Quinoa, cooked
Checked by us One serving: 140 g (about ¾ cup) · 168 kcal
Lots of magnesium.
Nothing to watch.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (140 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
- A lot
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
89.6 mg in one serving: 22% of the 400 mg a day men need, 29% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
21 more nutrients below “a lot”
- Some
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
6.16 g in one serving: 11% of the 56 g a day men need, 13% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 1 absorption study of this nutrient is on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
- Some
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
3.92 g in one serving: 10% of the 38 g a day men need, 16% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- Some
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
58.8 µg in one serving: 15% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
1.53 mg in one serving: 14% of the 11 mg a day men need, 19% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.17 mg in one serving: 13% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.15 mg in one serving: 13% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 14% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.15 mg in one serving: 12% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 14% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
2.09 mg in one serving: 26% of the 8 mg a day men need, 12% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
1.79 mg in one serving: 11% of the 16 mg a day men need, 13% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
21 mg in one serving: 8% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
119 mg in one serving: 7% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, 11% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
3.92 µg in one serving: 7% of the 55 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
241 mg in one serving: 7% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 9% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
0.88 mg in one serving: 6% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
32.2 mg in one serving: 6% of the 550 mg a day men need, 8% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
Learn more
23.8 mg in one serving: 2% of the 1,000 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 900 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 90 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 120 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
Watch out
How we counted this
Inorganic arsenic
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 5 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the inorganic arsenic an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 4.4–22% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.46 µg (total As, upper bound 0.75)
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
No cap, on an upper bound: treating all of quinoa's total arsenic as inorganic, one serving is at most 0.0107 µg/kg body weight/day against EFSA 2024's adult average of 0.03-0.15, adding 7-36% (Foodtopsy's arithmetic), short of doubling it. Inorganic arsenic itself is not measured in quinoa.
US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement · grade B
Checked for cadmium, nickel and lead: fine at normal amounts.
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 4.7 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 1.54 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 8.7% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 77% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 16,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 980 g a week, which stays within the 4,600 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 8.7% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement · grade A
Nickel
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 48 servings in a day of this food alone to use up what the highest average adult intake we found leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 14 µg
How we got this
The highest average adult intake we found already takes up about 26% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 9,100 g a day would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 140 g a day, which stays within the 6,700 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
No cap: a 140 g cooked serving carries about 14 µg of nickel, 1.5% of EFSA's tolerable daily intake of 13 µg/kg body weight/day (910 µg at 70 kg; EFSA 2020). Under half the limit, so it cannot trigger a cap whatever the average intake is.
US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement · grade A
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 67 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 1.5% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.52 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
Lower bound 3.7, upper bound 6.3 µg/kg (non-detects at the reporting limit of 4); adds 1.5-2.5% to the average adult intake of 35 µg/day: far from doubling it, so no cap. No safe threshold is set for lead.
US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement · grade A
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sugar
1.2 g of sugar in a 140 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
Also measured in it
Figures from the dataset. None has a limit to be rated against, so none is a verdict.
Oxalate: 397–715 mg per 100 g in the sources we hold. · Manzanilla 2024 · grade B
We haven’t rated this food for oxalate. We count only a figure that comes from a grade A or B source and says it was measured per 100 g of the food as eaten, and none of the figures here does both.
Phytate: 554 mg per 100 g as eaten. · FAO 2018 · grade B
Phytate (also written InsP6, IP6 or phytic acid), the form in which plants store phosphorus, is found in whole grains, beans and nuts. It binds zinc in the gut and lowers how much zinc and plant (non-heme) iron you absorb. No limit applies.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Zinc fact sheet · NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Iron fact sheet
Also checked (nothing to act on) · 1
Noted for context, or not measured in this food yet.
Shown as context: relevant to people prone to calcium oxalate stones. No measured soluble or cooked value, so not rated.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 140 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
A food is listed only if it gives clearly more: at least a fifth more than this food, and at least 10% of the daily amount more.
More of what it’s good for
For magnesium: no other starchy sides we’ve checked give clearly more, in the same 140 g.
More nutrients per serving, counted together
The other starchy sides we’ve checked with more nutrients per serving than this one, counting at most 100 kcal. One score ranks them all, so the same few often lead.
Sweet potato, boiled- More vitamin A (1,102 µg vs 0 µg)
- More vitamin C (17.9 mg vs 0 mg)
- Less magnesium (25.2 mg vs 89.6 mg)
- Less folate (8.4 µg vs 58.8 µg)
Whole-wheat bread- More selenium (36.1 µg vs 3.92 µg)
- More niacin (7.72 mg vs 1.79 mg)
- More thiamin (0.55 mg vs 0.15 mg)
2 foods out of the 3 other starchy sides we’ve checked and could compare give clearly more nutrients per serving.
