Quinoa vs. Edamame

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Edamame


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cooked quinoa versus edamame (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and edamame:

  • Both edamame and quinoa are high in calories and dietary fiber.
  • Edamame has 58% less carbohydrates than quinoa.
  • Edamame has more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Edamame is a great source of iron and protein.
  • Edamame is an excellent source of calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of quinoa and edamame is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Quinoa src
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Calories and Carbs

calories

Both edamame and quinoa are high in calories. Edamame is very similar to quinoa for calories - edamame has 121 calories per 100 grams and quinoa has 120 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to edamame per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:14 and for edamame, 37:27:36 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Quinoa Edamame
Protein 15% 37%
Carbohydrates 71% 27%
Fat 14% 36%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Edamame has 58% less carbohydrates than quinoa - edamame has 8.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and quinoa has 21.3g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in edamame are made of 58% dietary fiber, 25% sugar and 17% starch, whereas the carbs in quinoa comprise of 83% starch, 13% dietary fiber and 4% sugar.

dietary fiber

Both edamame and quinoa are high in dietary fiber. Edamame has 86% more dietary fiber than quinoa - edamame has 5.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Edamame and quinoa contain similar amounts of sugar - edamame has 2.2g of sugar per 100 grams and quinoa has 0.87g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Edamame is a great source of protein and it has 171% more protein than quinoa - edamame has 11.9g of protein per 100 grams and quinoa has 4.4g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both edamame and quinoa are low in saturated fat - edamame has 0.62g of saturated fat per 100 grams and quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both edamame and quinoa are low in trans fat - edamame has 0.01g of trans fat per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Edamame has more Vitamin C than quinoa - edamame has 6.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Edamame has more Vitamin A than quinoa - edamame has 15ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Edamame and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - edamame has 0.68mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Edamame has more Vitamin K than quinoa - edamame has 26.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Edamame has more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both quinoa and edamame contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6.

Quinoa Edamame
Thiamin 0.107 MG 0.2 MG
Riboflavin 0.11 MG 0.155 MG
Niacin 0.412 MG 0.915 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 0.395 MG
Vitamin B6 0.123 MG 0.1 MG
Folate 42 UG 311 UG

Minerals

calcium

Edamame is an excellent source of calcium and it has 271% more calcium than quinoa - edamame has 63mg of calcium per 100 grams and quinoa has 17mg of calcium.

iron

Edamame is a great source of iron and it has 52% more iron than quinoa - edamame has 2.3mg of iron per 100 grams and quinoa has 1.5mg of iron.

potassium

Edamame is an excellent source of potassium and it has 153% more potassium than quinoa - edamame has 436mg of potassium per 100 grams and quinoa has 172mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Quinoa Edamame
beta-carotene 3 UG 175 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 53 UG 1619 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, edamame has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than quinoa per 100 grams, however, quinoa contains more dha than edamame per 100 grams.

Quinoa Edamame
alpha linoleic acid 0.085 G 0.358 G
DHA 0.015 G ~
EPA ~ 0.003 G
Total 0.1 G 0.361 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both quinoa and edamame contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Quinoa Edamame
linoleic acid 0.974 G 1.792 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.002 G
Total 0.974 G 1.794 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Quinoa or Edamame .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) .

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FAQ

Does edamame or quinoa contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both edamame and quinoa are high in calories. Edamame is quite similar to quinoa for calories - edamame has 121 calories in 100g and quinoa has 120 calories.

Is edamame or quinoa better for protein?
Edamame is a great source of protein and it has 170% more protein than quinoa - edamame has 11.9g of protein per 100 grams and quinoa has 4.4g of protein.

Does edamame or quinoa have more carbohydrates?
By weight, edamame has 60% fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - edamame has 8.9g of carbs for 100g and quinoa has 21.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in edamame are made of 60% dietary fiber, 30% sugar and 20% starch, whereas the carbs in quinoa comprise of 80% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar.

Does edamame or quinoa contain more calcium?
Edamame is a rich source of calcium and it has 270% more calcium than quinoa - edamame has 63mg of calcium in 100 grams and quinoa has 17mg of calcium.

Does edamame or quinoa contain more potassium?
Edamame is a rich source of potassium and it has 150% more potassium than quinoa - edamame has 436mg of potassium in 100 grams and quinoa has 172mg of potassium.

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