Quinoa vs Rice: Which is healthier? Quinoa offers more protein, fiber, and nutrients. Discover the nutritional benefits and delicious uses of both grains in your diet!
When it comes to the Great Pantheon of the grain gods,ricehas historically reigned supreme. But in recent years, a new contender has been climbing up thesuperfoodranks. We’re talking aboutquinoa, of course!
But is one really better than the other? Read on to find out if quinoa or rice is healthier for you.
Quinoa vs. rice nutrition
Quinoaandricecan both be a healthy addition to a balanced diet. However, quinoa is slightly higher in nutrients like calcium, iron,magnesium, phosphorus,potassium, andzinc.
Here’s what 1 cup of cooked quinoa, brown rice, and white rice has to offer.
Rice pros and cons
Quinoa pros and cons
Taste, texture, and uses
OK, now that we’ve gotten all of that out the way we can get to the important stuff. How do these magical little pellets taste and what can you use them for? Here’s the scoop.
Whencooked correctly, quinoa should be fluffy and slightly chewy with an almost nutty flavor. Think brown rice but more flavorful. In other words, it’s delightful.
Varieties of quinoa are usually divided by color and all taste slightly different. Some of the most common types that you’re likely to come across are:
Rice can take many forms — thousands, in fact! Although most taste mild, some, like brown rice, have an earthy flavor. The texture can be soft and fluffy or chewy depending onhow you cook it.
Apart from the ubiquitous white and brown rice, these are some of the kinds you’re most likely to find at your local grocery store:
Offerings likeSpanish riceandrice pilafare not actually varieties of rice per se. They’re actually rice dishes made from white rice. And they’re bothdelicious.
P.S. You’ll often notice terms like long-grain or short-grain rice. This indicates (surprise!) the length of the individual grains of rice. The length of the grain doesn’t make a big difference, but you might have a personal preference.
The final verdict
The judges have tallied up their scorecards and the decision is about to be announced. Ladies and gentlemen, we have … a draw? A little anticlimactic. But here’s the thing — rice and quinoa are both great. They have similar nutritional profiles, they’re both delicious, and they both can be served in a myriad of delightful ways.
Due to its stronger flavor quinoa is probably less suitable for desserts and sweet offerings (thinkrice puddingor sticky rice). But, you know, you could still try? Bon appetit!
