Is Quinoa Keto? The Ultimate Guide to Understanding If Quinoa Is Keto-Friendly

Have you started the ketogenic diet and want to know if quinoa is keto-friendly? The protein-rich superfood has gained popularity, of course, due to its high nutritional value.

Well, quinoa is not particularly keto friendly, as it contains a moderate amount of carbs. Still, cooked quinoa has a lot less carbs than other whole grains and you can incorporate it occasionally into your keto diet in small portions.

Read on to find out all about quinoa, its nutritional value and how to include it into your ketogenic dietary regimen.

Key takeaways

• Keto foods are high in fats and low in carbs.
• Quinoa can be a keto food in spite of having a high carb content.
• Eat quinoa in small amounts to maintain the state of ketosis.
• Other foods like cauliflower rice and almond flour make good alternatives to grains.

Understanding the Ketogenic Diet

We all know that a ketogenic diet promotes the consumption of foods that are high in fats and protein but low in carbs. When you replace significant portions of carbohydrates with fat in your diet, your body is forced into a metabolic state of ketosis.

In this state, your body burns fats instead of carbohydrates, which are lacking in your system. So, instead of carbs, fats are used to create energy for your body. And we all know what burning more fats means – losing weight! You'll start seeing a drop in your weight very soon.

Furthermore, during ketosis, insulin levels drop significantly. That's the reason why keto is considered a great diet for people with diabetes.

But what foods exactly are included in a keto diet?

Here is a list of keto-friendly foods you should consider eating:

• Condiments like herbs, spices, pepper, and salt
• Healthy oils of olive and avocado
• Heavy cream and grass-fed butter
• Pastured eggs
• Vegetables like greens, onions, tomatoes, peppers, etc.
• All kinds of meat, including chicken, beef, turkey, ham, bacon, steak, etc.
• Fish like tuna, salmon, and trout and other types of seafood
• Nuts and seeds

What Is Quinoa?

Quinoa, is classified as whole grain, however, it is actually a seed of the Chenopodium quinoa plant. These plants are native to the Andean region of South America. Locals have cultivated these seeds in the Andes Mountains for thousands of years because of their nutritional benefits.

Quinoa is also considered pseudocereal because it can be processed and consumed like cereal. You can incorporate it in almost any type of dish, including breakfast cereals, smoothies, salads, soups, stews and desserts.

Quinoa: Nutrients Facts

You might be wondering about the nutritional value of quinoa. It is full of macronutrients and micronutrients.

The table below gives you detailed nutritional information about 1 cup of cooked quinoa:

Quinoa's Protein and Fat Profile

Did you know that quinoa contains all 9 types of essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own? This means that it is rich in protein, making it perfect for you if you are looking to increase your protein intake.

One cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of proteins. So, for vegans and vegetarians, this is an excellent way to get in more protein for your systems!

Speaking of fats, quinoa mostly has unsaturated fats and a small amount of saturated fats. See below the detailed breakdown:

• Monounsaturated fats: 1.5 grams
• Polyunsaturated fats: 1.4 grams
• Saturated fat: 0.7 grams

So, you can expect around 4 grams of fat in one cup of cooked quinoa.

Considering the amount of protein and fat in quinoa, it should make a good keto food. However, it still contains more carbs than fats, so you should eat quinoa only in moderation.

Raw Quinoa vs. Cooked Quinoa: Nutritional Value

To give you a more precise picture of the carb content of quinoa, here’s how the nutritional value of raw quinoa differs from the cooked portions.

Note that all values in the table are based on 1 cup, that is 185 grams of quinoa.

It's clear that cooked quinoa has significantly fewer carbs than its raw quinoa. This means that it is safe for you to incorporate it in various keto-friendly recipes if you pre-boiled this delicious superfood and make sure that you don’t exceed your carb intake for the day.

In addition, if you’re wondering whether quinoa has fewer carbs than other grains and grain-derived products, here’s a list of the net carb content in some popular no-go keto foods:

Net Carbohydrates content per 1 cup:

• Quinoa - 24.2 grams
• White Rice - 53 grams
• Brown Rice - 46 grams
• Wheat Pasta - 43 grams
• Whole-wheat Bread - 36 grams

To sum up, since quinoa has significantly less carbs than other grains, you can safely include it in your weekly meal plan even if you’re on the keto diet. Just stay vigilant with regards to your net carb consumption as a whole so that you don’t accidentally hinder the process of entering properly the state of ketosis.

Quinoa vs. Traditional Keto Foods

As discussed before, quinoa has moderate amounts of carbs, and a good protein and fat profile. Therefore, you don’t need to ban it completely from your ketogenic menu. As long as you consume more of other keto-friendly foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, you can still include this superfood, packed with healthy micronutrients.

Also, combine quinoa with leafy vegetables to prepare nutritional and tasty quinoa salad or mix it with natural yougurt and some berries for a refreshing snack.

