Lentil vs. Quinoa — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison
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What are the differences between lentil and quinoa?
- Lentil is higher in folate, iron, fiber, copper, potassium, and vitamin B1, yet quinoa is higher in magnesium and manganese.
- Lentil's daily need coverage for folate is 35% more.
- Lentil has 3 times more fiber than quinoa. While lentil has 7.9g of fiber, quinoa has only 2.8g.
- The glycemic index of lentil is lower.
We used Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt and Quinoa, cooked types in this article.
Infographic
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Mineral Comparison
Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
| Contains more CalciumCalcium | +11.8% |
| Contains more PotassiumPotassium | +114.5% |
| Contains more IronIron | +123.5% |
| Contains more CopperCopper | +30.7% |
| Contains more ZincZinc | +16.5% |
| Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus | +18.4% |
| Contains less SodiumSodium | -71.4% |
| Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium | +77.8% |
| Contains more ManganeseManganese | +27.7% |
Vitamin Comparison
Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
| Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C | +∞% |
| Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 | +57.9% |
| Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 | +157.3% |
| Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 | +∞% |
| Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 | +44.7% |
| Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K | +∞% |
| Contains more FolateFolate | +331% |
| Contains more CholineCholine | +42.2% |
| Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E | +472.7% |
| Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 | +50.7% |
Macronutrient Comparison
Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
| Contains more ProteinProtein | +105% |
| Contains more FatsFats | +405.3% |
~equal in
Carbs
~21.3g
~equal in
Water
~71.61g
~equal in
Other
~0.77g
Fat Type Comparison
Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
| Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat | -77.1% |
| Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat | +725% |
| Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat | +516% |
Comparison summary table
Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in price |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Saturated fat |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Rich in minerals |
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| Rich in vitamins |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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DV% diff. |
| Folate | 181µg | 42µg | 35% |
| Iron | 3.33mg | 1.49mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 7.9g | 2.8g | 20% |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.638mg | 13% | |
| Protein | 9.02g | 4.4g | 9% |
| Starch | 17.63g | 7% | |
| Copper | 0.251mg | 0.192mg | 7% |
| Magnesium | 36mg | 64mg | 7% |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.175g | 1.078g | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.494mg | 0.631mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 369mg | 172mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.169mg | 0.107mg | 5% |
| Vitamin B3 | 1.06mg | 0.412mg | 4% |
| Phosphorus | 180mg | 152mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.178mg | 0.123mg | 4% |
| Vitamin E | 0.11mg | 0.63mg | 3% |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.073mg | 0.11mg | 3% |
| Zinc | 1.27mg | 1.09mg | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 1.5mg | 0mg | 2% |
| Fats | 0.38g | 1.92g | 2% |
| Choline | 32.7mg | 23mg | 2% |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.064g | 0.528g | 1% |
| Vitamin K | 1.7µg | 0µg | 1% |
| Saturated fat | 0.053g | 0.231g | 1% |
| Calories | 116kcal | 120kcal | 0% |
| Carbs | 20.13g | 21.3g | 0% |
| Net carbs | 12.23g | 18.5g | N/A |
| Calcium | 19mg | 17mg | 0% |
| Sugar | 1.8g | 0.87g | N/A |
| Sodium | 2mg | 7mg | 0% |
| Selenium | 2.8µg | 2.8µg | 0% |
| Tryptophan | 0.081mg | 0.052mg | 0% |
| Threonine | 0.323mg | 0.131mg | 0% |
| Isoleucine | 0.39mg | 0.157mg | 0% |
| Leucine | 0.654mg | 0.261mg | 0% |
| Lysine | 0.63mg | 0.239mg | 0% |
| Methionine | 0.077mg | 0.096mg | 0% |
| Phenylalanine | 0.445mg | 0.185mg | 0% |
| Valine | 0.448mg | 0.185mg | 0% |
| Histidine | 0.254mg | 0.127mg | 0% |
| Omega-3 - DHA | 0g | 0.015g | N/A |
Which food is preferable for your diet?
is better in case of low diet
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
25%
11%
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
46%
38%
Comparison summary
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Quinoa is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.93g)
Which food is cheaper?
Quinoa is cheaper (difference - $1.1)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Lentil contains less Sodium (difference - 5mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated fat?
Lentil is lower in Saturated fat (difference - 0.178g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Lentil is lower in glycemic index (difference - 24)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Lentil is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Lentil is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
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The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)