Quinoa VS Rice
I thought I would put this short article together because I had a few emails along the lines of ‘quinoa is super healthy isn't it, I should be eating that over rice shouldn’t I?’. It made me think.. hang on a minute – no, rice is perfectly healthy too!
We live in a world where marketing rules what we think about food.. But truth be told you should NOT be feeling guiltily about eating white or brown rice over ‘superfood’ quinoa! Especially considering the price difference (rice is much more affordable).
Don’t get me wrong, I love rice or Quinoa - teamed with some protein and veggies for a simple staple dinner. I like to mix it up, as all grains; white rice, brown rice, quinoa, barley etc. have such different tastes! But quinoa is not some super human food that is going to make you ultra healthy, contrary to many ‘superfood’ articles. I do like to have it if I’m not having some protein in my dinner as it is a grain which is a little higher in protein.
How does rice and Quinoa compare?
Estimates Per 100g cooked: (can slightly change depending on type, source, cooking methods)
|
Quinoa |
Rice |
|
|
Energy calories |
120 calories |
130 calories |
|
Protein |
4.4 |
2.4 |
|
Fat, total |
1.9 |
0.2(white) 0.8(brown) |
|
Fat, saturated |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
Carbohydrate |
21 |
28 |
|
sugars |
0 |
0 |
|
Fibre |
2.8 |
1(white) 2 (brown) |
Quinoa is a little higher in magnesium, potassium and iron (we are not talking big differences here!)
All grains have a unique taste and texture. Eat what you enjoy! They are all great wholefoods.
Don’t know how to cook quinoa? Check my recipes section or click below, for the easiest and best way!