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Quinoa

Chenopodium quinoa

Also known as Quinua

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A pseudocereal seed from a plant related to spinach and beet, cooked and used as a grain. The USDA reference entry is for the uncooked seed, which roughly triples in weight during cooking.

Blood Sugar & Metabolic HealthHeart HealthMuscle & Physical Performance

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited: small trials report a lower glucose response when quinoa replaces refined grains, but the number of human studies is small and follow-up is short.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

There is not yet a dependable body of human research showing that quinoa improves blood lipids, and the broader claim that ancient grains are nutritionally superior to other whole grains is not supported by comparative trials.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Insufficient evidence

Contains a more complete amino acid profile than most cereal grains, including appreciable lysine. Direct human research on muscle outcomes from quinoa specifically is minimal.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Quinoa

Ask about Quinoa

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories368 kcal18%
Protein14.1 g28%
Total fat6.07 g8%
Carbohydrate64.2 g23%
Fibre7 g25%
Water13.3 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.706 g4%
Monounsaturated fat1.61 g—
Polyunsaturated fat3.29 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0.047 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)2.98 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A1 µg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E2.44 mg16%
Vitamin K0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.36 mg30%
Riboflavin (B2)0.318 mg24%
Niacin (B3)1.52 mg10%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.772 mg15%
Vitamin B60.487 mg29%
Folate184 µg46%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline70.2 mg13%
Minerals
Calcium47 mg4%
Iron4.57 mg25%
Magnesium197 mg47%
Phosphorus457 mg37%
Potassium563 mg12%
Sodium5 mg0%
Zinc3.1 mg28%
Copper0.59 mg66%
Manganese2.03 mg88%
Selenium8.5 µg15%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene8 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin163 µg—
Ash2.38 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Quinoa, uncooked (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168874).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • soakedReduces saponins

    Rinsing quinoa under running water, or soaking and draining it, removes most of the bitter saponins from the seed coat. Pre-washed commercial quinoa has had this done already.

  • sproutedReduces phytate

    Germinating quinoa for a day or two activates phytase and lowers phytate, which increases the availability of iron and zinc from the seed.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Saponins and bitterness

    Unrinsed quinoa tastes bitter because of saponins in the seed coat. Saponins are irritant to the gut at high concentrations, though the amounts left in rinsed culinary quinoa are not a practical concern for most people.

  • Worth knowing

    Phytate and mineral absorption

    Quinoa supplies useful iron, zinc and magnesium but also phytate, which binds those minerals in the same meal. Soaking or sprouting before cooking reduces it.

  • Worth knowing

    Fibre load and gut symptoms

    The fibre content is high enough that a sudden switch to quinoa as a staple can cause gas and loose stools until the gut adapts.