Quinoa vs. Pecan
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Pecan
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
quinoa
versus
pecan
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and pecan:
- Both quinoa and pecan are high in calories and dietary fiber.
- Pecan has more beta-carotene than quinoa, however, quinoa contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than pecan.
- Pecan has more thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
- Pecan is a great source of iron and protein.
- Pecan is an excellent source of calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Pecan (Nuts, pecans) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both quinoa and pecan are high in calories. Pecan has 476% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and pecan has 691 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is heavier in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to pecan per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for pecan, 5:8:88 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Quinoa | Pecan | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15% | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 71% | 8% |
| Fat | 15% | 88% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Pecan has 35% less carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and pecan has 13.9g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in quinoa are made of 83% starch, 13% dietary fiber and 4% sugar, whereas the carbs in pecan comprise of 68% dietary fiber, 28% sugar and 3% starch.
dietary fiber
Both quinoa and pecan are high in dietary fiber. Pecan has 243% more dietary fiber than quinoa - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and pecan has 9.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Quinoa and pecan contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and pecan has 4g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Pecan is a great source of protein and it has 108% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and pecan has 9.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Pecan is high in saturated fat and quinoa has 96% less saturated fat than pecan - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and pecan has 6.2g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Pecan has more Vitamin C than quinoa - pecan has 1.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Pecan and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - pecan has 3ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Quinoa and pecan contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and pecan has 1.4mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Pecan and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - pecan has 3.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Pecan has more thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Both quinoa and pecan contain significant amounts of riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Quinoa | Pecan | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.107 MG | 0.66 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 MG | 0.13 MG |
| Niacin | 0.412 MG | 1.167 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.863 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 MG | 0.21 MG |
| Folate | 42 UG | 22 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Pecan is an excellent source of calcium and it has 312% more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and pecan has 70mg of calcium.
iron
Pecan is a great source of iron and it has 70% more iron than quinoa - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and pecan has 2.5mg of iron.
potassium
Pecan is an excellent source of potassium and it has 138% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and pecan has 410mg 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, pecan has more beta-carotene than quinoa per 100 grams, however, quinoa contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than pecan per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Pecan | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3 UG | 29 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 53 UG | 17 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, pecan has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than quinoa per 100 grams, however, quinoa contains more dha than pecan per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Pecan | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.085 G | 0.986 G |
| DHA | 0.015 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.1 G | 0.986 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, pecan has more linoleic acid than quinoa per 100 grams.
| Quinoa | Pecan | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.974 G | 20.628 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.069 G |
| Total | 0.974 G | 20.697 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 (%) |
Pecan 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 pecan contain more calories in 100 grams?Both quinoa and pecan are high in calories. Pecan has 480% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and pecan has 691 calories.
Does quinoa or pecan have more carbohydrates?
By weight, pecan has 40% fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and pecan has 13.9g of carbohydrates. the carbs in quinoa are made of 80% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar, whereas the carbs in pecan comprise of 70% dietary fiber, 30% sugar and 0% starch.
Does quinoa or pecan contain more calcium?
Pecan is a rich source of calcium and it has 310% more calcium than quinoa - quinoa has 17mg of calcium in 100 grams and pecan has 70mg of calcium.
Does quinoa or pecan contain more potassium?
Pecan is a rich source of potassium and it has 140% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium in 100 grams and pecan has 410mg of potassium.