Quinoa vs. Cocoa Powder
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Cocoa Powder
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
quinoa
versus
cocoa powder
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and cocoa powder:
- Both quinoa and cocoa powder are high in calories and dietary fiber.
- Cocoa powder has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
- Cocoa powder is an excellent source of calcium, iron, potassium and protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Cocoa Powder (Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both quinoa and cocoa powder are high in calories. Cocoa powder has 90% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 228 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is heavier in carbs, lighter in fat and similar to cocoa powder for protein. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for cocoa powder, 18:53:29 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Quinoa | Cocoa Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15% | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 71% | 53% |
| Fat | 15% | 29% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cocoa powder is high in carbohydrates and quinoa has 63% less carbohydrates than cocoa powder - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 57.9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both quinoa and cocoa powder are high in dietary fiber. Cocoa powder has 12 times more dietary fiber than quinoa - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 37g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Quinoa and cocoa powder contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 1.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cocoa powder is an excellent source of protein and it has 345% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 19.6g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Cocoa powder is high in saturated fat and quinoa has 97% less saturated fat than cocoa powder - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 8.1g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Quinoa and cocoa powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - quinoa has 1.5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cocoa powder does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Quinoa and cocoa powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Cocoa powder and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - cocoa powder has 2.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Cocoa powder has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Both quinoa and cocoa powder contain significant amounts of thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Quinoa | Cocoa Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.107 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 MG | 0.241 MG |
| Niacin | 0.412 MG | 2.185 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.254 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 MG | 0.118 MG |
| Folate | 42 UG | 32 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Cocoa powder is an excellent source of calcium and it has 653% more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 128mg of calcium.
iron
Cocoa powder is an excellent source of iron and it has 830% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 13.9mg of iron.
potassium
Cocoa powder is an excellent source of potassium and it has 786% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 1524mg 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, both quinoa and cocoa powder contain significant amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Quinoa | Cocoa Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 53 UG | 38 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, quinoa has more linoleic acid than cocoa powder per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Cocoa Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.974 G | 0.44 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.977 G | 0.44 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Cocoa Powder (Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened) .
Cooked Quinoa g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Cocoa Powder g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does quinoa or cocoa powder contain more calories in 100 grams?Both quinoa and cocoa powder are high in calories. Cocoa powder has 90% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and cocoa powder has 228 calories.
Does quinoa or cocoa powder have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cocoa powder is high in carbohydrates and quinoa has 60% fewer carbohydrates than cocoa powder - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and cocoa powder has 57.9g of carbohydrates.
Does quinoa or cocoa powder contain more calcium?
Cocoa powder is a rich source of calcium and it has 650% more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium in 100 grams and cocoa powder has 128mg of calcium.
Does quinoa or cocoa powder contain more iron?
Cocoa powder is an abundant source of iron and it has 830% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron in 100 grams and cocoa powder has 13.9mg of iron.
Does quinoa or cocoa powder contain more potassium?
Cocoa powder is a rich source of potassium and it has 790% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium in 100 grams and cocoa powder has 1524mg of potassium.