Why is quinoa better than rice

Both brown and white rice have small amounts of protein, clocking in at between four and five grams per cup when cooked. Quinoa, on the other hand, packs 8 grams per cup. Quinoa is one of the few plant sources that is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids.

Because your body is unable to produce some amino acids, it must get them from food sources. Neither brown nor white rice is a complete protein. In fact, rice contains only a few amino acids.

When it comes to truly fueling your body, quinoa is a better choice. Fiber has many functions. It helps keep you full longer, increases the amount of good bacteria in your gut, and can help reduce the risk of diabetes. Moreover, if you have diabetes or struggle with blood sugar spikes, fiber can help keep that in check. One cup of quinoa contains five grams of dietary fiber, but a cup of brown rice has slightly more than six grams of fiber.

For such a tiny seed, quinoa has a lot of protein: One cup cooked has 8 grams. Quinoa is one of the few plant sources of complete protein. This means it contains all nine of the essential amino acids your body needs.

Even so, quinoa is higher in calories than other protein sources. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free. Keep in mind that some brands may become cross-contaminated with other grains such as wheat during processing.

One cup of quinoa contains 5 grams of dietary fiber, which is more than white or brown rice. Fiber helps prevent constipation, helps control blood sugar levels, and may help lower cholesterol. Quinoa may help protect your gastrointestinal tract. According to a study , polysaccharides in the cell wall of quinoa showed gastroprotective activity against acute gastric lesions in rats. More study is needed on humans, but the study strengthens the theory that quinoa has anti-inflammatory abilities and is good for your gut.

Rice is a staple for people all over the world. It comes in many colors and sizes, but the two most popular types are white rice and brown rice.

White rice is the least nutritious of the two. Its husk, bran, and much of the germ has been removed. Many brands of white rice are enriched to restore the nutrients lost during processing. The husks are removed from brown rice, but the healthy bran and germ remain. White and brown rice are low in fat and sodium. They are free of cholesterol and trans fats. What makes amino acids essential?

As the body is unable to produce some of them, it is essential to acquire them from food sources, or supplementation.

Quinoa is very high in lysine, histidine, and methionine which is an excellent source of plant-based protein. Compared to barley, rice and other grains quinoa are made up of 20 percent of carbohydrates, 80 percent of carbs are from starches, and the remaining is mostly from sugar small amount , ribose, maltose, galactose, and fiber.

It also feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut improving gut health and helps in preventing risks of diseases. Another great benefit of insoluble fiber is that it helps the movement of materials in the digestive system, which is ideal for those with irregular stools and constipation.

In general, fiber has many benefits from normalizing bowel movements as mentioned above, lowering cholesterol levels, controlling sugar levels and especially helps in achieving your weight goals as fiber helps in making you feel fuller, in turn, you eat less. The fat composition of quinoa is mostly composed of linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acid just like other cereal grains; these three are the major acids present.

Quinoa has a higher amount of vitamins and minerals compared to other grains, especially rice, providing higher levels of fiber, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. Below is a list of the most common vitamins and minerals and some information for each that are found in quinoa:. There are countless other health benefits for each of those vitamins and minerals, each playing an important and individual role to maintain our overall health.

Rice is the most popular grain in the world; its cultivation began a little over 14, years ago, it too has many minerals and vitamins that are extremely healthy for our body. With different types, come three distinct forms of rice as well:. The information including all nutrition fact values provided below is based on 1 cup of cooked rice. White rice contains 2. All in all, white rice contains small amounts of fiber compared to quinoa, while brown rice has a higher source, neither compares to quinoa in nutritional values.

Rice has a much lower fat content, especially the healthy fats that the human body requires. If you want to eat quinoa, based purely on the protein content, it should be combined with other food types to provide a balance of the essential amino acids.

As you can see, the amounts are very low, increasing the amount of rice to eat will do you worse as the level of carbohydrates are very high, depending on your food intake and macros at the end of the day you might end up gaining weight.

Chemical compounds are known as phytochemicals , phytonutrients , and other names. The primary use of these chemicals is to help protect the plants from threads such as predators such as bugs, fungi, pathogens, and others.

They are non-essential nutrients , which means the human body does not need it for keeping the body healthy and alive. But that's not always a bad thing. Its low fiber count makes rice an excellent choice for those with an upset stomach, or people struggling with kidney stones or gastrointestinal issues, according to Goldberg, since fiber can further irritate the intestines. And what about those fancy rice varieties you see at health food stores? White rice one cup nutrition info :.

Brown rice one cup nutrition info :. To avoid cross-contamination, check the food labels to ensure neither have been processed in a facility that also manufactures wheat products. Since both rice and quinoa are so versatile, they make a great addition to your grocery list no matter the type of eater you are.

And for a completely different kind of food faceoff, watch Olivia Munn taste-test and judge vegan ice creams:. Get the recipe. In this hearty side salad, experiment with unique flavors that totally taste delicious together. Per serving : calories, 8 g fat 1 g saturated , 23 g carbs, mg sodium, 3 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein.