Quinoa is grain cultivated for its little edible seeds. It has played a big role in Peruvian diets for centuries but only recently became a mega-trendy menu item in American restaurants. Due to its protein density (significantly higher than brown rice, barley and millet), natural lack of gluten, and high concentration of hard-to-get nutrients like manganese, magnesium, folate, copper, iron and zinc, quinoa rapidly achieved “superfood” status in the US.
Let’s look at data from Food Genius’s database and see how quinoa trends appear on menus for real American diners. 2% of all menus in the US mention quinoa; it’s definitely a niche trend. Even in states where quinoa trends are most prevalent, the percentage of restaurants that offer it is quite low. For example, quinoa’s popularity in urban “foodie” areas translates to a mere 2% penetration in both California and New York. And even in health-conscious state like Colorado, Food Genius indicates that only 1% of restaurants there offer quinoa on their menus.
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