How many calories are in quinoa?
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 222 calories. 100 g has 120 calories. On a Nutrition Facts label, calories are rounded to the nearest 5 or 10, so the panel above may show 220.
Nutrition database · Grains, rice and pasta
Cooked Quinoa Nutrition Facts, Calories and Protein
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 222 calories, 39.4 g of carbohydrate, 8.1 g of protein and 5.2 g of fiber. The numbers are USDA's for quinoa after cooking in water, the way it is measured on the plate, not dry from the bag.
Quinoa Nutrition Facts label
FDA standard format. Values use the FDA rounding rules for the serving you pick. Nutrients USDA does not report for this food print as 0 on the panel and as "not reported" in the table.
Download this label: SVG · PNG Free to use as a reference. A label for a product you sell needs your full recipe and ingredient statement.
1 cup (185 g)
At a glance
- Calories
- 222
- Protein
- 8.1 g · 16%
- Total carbohydrate
- 39.4 g · 14%
- Total fat
- 3.6 g · 5%
- Dietary fiber
- 5.2 g · 19%
- Total sugars
- 1.6 g · 0%
- Sodium
- 13 mg · 1%
Opens the free label generator with this amount of quinoa already added. Add the rest of your ingredients and the label updates as you go.
All nutrients for this serving
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories and macronutrients | |||
| Calories | 222 | 120 | |
| Total fat | 3.6 g | 5% | 1.92 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.4 g | 2% | 0.23 g |
| Trans fat | not reported | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 1 g | 0.53 g | |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 2 g | 1.08 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 13 mg | 1% | 7 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 39.4 g | 14% | 21.3 g |
| Dietary fiber | 5.2 g | 19% | 2.8 g |
| Total sugars | 1.6 g | 0.87 g | |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0% | 0 g |
| Protein | 8.1 g | 4.4 g | |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin A | 0 mcg | 0% | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% | 0 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1.2 mg | 8% | 0.63 mg |
| Vitamin K | 0 mcg | 0% | 0 mcg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.2 mg | 16% | 0.11 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.2 mg | 16% | 0.11 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.76 mg | 5% | 0.41 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.23 mg | 13% | 0.12 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 78 mcg | 19% | 42 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% | 0 mcg |
| Choline | 43 mg | 8% | 23 mg |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 31 mg | 2% | 17 mg |
| Iron | 2.8 mg | 15% | 1.49 mg |
| Potassium | 318 mg | 7% | 172 mg |
| Magnesium | 118 mg | 28% | 64 mg |
| Phosphorus | 281 mg | 22% | 152 mg |
| Zinc | 2 mg | 18% | 1.09 mg |
| Copper | 0.36 mg | 39% | 0.19 mg |
| Manganese | 1.2 mg | 51% | 0.63 mg |
| Selenium | 5.2 mcg | 9% | 2.8 mcg |
| Other | |||
| Water | 132.5 g | 71.6 g | |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | |
| Alcohol | 0 g | 0 g | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA reference values for adults and children 4 years and older). Per-100 g values are USDA figures before label rounding.
Quinoa nutrition by serving size
Every serving below is a USDA household measure for this food, a fraction of one, or a unit conversion. Amounts are USDA values scaled by weight; only the Nutrition Facts panel applies the coarser FDA label rounding.
| Serving | Weight | Calories | Total carbohydrate | Protein | Total fat | Dietary fiber | Total sugars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 185 g | 222 | 39.4 g | 8.1 g | 3.6 g | 5.2 g | 1.6 g |
| 1/2 cup | 92.5 g | 111 | 19.7 g | 4.1 g | 1.8 g | 2.6 g | 0.8 g |
| 100 g | 100 g | 120 | 21.3 g | 4.4 g | 1.9 g | 2.8 g | 0.9 g |
How much protein is in quinoa?
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 8.1 g protein, 16% of the 50 g Daily Value. 100 g has 4.4 g. At 10 to 19% DV per serving, that meets the FDA threshold for a "good source" claim.
How many carbs are in quinoa?
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 39.4 g total carbohydrate, including 5.2 g dietary fiber and 1.6 g total sugars. Carbohydrate minus fiber is 34.2 g.
How much fiber is in quinoa?
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 5.2 g of fiber, 19% of the Daily Value. 100 g has 2.8 g. At 10 to 19% DV per serving, that meets the FDA threshold for a "good source" claim.
How much magnesium is in quinoa?
