KANIWA
Product Name: Kañihua.
Family: Chenopodiaceae.
Scientific Name: Chenopodium pallidicaule.

The Kañihua is an herb whose size varies between 20 and 60 cms. The Kañihua is farmed in the Peruvian and Bolivian Altiplano, it is found near 3.800 mts. The largest production area is concentrated to the north of Titicaca Lake, although it is farmed throughout the southern Andes of Peru in the departments of Puno, Cusco, Apurimac and Huancavelica, and in Bolivia.
 
The small Andean grain, which is called "kañiwa" in the Quechua language, is an Andean grain with a high nutritional value, higher than cereal grains such as wheat and barley and it is comparable to the quinoa. 10 years ago there was in all of Peru near 6,000 hectares. Today, the area under cultivation has decreased to less than 2,000 hectares. This decrease is because most farmers have changed the crop of this species for grass as oats or alfalfa, to have a better market destined for animal feed. Another cause of reducing cultivation areas is the difficulty of the work of gathering or harvesting of this grain.

Among the varieties of "Kañiwa" tested, three local varieties stand out with good qualities for the production of flour, biscuits and cakes. "Kañiwa" is one of the crops with a good resistance to low temperatures and it withstands droughts, which are common in the Altiplano.

The names that this grain receives are:

Quechua: kañiwa Kanawa, kañahua, kañagua, Kañagua, quitacañigua, Ayar,
cuchiquinua.
Spanish: Cañihua, cañigua, cañahua Canagua, kañiwa.
English: kaniwa, canihua.

The origins of the "Kañihua" are uncertain, but it is almost sure that is native from the Andes. There is a tendency to be found in the Altiplano, which may explain why it was used in Andean agriculture. By the time of the conquest it was used in a greater extent than at present.

The seeds are usually toasted and ground making a brown flour called kañihuaco, which is eaten with sugar or added to soups. It is also used with wheat flour in the production of breads, cakes and puddings. It is prepared as a drink, similar to hot chocolate, which is sold on the streets of cities like Cuzco and Puno in Peru. The leaves are high in calcium. They are also important as forage for animals during times of drought. The grain is a great food.

"Kañihua" seeds provide a high source of proteins in diets with few meat. They also have a very good amino acid balance, being particularly rich in lysine, isoleucine and tryptophan. This protein quality in combination of carbohydrate content in the order of 60% and vegetable oils in the order of 8%, make it highly nutritious.