Is QUINOA Ketogenic?

Is Quinoa Ketogenic? Well the short answer is a surprising NO! Read on below to find out why.

Quinoa is often referred to as a superfood and touted as a healthier alternative to many alternative carbohydrate staples like rice or pasta. For example a cup of Quinoa has twice the proteins and 5g more fiber as a similar cup of white rice, while having 15 times less carbohydrates.

In addition, there is way more of the good stuff in Quinoa compared to the traditional carbohydrates, including the following:

Fiber – Quinoa has a high fiber content, ensuring that you feel “fuller” after consumption compared to other carbohydrates – and thus consume less, rather than continue eating beyond what your body requires.

Anti-oxidants – Quinoa is rich in Anti-oxidants like Vitamin E and is known to reduce risk from coronary heart disease, certain cancers and also improves eye function.

Manganese – important for the body’s development and metabolic functions, 1 cup of quinoa roughly supplies around 30% of adult daily requirements.

Iron – Quinoa is a good source of Iron, an important component of hemoglobin which is crucial for the oxygen carrying capability of blood.

Folate – Apart from assisting to prevent certain cancers and depression, folate is an essential element in the prevention of neural tube defects in babies and important in the diet especially of pregnant women.

Below is a table of the essential nutrients that Quinoa supplies:

Table from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274745#nutrition

So why is Quinoa … not … Ketogenic?

The answer to the question is that Quinoa is actually rather high in carbs. Half a cup of Quinoa already has 17g net carbohydrates, which will make anyone on a Keto exceed the per meal recommended quota of 10g net carbs for a Ketogenic diet

Is Quinoa Ketogenic? …. No but there are ways to accommodate Quinoa on some forms of Keto diets

Targeted Keto diet: for people who incorporate workouts around a keto diet, this form of Keto can allow a daily budget of 20-50g Net carbs… even up to 100g Net carbs for endurance athletes, without being kicked out of Ketosis.

Cyclical Keto diet: Some people cycle between a standard Keto diet and a high carb diet, and having Quinoa is no issue while on the typical high carb cycle.

Quinoa substitutes on a Ketogenic Diet

The following are good alternatives to Quinoa while on Keto. While they may not be full substitutes in terms of taste and texture, they do offer similar nutritional benefits without kicking you out of Ketosis:

• Chia seeds
• Flax meal
• Hemp seeds
• Shredded cauliflower
• Chopped nuts

Conclusion

Is Quinoa Ketogenic? No… however, if you are on an alternate form of Keto diet, such as the Targeted or Cyclical Keto diet, there is room to accommodate Quinoa in your diet. Otherwise with creative tweaks to recipe, Quinoa can be replaced with ingredients such as Flax meals, Hemp seeds or Chia seeds.