Quinoa vs. Wheat — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison
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What are the main differences between quinoa and wheat?
- Quinoa is richer in folate, vitamin B2, and polyunsaturated fat, while wheat is higher in selenium, manganese, vitamin B3, zinc, and fiber.
- Wheat's daily need coverage for selenium is 53% higher.
- Wheat has 4 times less polyunsaturated fat than quinoa. Quinoa has 1.078g of polyunsaturated fat, while wheat has 0.243g.
- Quinoa is lower in sugar.
We used Quinoa, cooked and Wheat, KAMUT khorasan, cooked types in this comparison.
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 MagnesiumMagnesium | +33.3% |
| Contains more CalciumCalcium | +88.9% |
| Contains less SodiumSodium | -12.5% |
| Contains more IronIron | +18.1% |
| Contains more ZincZinc | +68.8% |
| Contains more ManganeseManganese | +63.2% |
| Contains more SeleniumSelenium | +1039.3% |
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 EVitamin E | +162.5% |
| Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 | +12.6% |
| Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 | +266.7% |
| Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 | +75.7% |
| Contains more FolateFolate | +281.8% |
| Contains more CholineCholine | +∞% |
| Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 | +459.5% |
Macronutrient Comparison
Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
| Contains more FatsFats | +131.3% |
| Contains more OtherOther | +13.2% |
| Contains more ProteinProtein | +29.8% |
| Contains more CarbsCarbs | +29.6% |
~equal in
Water
~65.18g
Fat Type Comparison
Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
| Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat | +528.6% |
| Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat | +343.6% |
| Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat | -66.7% |
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 Saturated fat |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in price |
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| Rich in vitamins |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Rich in minerals | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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DV% diff. |
| Selenium | 2.8µg | 31.9µg | 53% |
| Manganese | 0.631mg | 1.03mg | 17% |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.412mg | 2.305mg | 12% |
| Folate | 42µg | 11µg | 8% |
| Starch | 17.63g | 7% | |
| Zinc | 1.09mg | 1.84mg | 7% |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.11mg | 0.03mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 2.8g | 4.3g | 6% |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.078g | 0.243g | 6% |
| Choline | 23mg | 4% | |
| Magnesium | 64mg | 48mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123mg | 0.07mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1.49mg | 1.76mg | 3% |
| Vitamin E | 0.63mg | 0.24mg | 3% |
| Protein | 4.4g | 5.71g | 3% |
| Copper | 0.192mg | 0.207mg | 2% |
| Carbs | 21.3g | 27.6g | 2% |
| Fats | 1.92g | 0.83g | 2% |
| Saturated fat | 0.231g | 0.077g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.528g | 0.084g | 1% |
| Calories | 120kcal | 132kcal | 1% |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.107mg | 0.095mg | 1% |
| Phosphorus | 152mg | 147mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 17mg | 9mg | 1% |
| Net carbs | 18.5g | 23.3g | N/A |
| Potassium | 172mg | 164mg | 0% |
| Sugar | 0.87g | 3.07g | N/A |
| Sodium | 7mg | 8mg | 0% |
| Trans fat | 0.002g | N/A | |
| Tryptophan | 0.052mg | 0.051mg | 0% |
| Threonine | 0.131mg | 0.172mg | 0% |
| Isoleucine | 0.157mg | 0.22mg | 0% |
| Leucine | 0.261mg | 0.432mg | 0% |
| Lysine | 0.239mg | 0.161mg | 0% |
| Methionine | 0.096mg | 0.097mg | 0% |
| Phenylalanine | 0.185mg | 0.3mg | 0% |
| Valine | 0.185mg | 0.267mg | 0% |
| Histidine | 0.127mg | 0.147mg | 0% |
| Omega-3 - DHA | 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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People also compare
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
11%
8%
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
38%
61%
Comparison summary
Which food is lower in Saturated fat?
Wheat is lower in Saturated fat (difference - 0.154g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Wheat is lower in glycemic index (difference - 3)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Quinoa is lower in Sugar (difference - 2.2g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Quinoa contains less Sodium (difference - 1mg)
Which food is cheaper?
Quinoa is cheaper (difference - $0.4)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Quinoa is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
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The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is richer in minerals?
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It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.