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.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
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 15:71:15 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 | 15% | 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 common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Cooked Quinoa g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Edamame g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
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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 % |
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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 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.