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Canihua

Canihua is a small reddish-brown to dark Andean seed crop, cooked whole in porridges and soups or milled into flour for baking.

Canihua — illustrative ingredient image

About Canihua

Canihua, also spelled cañihua, is a small-grained Andean seed crop sold as whole seeds or processed into flour. The seeds are typically reddish-brown to dark in colour and may be cooked whole or milled; their form affects how they are used in cooking.

Cooked whole canihua has a small, firm grain texture and a mild, earthy flavour. It is used in porridges, soups, and other grain-like preparations, while flour is used in baking or mixed into other foods. Canihua is a distinct crop and should not be confused with quinoa, despite similarities in some uses.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where canihua appears

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Food connections are still being added.

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for canihua

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

canihua

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Canihua nutrition & diet

Canihua nutritional value

Whole canihua grain · six-cultivar reference mean · dry-weight basis

Per 100 g of the six-cultivar whole-canihua reference mean, per 100 g dry weight.

Calories
396.88kcal
Protein
16.8g
Carbs
60.8g
Fat
9.6g

Reference mean across six cultivars; cultivar and dehulling materially change values.

Whole cooked seeds and flour are different forms and should not be compared as if they had the same moisture content. Processing and preparation also affect measured composition.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Comparison of the Chemical Composition of Six Canihua Cultivars ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .