What's The story on Quinoa and Protein?

I must have been asked about quinoa at least 5 times in the last week so time to write a blog.

The most common misconception is that quinoa is high in protein.  Clients have asked me if they can substitute quinoa for their other protein sources.  The marketers of quinoa have blown the small additional amount of protein out of proportion.

Let’s break it down to see how it pans out:

                                                                        Calories             Carbs              Protein       Fat

Brown Rice, 1 cup cooked                          195               45 grams        5 grams        2 gms  

Quinoa, 1 cup cooked                                   222               39 grams        8 grams       3.5 gms

Quinoa has 3 more grams of protein than brown rice.  Significant?  Hardly.  Both are good sources of whole grains/fiber and gluten-free, but the protein difference is insignificant considering 1 large egg or ¼ cup of cottage cheese contain 8 grams of protein each.

These two sources of whole grains are preferred over pasta, white rice, and other starchy carbohydrates since they are high in fiber and have a lower glycemic index but are not considered substitutes for protein and contain a fair amount of carbohydrate so have small amounts and balance it with your favorite protein source.