Quinoa vs. Hemp Seeds
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Hemp Seeds
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
quinoa
versus
hemp seeds
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and hemp seeds:
- Both quinoa and hemp seeds are high in calories and dietary fiber.
- Hemp seed has 59% less carbohydrates than quinoa.
- Hemp seed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Hemp seed is an excellent source of calcium, iron, potassium and protein.
- Quinoa has signficantly less saturated fat than hemp seed.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Hemp Seeds (Seeds, hemp seed, hulled) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both quinoa and hemp seeds are high in calories. Hemp seed has 361% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and hemp seed has 553 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to hemp seeds per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for hemp seeds, 21:6:73 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Quinoa | Hemp Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15% | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 71% | 6% |
| Fat | 15% | 73% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Hemp seed has 59% less carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and hemp seed has 8.7g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both quinoa and hemp seeds are high in dietary fiber. Hemp seed has 43% more dietary fiber than quinoa - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and hemp seed has 4g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Quinoa and hemp seeds contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and hemp seed has 1.5g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Hemp seed is an excellent source of protein and it has 617% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and hemp seed has 31.6g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Quinoa has signficantly less saturated fat than hemp seed - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and hemp seed has 4.6g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Hemp seeds and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - hemp seed has 0.5mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Hemp seeds and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - hemp seed has 1ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Quinoa and hemp seeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and hemp seed has 0.8mg of Vitamin E.
The B Vitamins
Hemp seed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Quinoa | Hemp Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.107 MG | 1.275 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 MG | 0.285 MG |
| Niacin | 0.412 MG | 9.2 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 MG | 0.6 MG |
| Folate | 42 UG | 110 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Hemp seed is an excellent source of calcium and it has 312% more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and hemp seed has 70mg of calcium.
iron
Hemp seed is an excellent source of iron and it has 434% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and hemp seed has 8mg of iron.
potassium
Hemp seed is an excellent source of potassium and it has 598% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and hemp seed has 1200mg 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 hemp seeds contain small amounts of beta-carotene.
| Quinoa | Hemp Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3 UG | 7 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 53 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, hemp seed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than quinoa per 100 grams, however, quinoa contains more dha than hemp seed per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Hemp Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.085 G | 10.024 G |
| DHA | 0.015 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.1 G | 10.024 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, hemp seed has more linoleic acid than quinoa per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Hemp Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.974 G | 27.459 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 1.34 G |
| Total | 0.974 G | 28.799 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 Hemp Seeds (Seeds, hemp seed, hulled) .
Cooked Quinoa g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Hemp Seeds 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 hemp seeds contain more calories in 100 grams?Both quinoa and hemp seeds are high in calories. Hemp seed has 360% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and hemp seed has 553 calories.
Does quinoa or hemp seeds have more carbohydrates?
By weight, hemp seed has 60% fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and hemp seed has 8.7g of carbohydrates.
Does quinoa or hemp seeds contain more calcium?
Hemp seed is a rich source of calcium and it has 310% more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium in 100 grams and hemp seed has 70mg of calcium.
Does quinoa or hemp seeds contain more iron?
Hemp seed is an abundant source of iron and it has 430% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron in 100 grams and hemp seed has 8mg of iron.
Does quinoa or hemp seeds contain more potassium?
Hemp seed is a rich source of potassium and it has 600% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium in 100 grams and hemp seed has 1200mg of potassium.