Brown rice vs Quinoa: nutrition compared
Brown rice has over 6× the niacin, over 2× the selenium, 1.7× the thiamin of Quinoa per 100 g. Quinoa has over 4× the folate, over 3× the vitamin E, over 2× the iron of Brown rice. Quinoa is lower in calories (120 vs 123 kcal per 100 g).
% Daily Value per serving
Nutrient by nutrient
Per serving: Brown rice 1 cup (202 g), Quinoa 1 cup (185 g). Per 100 g columns compare equal weights. The highlighted cell has the higher amount when the gap is at least 15%.
| Nutrient | Brown rice / serving | Quinoa / serving | Brown rice / 100 g | Quinoa / 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 248 12% | 222 11% | 123 | 120 |
| Protein (g) | 5.5 11% | 8.1 16% | 2.7 | 4.4 |
| Total fat (g) | 2 2.5% | 3.6 4.6% | 1 | 1.9 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 0.5 2.6% | 0.4 2.1% | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Monounsaturated fat (g) | 0.7 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Polyunsaturated fat (g) | 0.7 | 2 | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Omega-3 (ALA+EPA+DHA) (g) | 0.02 | 0.18 | 0.01 | 0.1 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 51.7 19% | 39.4 14% | 25.6 | 21.3 |
| Fiber (g) | 3.2 12% | 5.2 18% | 1.6 | 2.8 |
| Sugars (g) | 0.5 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.9 |
| Calcium (mg) | 6 0.5% | 31 2.4% | 3 | 17 |
| Iron (mg) | 1.1 6.3% | 2.8 15% | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 79 19% | 118 28% | 39 | 64 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 208 17% | 281 22% | 103 | 152 |
| Potassium (mg) | 174 3.7% | 318 6.8% | 86 | 172 |
| Sodium (mg) | 8 0.4% | 13 0.6% | 4 | 7 |
| Zinc (mg) | 1.4 13% | 2 18% | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| Copper (mg) | 0.21 24% | 0.36 39% | 0.11 | 0.19 |
| Manganese (mg) | 1.97 86% | 1.17 51% | 0.97 | 0.63 |
| Selenium (µg) | 11.7 21% | 5.2 9.4% | 5.8 | 2.8 |
| Vitamin A (RAE) (µg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 0.34 2.3% | 1.17 7.8% | 0.17 | 0.63 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 0.4 0.3% | 0 0% | 0.2 | 0 |
| Thiamin (B1) (mg) | 0.36 30% | 0.2 16% | 0.18 | 0.11 |
| Riboflavin (B2) (mg) | 0.14 11% | 0.2 16% | 0.07 | 0.11 |
| Niacin (B3) (mg) | 5.2 32% | 0.8 4.8% | 2.6 | 0.4 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.25 15% | 0.23 13% | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| Folate (DFE) (µg) | 18 4.5% | 78 19% | 9 | 42 |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Choline (mg) | 19 3.4% | 43 7.7% | 9 | 23 |
Highlighting marks the higher value; for calories, saturated fat, sugars, sodium and cholesterol "higher" is not better. Sources: USDA FoodData Central #169704 and #168917.
Frequently asked questions
Which is healthier, Brown rice or Quinoa?
Brown rice has over 6× the niacin, over 2× the selenium, 1.7× the thiamin of Quinoa per 100 g. Quinoa has over 4× the folate, over 3× the vitamin E, over 2× the iron of Brown rice. Quinoa is lower in calories (120 vs 123 kcal per 100 g). By nutrient density (NRF9.3 per 100 kcal) Brown rice scores 20 and Quinoa scores 40. Which is 'healthier' depends on what you need more of.
Which has more protein, Brown rice or Quinoa?
Quinoa: 2.7 g per 100 g for Brown rice vs 4.4 g for Quinoa (5.5 vs 8.1 g per serving).
Which has fewer calories, Brown rice or Quinoa?
Quinoa: 123 kcal per 100 g for Brown rice vs 120 kcal for Quinoa (248 vs 222 kcal per serving).
Related comparisons
Brown rice nutrition facts · Quinoa nutrition facts · All comparisons
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.