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 118 mg of magnesium, 28% of the Daily Value. 100 g has 64 mg. At 20% DV or more per serving, that meets the FDA threshold for an "excellent source" claim.
How much iron is in quinoa?
A cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) has 2.8 mg of iron, 15% of the Daily Value. 100 g has 1.49 mg. At 10 to 19% DV per serving, that meets the FDA threshold for a "good source" claim.
Quinoa nutrition per 100 grams
100 g of quinoa has 120 calories, 4.4 g protein, 21.3 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g fiber, 0.87 g sugars and 1.92 g fat.
Where the calories in quinoa come from
About 71% of the calories in quinoa come from carbohydrate, 14% from fat and 15% from protein (Atwater factors of 4, 9 and 4 calories per gram).
What quinoa is
Quinoa is the seed of Chenopodium quinoa, a plant related to spinach and beets that has been grown in the Andes for thousands of years. It is not a cereal grass like wheat or rice, but it is cooked and eaten like a grain, so it is often called a pseudocereal. Quinoa contains no gluten.
The seeds grow with a coating of saponins, bitter, soapy compounds. Most quinoa sold in the US has been washed to remove them, and a quick rinse in a fine strainer before cooking removes any bitterness that is left.
White, red and black quinoa
White quinoa is the most common and cooks up the softest and fluffiest. Red and black quinoa keep their shape and stay a little chewier, which suits salads, and tricolor blends mix all three. USDA has one record for cooked quinoa and no separate records by color, so this page applies to all of them.
Uncooked vs cooked quinoa calories
Quinoa absorbs water as it cooks and ends up weighing about three times as much as it did dry. The calories stay with the seeds, so 100 g of uncooked quinoa has roughly three times the calories of 100 g cooked, which has 120. This is the most common source of confusion with quinoa numbers: a package label gives values for dry quinoa, while this page gives values for cooked. By USDA's cup weights, a quarter cup of dry quinoa makes about three-quarters of a cup cooked.
Foods made with quinoa
- Quinoa salad. Cooled quinoa with cucumber, tomato, chickpeas and an olive oil dressing. Cucumber · Tomato · Chickpeas · Olive Oil
- Grain bowls. Quinoa as the base under black beans, roasted sweet potato and avocado. Black Beans · Sweet Potato · Avocado
- Breakfast quinoa. Quinoa simmered in milk and topped with berries and honey, like oatmeal. Whole Milk · Blueberries · Honey
- Stuffed peppers. Peppers filled with quinoa, ground beef, onion and tomato. Ground Beef · Onion · Tomato
- Quinoa patties. Cooked quinoa bound with egg and garlic, shaped and pan-fried. Egg · Garlic · Olive Oil
Labeling a product made with quinoa
Decide whether you weigh quinoa dry or cooked and stay consistent. This record is for cooked quinoa, so it fits a salad or bowl where you weigh the cooked quinoa that goes into each batch. If your recipe starts from dry quinoa, use an uncooked quinoa record for the dry weight instead, or the water it absorbs will be counted wrong. Enter the ingredients in the label generator or the recipe nutrition calculator, and check the reference amount for your product type in the RACC lookup. A gluten-free claim depends on how your quinoa and other ingredients are handled, not only on quinoa itself.
Quinoa nutrition label for Canada, the EU and the UK
The same serving of quinoa, drawn by the label formats other markets require: the Canadian bilingual Nutrition Facts table, the EU nutrition declaration (per 100 g, energy in kJ and kcal, salt instead of sodium) and the UK nutrition information table with reference intakes. The generator switches between these and many more from one recipe.
