Quinoa
What it is
Quinoa is an edible seed used much like a cereal grain. Kew places Chenopodium quinoa in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. This entry's nutrition table describes cooked quinoa rather than dry seed.
What it does
Per 100 g, the cooked reference provides 21.3 g of carbohydrate, 4.4 g of protein, and 2.8 g of fiber. It also provides 64 mg of magnesium and 1.49 mg of iron. Quinoa contributes several nutrients, but this composition record alone does not support calling it a complete meal.
Research context and ingredient forms
These are food-composition values. They do not measure a clinical effect or compare quinoa with every other grain or seed. The table also does not assess protein digestibility or establish that a particular serving meets a person's protein needs.
Using this information
Choose a cooked-food record when weighing cooked quinoa. Applying dry-seed values to the same weight of cooked food would compare different food forms. Use the ingredient amounts and finished weight for dishes containing oil, broth, vegetables, or other additions.
Food sources and composition
| Nutrient | Amount and serving basis | Food and source |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 120 kcal per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Protein | 4.4 g per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 21.3 g per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.8 g per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Magnesium, Mg | 64 mg per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Iron, Fe | 1.49 mg per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Folate, total | 42 µg per 100 g edible portion | Quinoa, cooked; Quinoa, cooked SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
Scientific Research & References
- Quinoa, cooked
2019 · USDA Agricultural Research Service
Limitations: Food/preparation-specific composition; not clinical-trial evidence or an individual absorption estimate.
Source assessment recorded.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release: Documentation
2018 · USDA Agricultural Research Service
Limitations: Historical dataset; values may be analytical, calculated, imputed, or assumed zero. Not clinical-outcome evidence.
Source assessment recorded.
- Chenopodium quinoa Willd. — Plants of the World Online
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Limitations: Used for botanical identity and culinary form only; no health-effect claims imported.
Source assessment recorded.
- Quinoa — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Limitations: Used for botanical identity and culinary form only; no health-effect claims imported.
Source assessment recorded.
Related dictionary entries
Products containing it
No label-specific product relationship has been reviewed for this entry.