▁mang an ese ▁and ▁ph osph orus ▁( 3 0 % ▁and ▁ 2 2 %   D V , ▁respectively ), ▁and ▁a ▁moder ate ▁source ▁( 1 0 – 1 9 %   D V ) ▁of ▁di et ary ▁fi ber , ▁fol ate , ▁and ▁the ▁di et ary ▁min er als , ▁iron , ▁z inc , ▁and ▁mag nes ium . ▁ ▁Qu ino a ▁is ▁gl uten - free . ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁high ▁concentration ▁of ▁protein , ▁ease ▁of ▁use , ▁vers at ility ▁in ▁prepar ation , ▁and ▁potential ▁for ▁increased ▁yields ▁in ▁controlled ▁environments , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁selected ▁as ▁an ▁experimental ▁c rop ▁in ▁NASA ' s ▁Control led ▁E colog ical ▁Life ▁Support ▁System ▁for ▁long - duration ▁human ▁occupied ▁space ▁fl ights . ▁ ▁Cult iv ation ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁requirements ▁The ▁plant ' s ▁growth ▁is ▁highly ▁variable ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁different ▁sub species , ▁vari eties ▁and ▁land ra ces ▁( dom estic ated ▁plants ▁or ▁animals ▁adapted ▁to ▁the ▁environment ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁origin ated ). ▁However , ▁it ▁is ▁generally ▁und em and ing ▁and ▁alt itude - hard y ; ▁it ▁is ▁grown ▁from ▁coast al ▁regions ▁to ▁over ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁And es ▁near ▁the ▁equ ator , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁cultiv ars ▁being ▁grown ▁between ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁Depending ▁on ▁the ▁variety , ▁optimal ▁growing ▁conditions ▁are ▁in ▁cool ▁clim ates ▁with ▁temper atures ▁that ▁vary ▁between ▁ ▁during ▁the