Where the calcium card measured that less calcium gets in than from milk, calcium counts for less; everything else is as listed.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
- Sweet potato, boiled
- 106 kcal in 140 g (this food: 168)
- More vitamin A (1,102 µg vs 0 µg)
- More vitamin C (17.9 mg vs 0 mg)
- Less magnesium (25.2 mg vs 89.6 mg)
- Less folate (8.4 µg vs 58.8 µg)
- Whole-wheat bread
- More fibre (8.4 g vs 3.92 g)
- More selenium (36.1 µg vs 3.92 µg)
- More niacin (7.72 mg vs 1.79 mg)
2 foods out of the 3 other starchy sides we’ve checked and could compare give clearly more nutrients, protein and fibre per calorie.
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g. In a typical diet most protein comes from other foods; among starchy sides, these help most.
- Whole-wheat bread12.3 g protein · 254 kcal per 100 g
White bread, toasted9 g protein · 290 kcal per 100 g
2 foods out of the 4 other starchy sides we’ve checked and could compare give clearly more protein, and more calories, per 100 g.
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Sweet potato, baked (Worth knowing: acrylamide).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Quinoa, cooked
How the serving was set: 140 g cooked (Health Canada C.7, grains)
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.085 g | 0.12 g | 0.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Calcium | 17 mg | 23.8 mg | 14.17 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| 17 mg | 23.8 mg | 14.17 mg | copy of USDA · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #5917 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 21.3 g | 29.82 g | 17.75 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Choline | 23 mg | 32.2 mg | 19.17 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Energy | 120 kcal | 168 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 0.015 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Fat | 1.92 g | 2.69 g | 1.6 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.231 g | 0.32 g | 0.19 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Fibre | 2.8 g | 3.92 g | 2.33 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Folate | 42 µg | 58.8 µg | 35 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Iron | 1.49 mg | 2.09 mg | 1.24 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Magnesium | 64 mg | 89.6 mg | 53.33 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 1.279 mg | 1.79 mg | 1.07 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #5917 | C |
| Phosphorus | 152 mg | 212.8 mg | 126.67 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Potassium | 172 mg | 240.8 mg | 143.33 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Protein | 4.4 g | 6.16 g | 3.67 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.11 mg | 0.15 mg | 0.09 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Selenium | 2.8 µg | 3.92 µg | 2.33 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Sodium | 7 mg | 9.8 mg | 5.83 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Sugars | 0.87 g | 1.22 g | 0.73 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.107 mg | 0.15 mg | 0.09 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 mg | 0.17 mg | 0.1 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin E | 0.63 mg | 0.88 mg | 0.53 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin K1 | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Water | 71.61 g | 100.25 g | 59.68 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Zinc | 1.09 mg | 1.53 mg | 0.91 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 3 µg | 4.2 µg | 2.5 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Copper | 0.192 mg | 0.27 mg | 0.16 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Ash | 0.76 g | 1.06 g | 0.63 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Starch | 17.63 g | 24.68 g | 14.69 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Energy | 503 kj | 704.2 kj | 419.17 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 5 iu | 7 iu | 4.17 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0 iu | 0 iu | 0 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.03 mg | 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 1.19 mg | 1.67 mg | 0.99 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.11 mg | 0.15 mg | 0.09 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Folate, food | 42 µg | 58.8 µg | 35 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 42 µg | 58.8 µg | 35 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.052 g | 0.07 g | 0.04 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Threonine | 0.131 g | 0.18 g | 0.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Isoleucine | 0.157 g | 0.22 g | 0.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Leucine | 0.261 g | 0.37 g | 0.22 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Lysine | 0.239 g | 0.33 g | 0.2 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Methionine | 0.096 g | 0.13 g | 0.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Cystine | 0.063 g | 0.09 g | 0.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 0.185 g | 0.26 g | 0.15 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.083 g | 0.12 g | 0.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Valine | 0.185 g | 0.26 g | 0.15 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Arginine | 0.34 g | 0.48 g | 0.28 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Histidine | 0.127 g | 0.18 g | 0.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Alanine | 0.183 g | 0.26 g | 0.15 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 0.353 g | 0.49 g | 0.29 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 0.58 g | 0.81 g | 0.48 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Glycine | 0.216 g | 0.3 g | 0.18 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Proline | 0.24 g | 0.34 g | 0.2 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Serine | 0.176 g | 0.25 g | 0.15 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.196 g | 0.27 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.012 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.465 g | 0.65 g | 0.39 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.974 g | 1.36 g | 0.81 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.085 g | 0.12 g | 0.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.003 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.015 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.031 g | 0.04 g | 0.03 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.027 g | 0.04 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.528 g | 0.74 g | 0.44 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.078 g | 1.51 g | 0.9 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 53 µg | 74.2 µg | 44.17 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Manganese | 0.631 mg | 0.88 mg | 0.53 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 0.412 mg | 0.58 mg | 0.34 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
| Retinol | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #168917 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Absorption studies
Studies of how much of a nutrient gets in; those done in animals are marked. This page quotes a figure only from a study that passes our screen: adults, graded A, of this food in this preparation, with a test dose on record and a source that has passed our evidence check. The exception is calcium on our calcium card: its figure comes from the card’s own study, checked with the card, and is marked “used” even where that study misses a step of this screen. The others are listed so nothing is hidden, each with the first check it fails.