Moreover when you know the exact content of carbs and other macronutrients in foods that are considered keto, then you can easily decide what you can pair quinoa with and how to add to your meal plan by incorporating it various recipes.

See below a table of different keto-friendly foods and quinoa, and how they compare, in terms of their nutrient content.

Although quinoa has significantly more carbohydrates than regular keto foods, it can be the perfect high-protein food to consume from time to time, especially if you only eat plant-based foods, be it because you’re a vegan on keto or simply trying to cut down meat.

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Alternative Low Carb Grains That Are Keto-friendly

You probably know that grains like wheat and rice are hardly keto-friendly. So, what alternative grains can you eat while on the ketogenic diet? We can think of cauliflower rice, shirataki rice, and almond flour as some good options. Let’s see their neitrient content in more detail and how you can add them to keto meal plan.

Cauliflower Rice

It is an excellent alternative to white rice as it contains just 3-4 grams of carbs per cooked cup. A great way to enjoy cauliflower rice is to stir-fry it with veggies, eggs, and soy sauce.

Shirataki Rice

It is shaped and textured like noodles but is made from konjac root. Shirataki rice has essentially no digestible carbs. You can have it in a steaming tasty soup anytime.

Almond Flour

Fancy some pancakes? For that, almond flour can come to your rescue! It is an excellent alternative to wheat flour.

Glycemic Index and Its Importance in Keto

When talking about the keto diet, you must have come across the term ‘Glycemic Index.’ But does it mean?

Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale from 0 to 100 that rates foods based on how quickly they raise your blood sugar levels. Foods that do it quickly are on the higher side of the scale, and those that do it slowly are on the lower side.

The Glycemic Index of quinoa is 53, which means it's not that high or too low. It won’t increase your sugar levels instantaneously, but you’ll feel the effect after some time.

But how does the Glycemic Index affect ketosis?

If you consume foods with high glucose levels, the body uses that glucose instead of fats to generate energy, and this can easily kick the body out of the state of ketosis. As quinoa has moderate GI, there’s less risk of affecting your ketogenic goals.

The Place for Quinoa in Modified Keto Diets

Keto is not as simple as it used to be. It now has several types of modified diets like Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD), Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD), and High-Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD), or Vegan Keto Diet. All of these have different dietary protocols. So, how does quinoa fit into all of this?

For CKD, where you alternate between 5-6 days of strict ketosis and 1-2 days of high-carb intake, quinoa can be consumed on the high-carb days.

In TKD, you are supposed to have a carb intake around your workouts. This means that you’ll be burning these carbs with exercise. A good bowl of quinoa before a workout session can be an excellent way to include this superfood while on TKD.

Regarding HPKD, you need to intake more protein than on a regular keto diet. We have already established that quinoa has all the essential amino acids and high protein content, which makes it suitable to consume if you’re on the high-protein keto diet.

And when it comes to vegans, who are on keto, quinoa can again save the day, as folks, who rely on plant-based food only, cannot get protein from animal-derived products.

Is Quinoa Keto-Friendly? FAQs

How much quinoa can I eat on keto?

You can eat ¼ cup of quinoa a day on a keto diet to keep the carbs intake in check and satisfy your taste buds at the same time.

Are there any keto-friendly quinoa recipes?

Yes, there are many keto-friendly quinoa recipes. Moreover, quinoa is so versatile, so you can incorporate it into your breakfast, eat it as a salad side dish or a snack, or cook it as a main course.

Is quinoa better than rice for keto?

Quinoa isn't better than brown rice, but it’s definitely a better option than white rice if you’re on the keto diet.

Is Quinoa keto-friendly?

Yes, quinoa can be keto-friendly if you eat it in controlled portion sizes.

What are some alternatives to quinoa for a keto diet?

Some alternatives to quinoa for a keto diet are shredded broccoli rice, cauliflower rice, and shredded water chestnut rice.

How does the glycemic index of quinoa affect ketosis?

The glycemic index of quinoa is moderate (53), so it doesn’t affect the body’s state of ketosis to a large extent.

Can quinoa fit into modified keto diets like CKD, TKD, or HPKD?

Yes, quinoa can fit into modified keto diets like CKD, TKD, or HPKD.

What are the risks of including quinoa in a keto diet?

Quinoa has carbs, so if you don’t restrict your portion size or eat it in moderation, you may risk affecting the ketosis state of your body.

Final Thoughts

While quinoa may not fit perfectly into a strict keto diet due to its higher carb content, there are plenty of low-carb, nutrient-packed alternatives that work beautifully for keto meals. For a variety of delicious, chef-crafted keto dishes that make it easy to stay on track, explore CookUnity’s keto-friendly meal delivery service. Enjoy the convenience of balanced, low-carb meals delivered to your door, so you can focus on your health goals without the meal prep. Try CookUnity today and save 50% on your first week!

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References: Harvard University, WebMD, Healthline, InsideTracker, MedicalNewsToday