Canihua

Canihua is a small annual herb of the high Andes that grows low and bushy, reaching only about forty centimetres, with reddish-brown stems and leaves. The seeds are minute, lens-shaped and dark brown to black, much smaller than those of quinoa, and they are borne in compact heads that are hard to thresh because the seeds shatter easily.

Unlike quinoa, the seeds have little or no bitter saponin coating, so they do not need to be washed before use. Canihua tastes nutty and slightly malty, particularly when toasted. It is sold whole, as flour, in flakes and in blends, mostly in Peru and Bolivia, with a small export market.

Canihua is native to the high Andean plateau of Peru and Bolivia, especially around Lake Titicaca, where it grows at altitudes of roughly 3,500 to 4,500 metres, among the highest of any cultivated crop. It is thought to have been domesticated by early Andean farmers from wild relatives, in a similar region to quinoa.

The name comes from the Aymara and Quechua languages, written as qanawa, kaniwa or canihua in different spellings. The plant is closely related to quinoa and to the weedy goosefoot genus, but unlike many of its relatives it is almost entirely a food plant of the Andean highlands.

Canihua has long been a crop of the poorest and highest farming zones of the Andes, where frost, drought and thin soils make other grains unreliable. It tolerates night frosts that kill quinoa and potatoes and was cultivated by the Aymara, Quechua and pre-Inca peoples. Spanish chroniclers noted that it was used as a staple on the altiplano.

Traditionally the seeds were toasted and ground into a flour called canihuaco, which is eaten dry, mixed with water or milk, or stirred into porridge and drinks. It was a food for shepherds and travellers, since it needs no cooking and keeps well.

During the twentieth century the crop was displaced by wheat, barley and potatoes, and cultivation shrank. In recent decades, interest has grown in lost crops of the Andes, with researchers and development projects promoting canihua for its nutritional profile and climate resilience. It is still a small crop compared with quinoa, with production concentrated in Peru, which has begun exporting small amounts as a specialty grain.

Canihua is most often toasted and ground into canihuaco flour, mixed with water, milk, sugar or herbal infusions to make a ready-to-eat drink or porridge. Whole seed is cooked like quinoa and used in soups, stews and salads, or popped. The flour is added to breads, biscuits and pancakes for a nutty flavour.

In the Andes the plant's leaves and stems also serve as animal fodder, and the seeds are traditionally eaten by herders on the high plateau. Because the seeds are very small, canihua cooks quickly. It is naturally gluten free, though cross-contamination should be considered when buying.

Canihua is valued in Andean nutrition because its protein contains a good balance of essential amino acids, notably lysine, and the seeds also supply fibre, iron, calcium and phenolic antioxidants. Its lack of saponins makes it easier to prepare than quinoa.

Few human trials exist, so claims about specific health benefits remain preliminary. It is best viewed as a nutritious, naturally gluten-free whole grain alternative that adds variety to the diet.