Nutrition Facts
Valeur nutritive
Per 1 cup (185g) / pour 1 cup (185g)
Calories
220
% Daily Value* / % valeur quotidienne*
| Fat / Lipides | 3.6 g | 5 % |
| Saturated / Saturés | 0.4 g + Trans 0 g | 2 % |
| Cholesterol / Cholestérol | 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium | 15 mg | 1 % |
| Carbohydrate / Glucides | 39 g | 14 % |
| Fibre / Fibres | 5 g | 19 % |
| Sugars / Sucres | 2 g | 2 % |
| Protein / Protéines | 8 g | |
| Vitamin D / Vitamine D | 0 mcg | 0 % |
| Calcium | 31 mg | 2 % |
| Iron / Fer | 3 mg | 15 % |
| Potassium | 318 mg | 9 % |
*5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot
*5 % ou moins c'est peu, 15 % ou plus c'est beaucoup
*5 % ou moins c'est peu, 15 % ou plus c'est beaucoup
Nutrition Declaration
| Per 100g | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 502 kJ / 120 kcal |
| Fat | 1.9 g |
| of which saturates | 0.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 21 g |
| of which sugars | 0.9 g |
| Protein | 4.4 g |
| Salt | 0.0 g |
Nutrition Information
Typical values (1 servings per pack)
| Per 100g | Per 185g | %RI* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 502 kJ 120 kcal |
929 kJ 222 kcal |
11% |
| Fat | 1.9g | 3.6g | 5.1% |
| of which saturates | 0.2g | 0.4g | 2.1% |
| Carbohydrate | 21g | 39g | 15% |
| of which sugars | 0.9g | 1.6g | 1.8% |
| Fibre | 2.8g | 5.2g | - |
| Protein | 4.4g | 8.1g | 16% |
| Salt | 0.02g | 0.03g | <1% |
*Reference Intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
This pack contains approximately 1 servings.
Frequently asked questions about quinoa
Is quinoa a carb or a protein?
By calories it is mostly carbohydrate: a cup has 39.4 g of carbohydrate and 8.1 g of protein. Its protein contains all nine essential amino acids, which is why quinoa is often called a complete protein.
Quinoa vs rice: which has more protein and fiber?
Quinoa has more of both. Per 100 g cooked, it has 4.4 g of protein and 2.8 g of fiber, more than either white rice or brown rice, with slightly fewer calories than white rice and about the same as brown rice.
How many calories are in half a cup of cooked quinoa?
Half a cup of cooked quinoa (92.5 g) has 111 calories, 4.1 g of protein and 2.6 g of fiber.
Is quinoa gluten-free?
Quinoa itself contains no gluten. It can pick up traces of wheat, barley or rye where it is grown, milled or packed alongside those grains, so people who must avoid gluten look for quinoa labeled gluten-free.
What is a serving of quinoa?
This page defaults to 1 cup (185 g), a USDA household measure. The serving size on a packaged food label is set by the FDA reference amount (RACC) for its category, so a product label can use a different amount. The selector above shows every USDA measure for quinoa.
Can I use quinoa in a Nutrition Facts label calculation?
Yes. Open the generator with quinoa added, enter the weight you use, add your other ingredients and the label is calculated from the same USDA record shown here. A label for a product you sell must reflect your actual recipe and finished serving.
Quinoa compared with other forms
Different forms of the same food are separate USDA records, so each has its own page. Per 100 g:
| Form | Calories | Protein | Total fat | Total carbohydrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuinoaQuinoa, cooked | 120 | 4.4 g | 1.92 g | 21.3 g |
| Dry QuinoaQuinoa, uncooked | 368 | 14.1 g | 6.07 g | 64.2 g |
Related foods
Often compared or used with quinoa
- Brown Rice248 cal per 1 cup
- Couscous176 cal per 1 cup, cooked
- Chickpeas134 cal per 1/2 cup
- Oats153 cal per 1/2 cup
More in Grains, rice and pasta
Tools and guides for labeling quinoa
If you make and sell a product that contains quinoa, these free tools cover the next steps.
- Nutrition Facts label generatorAdd quinoa and your other ingredients; get a US label and other market formats.
- Recipe nutrition calculatorTotal the nutrition of a full recipe and divide it into servings.
- % Daily Value calculatorCheck any amount against the FDA reference values.
- Serving size (RACC) lookupFind the FDA reference amount for your product category.
- Food comparisonCompare quinoa with any other USDA food, per 100 g.
- Ingredient list formatterOrder and format an ingredient statement.
- US Nutrition Facts requirementsWhat 21 CFR 101.9 requires on a label.
Source and method
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018 release, public domain), record 168917: "Quinoa, cooked". Values are stored per 100 g exactly as USDA reports them and scaled to each serving by weight. The Nutrition Facts panel applies the FDA rounding rules in 21 CFR 101.9; tables and text show the scaled amounts at reading precision, so a figure can differ slightly from the panel. A nutrient USDA does not report for this food is shown as not reported, never as a guessed value.
SR Legacy predates the added sugars field. This is a whole or unsweetened food, so added sugars are shown as 0 g. View the USDA record ↗
Make a Nutrition Facts label with quinoa
Add quinoa and the rest of your recipe. The label, %DV and serving math are done for you. Free to start.