Quinoa: Worth the high calories?

bellevie86
bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I want people's opinions on Quinoa....I love the stuff because its super easy to make lots of at once plus I'm a vegetarian so it's a great source of protein for me....But it's 160 cals per 1/4 cup, that seems like alot to take it at once? It keeps me super full so i don't end up eating crap at night though...Any comments/concerns?
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Replies

  • glitteratthesea
    glitteratthesea Posts: 104 Member
    Why not? If it keeps you full.

    I had this with my breakfast. I first ate two slices of bread and so and that were like 250 calories. But after a few hours I got hungry again and started eating (bad stuff too). Now I eat quark with some lemonade. Almost 400 calories, but I don't eat till lunch, so after all, because it keeps me full, I eat less calories.
  • freckles_cmj
    freckles_cmj Posts: 205 Member
    Several sources I checked say it has 222 calories per CUP of plain COOKED quinoa http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/10352/2
    It will of course have much higher calorie count for uncooked as it swells and 1/4 cup UNCOOKED makes almost A CUP COOKED?

    I LOVE it, and use it often as I would rice
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    Yeah i think in the end it's worth it. Bread doesn't do the same, it's a high glycemic index food....that's why i noticed after i ate a huge sub from subway I'd be STARVING two hrs later. Plus i'm not getting the protein from other places than vegs and seeds....not a nut person either :( And hattttteeeeeee FISH yuck!!!
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    Oh maybe its the type i have......The box says 160 per 1/4 cup....but it doesnt say cooked or uncooked cuz it swells up right?
  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    A serving of the brown rice I get is 150 calories for 1/2 cup UNcooked. Thats about 2/3 cup cooked. Just a comparison. Quinoa is the newest fad grain, and it's good if you can pair something with its earthy taste. I would stick with it, especially if you feel it fills you up better than other grains.
  • freckles_cmj
    freckles_cmj Posts: 205 Member
    Oh maybe its the type i have......The box says 160 per 1/4 cup....but it doesnt say cooked or uncooked cuz it swells up right?

    that has to be uncooked :happy:
  • Keiko385
    Keiko385 Posts: 514 Member
    My box is 1/4 cup uncooked. It makes a lot and it goes a long way. I seem to always have a bowl of it the fridge. I spoon some over m veggies or add it to my salads for a little extra texture
  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    Yeah i think in the end it's worth it. Bread doesn't do the same, it's a high glycemic index food....that's why i noticed after i ate a huge sub from subway I'd be STARVING two hrs later. Plus i'm not getting the protein from other places than vegs and seeds....not a nut person either :( And hattttteeeeeee FISH yuck!!!

    If you want a great bread, try ezekiel. It's not made with flour and the glycemic index is 36, compared to 70 of white bread. It's much more nutritious than regular bread also. It's in the frozen section. This is the only bread I eat now
  • zazuofcloud10
    zazuofcloud10 Posts: 4
    I eat vegaterian as well, and I love quinoa. It's a great grain and it really does fill you up. I would say stick with it, it's way better than some of the other stuff out there.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    Loooove quinoa, totally worth the calories. Fiber, iron, calcium, complete protein, who could ask dor anything more. Totally filling too.
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    Yeah I've found sites that argue both ways about the caloric value....so im just gonna assume the box is meaning uncooked. It's just dumb that they don't have the stats for both, even KD has both lol. And for bread i actually use the Brand Silver Hills sprouted grains. I just meant in the past i'd find that if i ate it i'd be super hungry not even 2 hrs later! That's the secret with me....if my blood sugar gets out of whack im grumpy and starving lol
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
    Oh maybe its the type i have......The box says 160 per 1/4 cup....but it doesnt say cooked or uncooked cuz it swells up right?

    that has to be uncooked :happy:

    If you cook it in water which has zero calories, if it swells or not there are no extra calories.
    Follow the calorie count the box says. Only add calories if you add extra stuff.

