Quinoa vs. Lentils
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Cooked Lentils
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
quinoa
versus
cooked
lentils
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and lentils:
- Both quinoa and lentils are high in calories and dietary fiber.
- Lentil has more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Lentil is a great source of protein.
- Lentil is an excellent source of iron and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both quinoa and lentils are high in calories. Quinoa is very similar to lentil for calories - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to lentils per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for lentils, 30:67:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Quinoa | Lentils | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15% | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 71% | 67% |
| Fat | 15% | 3% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Quinoa and lentils contain similar amounts of carbs - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both quinoa and lentils are high in dietary fiber. Lentil has 182% more dietary fiber than quinoa - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Quinoa and lentils contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and lentil has 1.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 105% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both quinoa and lentils are low in saturated fat - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Lentil has more Vitamin C than quinoa - lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Lentils and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - lentil has 2.4ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Quinoa and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Lentils and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Lentil has more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both quinoa and lentils contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
| Quinoa | Lentils | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.107 MG | 0.169 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 MG | 0.073 MG |
| Niacin | 0.412 MG | 1.06 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.638 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 MG | 0.178 MG |
| Folate | 42 UG | 181 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Quinoa and lentils contain similar amounts of calcium - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.
iron
Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 123% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.
potassium
Lentil is an excellent source of potassium and it has 115% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg 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 lentils contain small amounts of beta-carotene.
| Quinoa | Lentils | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3 UG | 5 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 53 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, quinoa has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and DHA than lentil per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Lentils | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.085 G | 0.037 G |
| DHA | 0.015 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.1 G | 0.037 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, quinoa has more linoleic acid than lentil per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Lentils | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.974 G | 0.137 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.977 G | 0.137 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 (%) |
Cooked Lentils 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 lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?Both quinoa and lentils are high in calories. Quinoa is quite similar to lentil for calories - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.
Does quinoa or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, quinoa and lentils contain similar amounts of carbs - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
Does quinoa or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 120% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.
Does quinoa or lentils contain more potassium?
Lentil is a rich source of potassium and it has 120% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.