No study of this food passes the screen yet, so no absorption figure is quoted.
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| López de Romaña 1981: boiled pearled quinoa, apparent N absorption (nutrient protein) pearled, cv 'Sajama primera', commercial (Industrias Alimenticias Cusco S.A.) · 'quinua perlada' (scarified and polished), washed three times in cold water, then boiled 60 minutes; diet also held sucrose, 50:50 soy and cottonseed oil, minerals and Polyvisol · load not reported as one figure: diets isonitrogenous, 256 mg N per 100 kcal, 100 to 150 kcal/kg/day by patient (Table 1) full text read | Protein | 66.6 % | not reported | 6 | A | Not used: no test dose on record. |
| López de Romaña 1981: boiled quinoa flour, apparent N absorption (nutrient protein) milled flour, cv 'Sajama primera' · quinoa flour (milled pearled quinoa), NOT washed, suspended in water and cooked 30 minutes until the starch gelatinised · load not reported as one figure: diets isonitrogenous, 256 mg N per 100 kcal, 100 to 150 kcal/kg/day by patient (Table 1) full text read | Protein | 69.8 % | not reported | 6 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 8.7% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · US FDA Total Diet Study (2018–2020) · A
- Inorganic arsenic · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · No cap, on an upper bound: treating all of quinoa's total arsenic as inorganic, one serving is at most 0.0107 µg/kg body weight/day against EFSA 2024's adult average of 0.03-0.15, adding 7-36% (Foodtopsy's arithmetic), short of doubling it. Inorganic arsenic itself is not measured in quinoa. · US FDA Total Diet Study (2018–2020) · B
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · Lower bound 3.7, upper bound 6.3 µg/kg (non-detects at the reporting limit of 4); adds 1.5-2.5% to the average adult intake of 35 µg/day: far from doubling it, so no cap. No safe threshold is set for lead. · US FDA Total Diet Study (2018–2020) · A
- Nickel · Nothing to watch: under the limit · No cap: a 140 g cooked serving carries about 14 µg of nickel, 1.5% of EFSA's tolerable daily intake of 13 µg/kg body weight/day (910 µg at 70 kg; EFSA 2020). Under half the limit, so it cannot trigger a cap whatever the average intake is. · US FDA Total Diet Study (2018–2020) · A
- Oxalate for kidney-stone formers · Context · Shown as context: relevant to people prone to calcium oxalate stones. No measured soluble or cooked value, so not rated. · Manzanilla 2024 · B
Oxalate, phytate and gut-tolerance measurements
- oxalate total: raw-flour measurement shown on the cooked row; no measured cooked-quinoa oxalate found mg/100 g · not stated (raw defatted flour) · raw defatted flour (preparation mismatch with the cooked listing; cooking adds about 3x water) · grade B · Manzanilla 2024
- phytate: 554.14 mg phytate (InsP6)/100 g FW (n 10); the abstract's 2060 mg/100 g is the dry-weight equivalent (2060 x (1-0.731) = 554, Foodtopsy's arithmetic) mg/100 g · fresh weight (water 73.1 g/100 g) · boiled on an electric hot plate until the tissue was soft · grade B · FAO 2018
- phytate: cooking a flour slurry reduced phytate (InsP6) + IP5 by 4 to 8% relative change · dry matter · water slurries of quinoa flour, cooked (high and low saponin seeds) · grade A · Valencia 1999
Sources
- Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - FAO/INFOODS, Phytate and phytic-acid composition database PhyFoodComp 1.0 (2018), sheet 01 rows 01060075, 01060076, 01060219-01060222
fao-phyfoodcomp-2018· full text read · FAO/INFOODS terms (not re-checked) - US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement
fda-tds-fy2018-2020· dataset · US government work (17 USC 105), public domain - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - López de Romaña G, Graham GG, Rojas M, MacLean WC Jr. Digestibilidad y calidad proteínica de la quinua: estudio comparativo, en niños, entre semilla y harina de quinua. Arch Latinoam Nutr 1981 Sep;31(3):485-497 · PMID 6807239
ldr1981· full text read · Publisher copyright (Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición); open PDF - Manzanilla-Valdez ML, Boesch C, Orfila C, Montaño S. Unveiling the nutritional spectrum: a comprehensive analysis of protein quality and antinutritional factors in three varieties of quinoa. Food Chem X 2024 (published Dec 30):101814 · doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101814 · PMID 39310886
manzanilla2024· full text read · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 - Valencia S, Svanberg U, Sandberg AS, Ruales J. Processing of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Willd): effects on in vitro iron availability and phytate hydrolysis. Int J Food Sci Nutr 1999 May · PMID 10627836
valencia1999· secondary source · Publisher copyright (journal article)
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.