigenous crop from the high Peruvian Andes that has been cultivated for thousands of years by many cultures including the Incas. It is the only Amaranth species that can grow at altitudes greater than 2,500 meters above the sea level. Despite the fact that kiwicha had been a well-adapted staple in the Andean region for millennia and had offered substantial nutritional advantages to the native people, when the Spanish came in the 1500s, they replaced kiwicha cultivations with wheat and barley. However, because of its great nutritional content, Kiwicha is regaining popularity and returning to compete with modern crops. Although Kiwicha is seldom recognized outside of the Andes, significant plantings have been observed in Mexico, China, Nepal, India and Kenya.

Nutrition

The flavourful and gluten-free Kiwicha is very high in protein and essential amino acids, such as lysine, which are typically deficient in plant protein. In terms of nutritional content, Kiwicha protein is virtually similar to milk protein (casein), and it complements the nutritional quality of foods derived from flours of corn, rice, or wheat. As a result, Kiwicha is particularly beneficial for infants, children, and pregnant and lactating women, but also vegetarians and vegans. Kiwicha is high in dietary fiber and minerals such as iron, magnesium and manganese. Its frequent consumption could help to reduce hypertension and cholesterol. Kiwicha has also been found to have anthelmintic, antinociceptive, antipyretic, anticancer, antiallergenic, antidiabetic, immune system stimulation, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and antibacterial properties.