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.

What about that Movie Popcorn?

One of the things I hear in my office on a regular basis is “and why aren’t I supposed to be eating that movie popcorn?”  This week’s LA Times “Movie Popcorn Still a Nutritional Horror” gives the stats on the nutritionals of movie theatre popcorn.  American culture associates popcorn with movies, or eating with movies.   How bad is movie popcorn and is it really going to break your health bank?  It all depends on your goals, and how often you go to the movies.  If you are normal weight, and go to the movies sporadically this blog may not be for you.

If you need to lose weight and/or are insulin resistant here’s the scoop.  The average medium sized movie popcorn adds up to somewhere between 700-1300 calories which are coming from carbohydrate and fat. 

Let’s say you work hard all week long at your lifestyle changes– you are watching your bites closely and have averaged eating 200 calories less per day.  You’ve gone to the gym diligently and are getting your rest.  Your deficit for the week is 1400 calories and some change for the extra calories you have burned during your workouts.  For simplicity let’s say your total deficit is 1800 calories.  A weekly movie popcorn could wipe out at least half that work and one or two other blips could obliterate it.  Ask yourself – “if I work hard all week, is it worth it to change that hard work in a 2 hour movie”?

Sometimes all it takes is telling yourself you are changing the habit and re-wiring your brain to accept new scenarios – when going to the movies you can go after a meal, or bring your usual snack of nuts and fruit, or just stick to water.  Your brain and body will fight with you for a few times but will eventually give up and get used to your new routine.   In A Recipe for Life I outline how all the little extra bites DO add up.  How about starting with the movies?  Your Lifestyle bank will thank you.