Quinoa vs. Parmesan Cheese
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Parmesan Cheese
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
quinoa
versus
parmesan cheese
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and parmesan cheese:
- Both quinoa and parmesan cheese are high in calories.
- Parmesan cheese has 5.6 times less carbohydrates than quinoa.
- Parmesan cheese has more beta-carotene than quinoa, however, quinoa contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than parmesan cheese.
- Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A, calcium and protein.
- Quinoa has more thiamin and folate, however, parmesan cheese contains more riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B12.
- Quinoa is a great source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both quinoa and parmesan cheese are high in calories. Parmesan cheese has 227% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 392 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to parmesan cheese per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for parmesan cheese, 38:3:59 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Quinoa | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15% | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 71% | 3% |
| Fat | 15% | 59% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Parmesan cheese has 5.6 times less carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 3.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Quinoa is a great source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than parmesan cheese - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and parmesan cheese does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Quinoa and parmesan cheese contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 0.11g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein and it has 713% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Parmesan cheese is high in saturated fat and quinoa has 98% less saturated fat than parmesan cheese - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 14.9g of saturated fat.
cholesterol
Quinoa has less cholesterol than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 68mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than quinoa - parmesan cheese has 207ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin D
Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin D than quinoa - parmesan cheese has 19iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Quinoa and parmesan cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 0.22mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Parmesan cheese and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - parmesan cheese has 1.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Quinoa has more thiamin and folate, however, parmesan cheese contains more riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B12. Both quinoa and parmesan cheese contain significant amounts of niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Quinoa | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.107 MG | 0.039 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 MG | 0.332 MG |
| Niacin | 0.412 MG | 0.271 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.453 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 MG | 0.091 MG |
| Folate | 42 UG | 7 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | ~ | 1.2 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of calcium and it has 68 times more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium.
iron
Quinoa has 82% more iron than parmesan cheese - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 0.82mg of iron.
potassium
Quinoa has 87% more potassium than parmesan cheese - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 92mg 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, parmesan cheese has more beta-carotene than quinoa per 100 grams, however, quinoa contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than parmesan cheese per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3 UG | 66 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 53 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, parmesan cheese has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than quinoa per 100 grams, however, quinoa contains more dha than parmesan cheese per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.085 G | 0.297 G |
| DHA | 0.015 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.1 G | 0.297 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, quinoa has more linoleic acid than parmesan cheese per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.974 G | 0.272 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.977 G | 0.272 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 Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) .
Cooked Quinoa g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Parmesan Cheese 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 % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 parmesan cheese contain more calories in 100 grams?Both quinoa and parmesan cheese are high in calories. Parmesan cheese has 230% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and parmesan cheese has 392 calories.
Is quinoa or parmesan cheese better for protein?
Parmesan cheese is a fantastic source of protein and it has 710% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein.
Does quinoa or parmesan cheese have more carbohydrates?
By weight, parmesan cheese has 5.6 times fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and parmesan cheese has 3.2g of carbohydrates.
Does quinoa or parmesan cheese contain more calcium?
Parmesan cheese is a rich source of calcium and it has 68 times more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium in 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium.