Quinoa has been cultivated in the Andes Incas for thousands of years. It has recently gained prominence around the world as a "super food" due to its high protein content. Although quinoa is high in protein content, it alone does not have enough protein to replace meat in the Western European diet, due to current cultivation, technological, and processing restrictions. Quinoa is also used by some people as a substitute for wheat, especially those on a gluten-free diet due to celiac disease or other conditions.
Other than its use as a food, there is insufficient evidence in humans to support the use of quinoa for any indication.
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