Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a dicotyledonous herbaceous plant of the Amaranthaceae family. Its center of origin is in the Andes Region in South America. Across the region, an important biodiversity of the species has been maintained mainly for cultural reasons. The ancestral cultivation areas are found in the Southern Altiplano of Bolivia and the Puno Region in Peru, near Lake Titicaca (between 3650 and 4200 m above sea level). Until 50 years ago, the production was exclusively located in South America. The United States started to produce in 1947, and Europe continued the expansion process in the 1970s. Since the 2000s, the cultivation of quinoa has expanded globally due to the recognition of its nutritional value and its ability to adapt to different geographic regions. Its consumption was promoted in many countries with food safety problems due to its high content of proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals together with an excellent balance of essential amino acids. In addition, it has the possibility of being cultivated in a wide diversity of agroecological environments, especially because it is tolerant to frost and drought and grows even in saline soils. In most countries, it is grown in small areas and with very little use of chemical inputs. The increase in the worldwide quinoa area is related to an increase in scientific knowledge, especially in crop agronomy for different environments. Currently, the main trend is the breeding of plant varieties adapted to specific conditions in countries with growing demand. Consumption focuses on pearlized and saponin-free grain and increasingly in processed products. A market niche for organically produced quinoa with a designation of origin is stable. The upward trend in quinoa consumption will continue in industrialized countries because it responds to a structural process associated with changes in eating habits. Quinoa is a food of the future, not only because it is a crop to improve food security in some