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  6. Wheat vs. Quinoa

Wheat vs. Quinoa — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison

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What are the main differences between Wheat and Quinoa?

  • Wheat is richer in Selenium, Manganese, Vitamin B3, Zinc, and Fiber, while Quinoa is higher in Folate, Vitamin B2, and Polyunsaturated fat.
  • Wheat's daily need coverage for Selenium is 53% higher.
  • Quinoa has 6 times less Vitamin B3 than Wheat. Wheat has 2.305mg of Vitamin B3, while Quinoa has 0.412mg.
  • Quinoa is lower in Sugar.

We used Wheat, KAMUT khorasan, cooked and Quinoa, cooked types in this comparison.

Infographic

Wheat vs Quinoa infographic
Infographic link

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.
Wheat
Wheat
5
:
5
Quinoa
Quinoa
Contains more Iron +18.1%
Contains more Zinc +68.8%
Contains more Manganese +63.2%
Contains more Selenium +1039.3%
Contains more Calcium +88.9%
Contains more Magnesium +33.3%
Contains less Sodium -12.5%
Equal in Phosphorus - 152
Equal in Potassium - 172
Equal in Copper - 0.192
Wheat
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 3% 66% 35% 63% 15% 2% 51% 69% 135% 174%
Quinoa
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 6% 56% 46% 66% 16% 1% 30% 64% 83% 16%
Contains more Iron +18.1%
Contains more Zinc +68.8%
Contains more Manganese +63.2%
Contains more Selenium +1039.3%
Contains more Calcium +88.9%
Contains more Magnesium +33.3%
Contains less Sodium -12.5%
Equal in Phosphorus - 152
Equal in Potassium - 172
Equal in Copper - 0.192

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.
Wheat
Wheat
1
:
9
Quinoa
Quinoa
Contains more Vitamin B3 +459.5%
Contains more Vitamin A +25%
Contains more Vitamin E +162.5%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +12.6%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +266.7%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +75.7%
Contains more Folate +281.8%
Wheat
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 1% 5% 0% 0% 24% 7% 44% 0% 17% 9% 0% 0%
Quinoa
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 1% 13% 0% 0% 27% 26% 8% 0% 29% 32% 0% 0%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +459.5%
Contains more Vitamin A +25%
Contains more Vitamin E +162.5%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +12.6%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +266.7%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +75.7%
Contains more Folate +281.8%

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Wheat
Wheat
2
:
3
Quinoa
Quinoa
Contains more Protein +29.8%
Contains more Carbs +29.6%
Contains more Fats +131.3%
Contains more Other +13.2%
Equal in Water - 71.61
Wheat
6% 28% 65%
Protein: 5.71 g
Fats: 0.83 g
Carbs: 27.6 g
Water: 65.18 g
Other: 0.68 g
Quinoa
4% 2% 21% 72%
Protein: 4.4 g
Fats: 1.92 g
Carbs: 21.3 g
Water: 71.61 g
Other: 0.77 g
Contains more Protein +29.8%
Contains more Carbs +29.6%
Contains more Fats +131.3%
Contains more Other +13.2%
Equal in Water - 71.61

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Wheat
Wheat
1
:
2
Quinoa
Quinoa
Contains less Saturated Fat -66.7%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +528.6%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +343.6%
Wheat
19% 21% 60%
Saturated Fat: 0.077 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.084 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.243 g
Quinoa
13% 29% 59%
Saturated Fat: 0.231 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.528 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.078 g
Contains less Saturated Fat -66.7%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +528.6%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +343.6%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Wheat Quinoa
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Rich in minerals Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Wheat Quinoa Opinion
Net carbs 23.3g 18.5g Wheat
Protein 5.71g 4.4g Wheat
Fats 0.83g 1.92g Quinoa
Carbs 27.6g 21.3g Wheat
Calories 132kcal 120kcal Wheat
Starch 17.63g Quinoa
Sugar 3.07g 0.87g Quinoa
Fiber 4.3g 2.8g Wheat
Calcium 9mg 17mg Quinoa
Iron 1.76mg 1.49mg Wheat
Magnesium 48mg 64mg Quinoa
Phosphorus 147mg 152mg Quinoa
Potassium 164mg 172mg Quinoa
Sodium 8mg 7mg Quinoa
Zinc 1.84mg 1.09mg Wheat
Copper 0.207mg 0.192mg Wheat
Manganese 1.03mg 0.631mg Wheat
Selenium 31.9µg 2.8µg Wheat
Vitamin A 4IU 5IU Quinoa
Vitamin E 0.24mg 0.63mg Quinoa
Vitamin B1 0.095mg 0.107mg Quinoa
Vitamin B2 0.03mg 0.11mg Quinoa
Vitamin B3 2.305mg 0.412mg Wheat
Vitamin B6 0.07mg 0.123mg Quinoa
Folate 11µg 42µg Quinoa
Tryptophan 0.051mg 0.052mg Quinoa
Threonine 0.172mg 0.131mg Wheat
Isoleucine 0.22mg 0.157mg Wheat
Leucine 0.432mg 0.261mg Wheat
Lysine 0.161mg 0.239mg Quinoa
Methionine 0.097mg 0.096mg Wheat
Phenylalanine 0.3mg 0.185mg Wheat
Valine 0.267mg 0.185mg Wheat
Histidine 0.147mg 0.127mg Wheat
Trans Fat 0.002g Quinoa
Saturated Fat 0.077g 0.231g Wheat
Omega-3 - DHA 0.015g Quinoa
Monounsaturated Fat 0.084g 0.528g Quinoa
Polyunsaturated fat 0.243g 1.078g Quinoa

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Wheat Quinoa
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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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
9%
Wheat
11%
Quinoa
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
61%
Wheat
38%
Quinoa

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Wheat
Wheat is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.154g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Wheat
Wheat is lower in glycemic index (difference - 3)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Quinoa
Quinoa is lower in Sugar (difference - 2.2g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Quinoa
Quinoa contains less Sodium (difference - 1mg)
Which food is cheaper?
Quinoa
Quinoa is cheaper (difference - $0.4)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Quinoa
Quinoa is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is richer in minerals?
?
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.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Wheat - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169744/nutrients
  2. Quinoa - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168917/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.