Cooked quinoa consists of 71.6% water, 21.3% carbohydrates, 4.4% protein, and 1.92% fat. One cup (185 grams) of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories. The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked quinoa are ( 5 ): Carbs make up 21% of cooked quinoa, which is comparable to barley and rice. About 83% of the carbs are starches.
Quinoa has all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a complete vegetable protein. It’s also easy to digest and for vegetarians and vegans, it is a perfect alternative to animal protein.
Similar to other grains, quinoa fat is mainly composed of palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid ( 21, 24, 25 ). The carbs in quinoa consist mainly of starch, insoluble fibers, and small amounts of sugar and resistant starch. This grain is considered a complete protein and provides 2 grams of fat per 3.5 ounces (100 grams).