Brown Rice VS. Quinoa – What is the Healthier Grain?

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Quinoa VS. Brown Rice—which is the healthier choice?

By now, you’ve most likely heard the buzz about the superfood Quinoa as a powerful source of protein. It is absolutely a great grain, but the question I often get from our guests is what is the difference between quinoa and different grains, specifically brown rice?

Both of these grains are brain-boosting foods and an excellent way to get your complex carbohydrates in a meal with plenty of fiber and both are low on the Glycemic Index. I highly recommend incorporating both grains into your healthy diet plan.

But to break it down, here is the differences between the two:

For 1/2 cup Cooked:
Calories:
Quinoa 111 KCal  |  Brown Rice 109 KCal
Carbs:
Quinoa 22 Gm  |  Brown Rice 20gm
Fiber:
Quinoa 2.6gm  |  Brown Rice 1.9gm
Protein:
Quinoa 4 gm  |  Brown Rice 2.5gm

Quinoa:
Better Source of Iron and Magnesium. 59mg of magnesium vs. 42mg for Brown Rice
1.4mg of Iron vs. .4mg for Brown Rice. Quinoa also wins big in terms of protein—4gm to brown rice’s 2.5gm

Brown Rice:
Better source of Maganese (not to be confused with Magnesium) and Selinium.

Both Grains are very high in B-complex vitamins which will give you energy and help keep the metabolism strong! So which one is the healthier grain? Its a toss up. If you need variety, use both. Will one satisfy you more than the other, probably quinoa because of the higher fiber and protein. But again, they are both a great addition to a healthy diet plan!