Quinoa vs. Raw Turkey
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Raw Turkey
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
quinoa
versus
raw turkey
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and raw turkey:
- Both quinoa and raw turkey are high in calories.
- For omega-3 fatty acids, quinoa has more dha than raw turkey.
- Quinoa has 5.3 times less saturated fat than raw turkey.
- Quinoa has more thiamin and folate, however, raw turkey contains more niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
- Quinoa is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Raw turkey has signficantly less carbohydrates than quinoa.
- Raw turkey is a great source of potassium.
- Raw turkey is an excellent source of protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Raw Turkey (Turkey, whole, meat and skin, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both quinoa and raw turkey are high in calories. Raw turkey has 20% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and raw turkey has 144 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to raw turkey per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for raw turkey, 63:0:37 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Quinoa | Raw Turkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15% | 63% |
| Carbohydrates | 71% | ~ |
| Fat | 15% | 37% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Raw turkey has signficantly less carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and raw turkey has 0.14g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in quinoa are made of 83% starch, 13% dietary fiber and 4% sugar, whereas the carbs in raw turkey comprise of 50% sugar and 50% starch.
dietary fiber
Quinoa is a great source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than raw turkey - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and raw turkey does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Quinoa and raw turkey contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and raw turkey has 0.07g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Raw turkey is an excellent source of protein and it has 392% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and raw turkey has 21.6g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Quinoa has 5.3 times less saturated fat than raw turkey - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and raw turkey has 1.5g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both raw turkey and quinoa are low in trans fat - raw turkey has 0.06g of trans fat per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Quinoa has less cholesterol than raw turkey - raw turkey has 72mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Raw turkey has more Vitamin A than quinoa - raw turkey has 17ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin D
Raw turkey has more Vitamin D than quinoa - raw turkey has 12iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Quinoa and raw turkey contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and raw turkey has 0.09mg of Vitamin E.
The B Vitamins
Quinoa has more thiamin and folate, however, raw turkey contains more niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Both quinoa and raw turkey contain significant amounts of riboflavin.
| Quinoa | Raw Turkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.107 MG | 0.048 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 MG | 0.185 MG |
| Niacin | 0.412 MG | 7.631 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.811 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.123 MG | 0.599 MG |
| Folate | 42 UG | 7 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | ~ | 1.22 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Quinoa and raw turkey contain similar amounts of calcium - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and raw turkey has 11mg of calcium.
iron
Quinoa has 73% more iron than raw turkey - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and raw turkey has 0.86mg of iron.
potassium
Raw turkey is a great source of potassium and it has 30% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and raw turkey has 224mg of potassium.
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, quinoa has more DHA than raw turkey per 100 grams. Both quinoa and raw turkey contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Quinoa | Raw Turkey | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.085 G | 0.079 G |
| DHA | 0.015 G | 0.003 G |
| EPA | ~ | 0.002 G |
| DPA | ~ | 0.004 G |
| Total | 0.1 G | 0.088 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both quinoa and raw turkey contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Quinoa | Raw Turkey | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.974 G | 1.307 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.006 G |
| Total | 0.974 G | 1.313 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 Raw Turkey (Turkey, whole, meat and skin, raw) .
Cooked Quinoa g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Raw Turkey g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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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 % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does quinoa or raw turkey contain more calories in 100 grams?Both quinoa and raw turkey are high in calories. Raw turkey has 20% more calories than quinoa - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and raw turkey has 144 calories.
Is quinoa or raw turkey better for protein?
Raw turkey is a fantastic source of protein and it has 390% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and raw turkey has 21.6g of protein.
Does quinoa or raw turkey have more carbohydrates?
By weight, raw turkey has signficantly fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and raw turkey has 0.14g of carbohydrates. the carbs in quinoa are made of 80% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar, whereas the carbs in raw turkey comprise of 50% sugar and 50% starch.