Every 100 kcal of quinoa brings 3.7 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 37th of the 111 grains in this database and 558th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 4.4 g per 100 g ranks 86th in its group.
Around 15% of the calories in quinoa come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Weight for weight, quinoa has 2.3 g of protein for each gram of fat (4.4 g against 1.92 g per 100 g).
Set against chapati, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (chapati has 7.6 g per 1 piece).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving quoted here is measured by volume at 185 g, and it covers about 16% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
A rare grain-like seed that is a complete protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of quinoa
Protein and calories in Quinoa for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
4.4 g
120 kcal
1 cup cooked (serving used here)
185 g
8.1 g
222 kcal
The USDA record lists no other household measure for this food; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Amino acids
Essential amino acids in quinoa
The nine essential amino acids in Quinoa, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
0.261 g
0.48 g
59
lysine
0.239 g
0.44 g
54
valine
0.185 g
0.34 g
42
isoleucine
0.157 g
0.29 g
36
threonine
0.131 g
0.24 g
30
phenylalanine
0.185 g
0.34 g
42
methionine
0.096 g
0.18 g
22
histidine
0.127 g
0.23 g
29
tryptophan
0.052 g
0.1 g
12
Per-100 g values are the amino acid analysis on the USDA record. The serving and per-gram-of-protein columns are arithmetic on those values; they are not a protein quality score.
SampleWhat goal trends look like after a week
109 g
Average per logged day
4 of 7
Days goal met
71%
Complete-protein share
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Sample figures for one made-up week against a 110 g goal, not your data. Red bars met the goal. Your own log fills this in with Premium.
Related
Other grains by protein per calorie
Swap for more protein per calorie
Pasta - 3.7 g per 100 kcal, 7.2 g per 1 cup cooked
4.4 g. The 1 cup cooked serving used on this page weighs 185 g and so carries 8.1 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of quinoa?
3.7 g. That figure divides its 4.4 g of protein per 100 g by its 120 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in quinoa complete?
Yes. The protein in quinoa supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
What share of the protein Daily Value is one serving of quinoa?
About 16%. One 1 cup cooked serving has 8.1 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #168917 (Quinoa, cooked), SR Legacy data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.