Gastrointestinal Effects of Eating Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in Celiac Patients
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Celiac disease is an enteropathy triggered by dietary gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley. Treatment involves a strict gluten-free diet (GFD). Quinoa is a highly nutritive plant from the Andes that has been recommended as part of a GFD. However, in-vitro data suggested that quinoa prolamins can stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses in celiac patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the in-vivo effects of eating quinoa in adult celiac patients. METHODS: Nineteen treated celiac patients consumed 50 g of quinoa every day for 6 weeks as part of their usual GFD. We evaluated diet, serology, and gastrointestinal parameters. Furthermore, we carried out detail histological assessment of 10 patients before and after eating quinoa. RESULTS: Gastrointestinal parameters were normal. The ratio of villus height to crypt depth improved from slightly below normal values (2.8:1) to normal levels (3:1), surface-enterocyte cell height improved from 28.76 to 29.77 μm and the number of intra-epithelial lymphocytes per 100 enterocytes decreased from 30.3 to 29.7. Median values for all the blood tests remained within normal ranges, although total cholesterol (n=19) decreased from 4.6 to 4.3 mmol/l, low-density lipoprotein decreased from 2.46 to 2.45 mmol/l, high-density lipoprotein decreased from 1.8 to 1.68 mmol/l and triglycerides decreased from 0.80 to 0.79 mmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of quinoa to the GFD of celiac patients was well tolerated and did not exacerbate the condition. There was a positive trend toward improved histological and serological parameters, particularly a mild hypocholesterolemic effect. Overall, this is the first clinical data suggesting that daily 50 g of quinoa for 6 weeks can be safely tolerated by celiac patients. However, further studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of quinoa consumption.
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Consumption of 50 g of quinoa for 6 weeks is safe.
“Quinoa seeds are considered a “functional food”; it is considered that the consumption of 50 g of quinoa for 6 weeks is safe [198,199].”
From Ecdysterone and Turkesterone—Compounds with Prominent Potential in Sport and Healthy Nutrition (2024) · cites this paper as [198]
Other suitable cereal substitutes are sorghum and maize, as well as pseudocereals chia, quinoa, teff, amaranth and buckwheat.
“Other suitable cereal substitutes are sorghum and maize (23), as well as pseudocereals (24) chia, quinoa, teff, amaranth and buckwheat (23,25-27).”
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“20 of 34 Table 7 presents in vitro studies involving quinoa. consumption of 50 g of quinoa for 6 weeks is safe [198,199].”
BackgroundLuque, V., Crespo‐Escobar, P., Hård af Segerstad, E. M., Koltai, T., Norsa, L., Roman, E., Vreugdenhil, A., Fueyo‐Díaz, R., & Ribes‐Koninckx, C. (2024) · Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition · doi:10.1002/jpn3.12079 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
- Authors
- Zevallos, V. F., Herencia, I. L., Chang, F., Donnelly, S., Ellis, J. H., & Ciclitira, P. J.
- Affiliations
- King's College London (GB)
- St Thomas' Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Zevallos, Victor F
- Ciclitira, Paul J
- Venue
- American Journal of Gastroenterology
- Published
- 2014-02
- Volume
- 109
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 270-278
- ISSN
- 0002-9270 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2010394412
- Cited by
- 117
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 8.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The American Journal of Gastroenterology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Celiac Disease Research and Management
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Seed and Plant Biochemistry
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Food composition and properties
- Keywords
- celiac disease, quinoa, gluten-free diet, gastrointestinal tolerance, intraepithelial lymphocytes, cholesterol-lowering effect, serum lipids, celiac serology
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Celiac Disease, Combined Modality Therapy, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa, Male, Phytotherapy, Middle Aged, Patients, Prospective Studies, Safety, Time Factors, Cohort Studies, Treatment Outcome, Chenopodium quinoa, Plant Preparations, Diet, Gluten-Free
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