🎧 Quinoa! The story behind a superfood with Dr. Linda Seligman

In this episode, Dr. Linda Seligmann explores the impact of the global quinoa boom on Andean farmers, sharing insights from her 40 years of research and new book.

Quinoa has become a staple among health food lovers across the globe, but few know the full story of its origins, how its processed, and what impact this quinoa boom has had on the indigenous farmers of the high Andes mountains. This week on the show, our guest is Dr. Linda Seligmann, a professor emeritus of anthropology at George Mason University. Linda specializes in agrarian issues and has worked in the Andes for more than forty years. She shares some key insights from her research on this special crop with us and in her new book, “Quinoa: Food Politics and Agrarian Life in the Andean Highlands.” You can also learn more about the book with her Q&A feature on the book.

About Linda

Dr. Linda J. Seligmann is professor of anthropology at George Mason University. An expert on Latin America, she has done research in the Andean region for over forty years. She specializes in agrarian issues, including the recent boom in quinoa consumption, Quechua culture, gender relationships, and the dynamics of the informal economy in the Andes. Funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation, Seligmann recently completed a project on quinoa, a substance that has been of significance to the livelihoods and well-being of Quechua inhabitants in the Andes for centuries.  Her book, Quinoa: Food Politics and Agrarian Life in the Andean Highlands, examines how the place, value, and meanings of quinoa have undergone transformations in light of the demand for it internationally as a super-food, taking special account of gender ideologies, labor, household social reproduction, and differing aesthetics with respect to food and cuisine as these dynamics unfold.

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Watch the video

Available exclusively on the Teach Ethnobotany YouTube Channel, you can catch the full video version of this episode and others! Enjoy!

Yours in health, Dr. Quave

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Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.

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