A story highlighting the glaring paradox of quinoa, a wildly trendy grain popular among vegans and health-conscious consumers, is getting worldwide attention after being revisited this week in the UK. The Guardian poses an ethical dilemma to vegans and vegetarians who tout it as a superfood: the grain is high in protein, gluten-free and low in fat. As a consequence of its explosive popularity in the West, the grain that has been a staple in the Andean diet is experiencing soaring price hikes in producing nations like Peru and Bolivia. "The appetite of countries such as ours for this grain has pushed up prices to such an extent that poorer people in Peru and Bolivia, for whom it was once a nourishing staple food, can no longer afford to eat it" writes Joanna Blythman. "Imported junk food is cheaper. In Lima, quinoa now costs more than chicken."
Here's an article from "Slate" saying that it is o.k. to eat quinoa and suggesting we ignore the media hand wringing. I guess we'll have to make up our own minds.
"The idea that worldwide demand for quinoa is causing undue harm
where it's produced is an oversimplification at best. At worst,
discouraging demand for quinoa could end up hurting producers rather
than helping them. Most of the world's quinoa is grown on the altiplano, a
vast, cold, windswept, and barren 14,000-foot Andean plateau spanning
parts of Peru and Bolivia. Quinoa is one of the few things that grow
there, and its high price means more economic opportunities for the
farmers in one of the poorest parts of South America."