    Original question, yes I would it would be worth it if it keeps you full longer.
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    Lol i know water has zero calories. But the volume increases. Therefore a cup uncooked would be more cooked, just not sure how much more it would have been!
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    And if i go by the box only one cup is 640 calories? Ummm that's half my intake for the day.
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    Quinoa is not high calorie. Enjoy!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    quinoa is amazing.

    it took me a little while to figure out the taste, and i prefer to cook it with chicken broth.
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    You do realize that that is for 1/4 cup dry as in Uncooked it will expand a lot when you cook it!

    ETA : measure your servings dry then divide the cooked product by the number of servings you made.
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    GOOD im glad, cause i LOVE this stuff. Its easy to make in bulk and the options are endless for recipes! The other day i made mini egg fritattas with quinoa, spinach, mush, onions, parm cheese, and some spices. A-MA-ZING, especially for on the go! Thanks!
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    I use quinoa in baking, just made these amazing banana chocolate chip powerhouse muffins.... SOOO delish.

    http://www.pardonthedoghair.com/2012/08/quinoa-powerhouse-muffins/
  • mfoutch86
    mfoutch86 Posts: 87
    And if i go by the box only one cup is 640 calories? Ummm that's half my intake for the day.


    1/4 cup of DRY quiona is 172 calories. As it cooks, it expands, and reaches a volume of about 1 cup. ITS STILL 172 calories, because the caloric value is based on the original starting weight of approx 46 grams, which is unrelated to its volume.

    So one cup of DRY quinoa is 688( 172X4) calories, but would give you nearly 4 cups of cooked product volume.
  • shanmackie
    shanmackie Posts: 194 Member
    i eat it all the time BECAUSE it's so low calorie and good for you. I make like a cup of it and eat it one part at a time. it's really great late at night when I need to get some protein in after roller derby practice.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    just pulled this up:

    8 Health Benefits of Quinoa:

    1. High quality protein with the nine essential amino acids, the protein balance is similar to milk. At 16.2 to 20 percent protein, it has is more protein than rice (7.5 percent), millet (9.9 percent) or wheat (14 percent).

    2. Great source of riboflavin. Riboflavin has been shown to help reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine sufferers by improving the energy metabolism within the brain and muscle cells.

    3. Inca warriors had more stamina and quicker recovery time by eating these quinoa seeds, making it a truly ancient powerfood.

    4. Antiseptic. The saponins from quinoa are used to promote healing of skin injuries in South America.

    5. Not fattening! Only 172 calories per 1/4 cup dry (24 of the calories from protein and only 12 from sugars, the rest are complex carbohydrates, fiber and healthy fats).

    6. Gluten-free. Since it is not not related to wheat, or even a grain, it is gluten-free.

    7. Alkaline-forming. Although it is not strongly alkaline-forming, it is comparable to wild rice, amaranth, and sprouted grains.

    8. Smart Carb: It is a complex carbohydrate with a low glycemic index, so it won’t spike your blood sugar.



    Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-health-benefits-of-quinoa.html#ixzz2H8g1NgOC
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    Well there it is....I just didn't know the ratio. OK. so it's basically 1:4. Yeah I know the only way it's gonna go up in calories is if i add stuff. I wasn't kidding. I thought that value was ridiculous if that was really the case. Thx
  • gingerveg
    gingerveg Posts: 748 Member
    Yes! And I don't think it is all that high considering it is comparable to rice etc. You're a vegetarian too so I definitely think you should continue eating it.
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    Cool. Thanks all!!! Just basically needed to figure out the ratio of uncooked to cooked ahahaha. And it got a bit confusing. But now its all good and I'll continue to enjoy it!
  • veganashley
    veganashley Posts: 70 Member
    Quinoa is one of my favorite foods. It's delicious, filling, high in protein, and all around healthy. It's a great choice. Keep eating it!
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Red quinoa cooked in chicken broth with wilted kale and some pine nuts. Totally worth it.
  • JustAGirlyGeek
    JustAGirlyGeek Posts: 149 Member
    Bumping for later :)
  • karenmi
    karenmi Posts: 242 Member
    Quinoa is a seed, not a grain, and seeds are really good for you.

    I love it for breakfast, in salads for lunch and for dinner instead of rice or potatoes. Yummy!
  • puccapak
    puccapak Posts: 1 Member
    Ok, so my question is how much calorie is in 1/4 cup of COOKED quinoa! So confusing.

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