Can You Eat Quinoa on a Low-Carb Diet?

Quinoa is the seed of a flowering plant and it is a whole grain. Quinoa is high in starch, and a single serving is enough to overwhelm a low-carb diet.

Many sources claim quinoa is a superfood, and they aren’t wrong. Still, if you are on a low-carb diet, it might be beneficial to consider quinoa’s carbs, which you can learn more about below. 

Despite its classification as a whole grain, quinoa is the seed of a flowering plant of the same name. It’s called a whole grain because it has many of the same characteristics and functions as grains.

Quinoa is a nutrient-dense food. It’s packed with plant-based protein, and its protein content includes nine essential amino acids. A 1-cup serving has 8.14 grams of protein, more than an egg or a serving of tofu. Quinoa’s also a great source of gluten-free fiber.

Since quinoa is a highly adaptable plant, quinoa from different areas can have different nutritional benefits. For example, quinoa grown in Korea has greater antioxidant content than specimens grown in some other countries.

There are three common carbohydrates to look for in food: fiber, sugar, and starch. Carbs are important in your diet because they give your body energy, fueling all of your actions.

Not all carbs are created equally, though. Highly processed and refined carbs, such as soda, white bread, or pastries, can cause health problems.

Fortunately, quinoa’s carbs aren’t highly processed and are higher-quality carbs than some others. 

In total, a 1-cup serving of quinoa has roughly 39.4 grams of carbohydrates:

• 5.18 grams of fiber
• 1.61 grams of sugar
• 32.6 grams of starch

Quinoa is roundly considered a healthy food, and some even call it a superfood. Still, the 39 grams of mostly starchy carbs can be a problem for those who are on a low-carb diet. 

Some diets consider fiber to be a nondigestible carbohydrate, meaning that it isn’t broken down and absorbed like other carbs, so it “doesn’t count”. This type of low-carb diet may track the net carbs instead of the total carbs. 

Net Carbs

The net carbs of food are the total carbs excluding fiber. In the case of quinoa, the net carbs would be 34.21 grams.

Some diets, though, may suggest subtracting half the amount of fiber or somewhere between. The exact details will depend on your low-carb diet.

The real question of what to do with quinoa, then, hinges on how you and your diet treat carbs.

A low-carb diet is self-explanatory. It’s a diet that limits the number of carbohydrates you eat and focuses on protein and fat for energy.

That being said, not all low-carb diets are the same.

Many people use a low-carb diet to lose weight. Limiting your carb intake encourages your body to use stored fat for energy rather than relying on your daily intake of starches and sugars.

Other people may follow a low-carb diet for different health reasons. People at risk of diabetes or metabolic syndrome may benefit from lowering the carbs in their diet.

A low-carb diet may not benefit everyone, though. Eating foods higher in protein and fat may increase your heart disease risk.

Cutting out a large group of foods may also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Low-carb diets have many variations depending on your desired outcome, health concerns, and dietary preferences. 

Many low-carb diets recommend you eat between 20 and 57 grams of carbs each day. This may be too low for some people, though, so talk with your doctor to plan for your ideal diet. 

The food you eat on a low-carb diet shouldn’t be high in starch or sugar, which means cutting out foods like: 

• Grains and cereal
• Fruits and juice
• Bread
• Sweets (candy, pastries, soda, or ice cream)
• Pasta
• Starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, and peas)

The math doesn’t lie. Quinoa is high in starch, and a single serving is enough to overwhelm a low-carb diet.

Still, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. High starch doesn’t mean that quinoa is bad for you or doesn’t have a place even in a low-carb diet. 

As mentioned in the beginning, quinoa is a whole grain. You digest it slowly, which helps prevent your blood sugar from spiking and crashing.

Slower digestion and high protein content are also a great combination to help you feel full longer. That means you might skip unhealthy snacks or eat smaller meals.

Eating quinoa might not even mean going over your carbohydrate budget, depending on what else you eat. If the rest of your diet is very low in carbs, then having the occasional side of quinoa won’t hurt.

It’s up to you to figure out what role quinoa will play in your diet, though. It may work best as a small side or a topping. 

Following a low-carb diet may require some bookkeeping and math to count your carbs. How you choose to spend your carb budget is up to you. 

Still, most carbs in the typical diet come from processed foods, refined grains, and added sugar. Before cutting out quinoa, check the foods you regularly eat. If you can swap out a big bowl of mashed potatoes for a small bowl of quinoa, you’re taking the first steps to cut back on carbs. 

You can! Quinoa is a healthy food, but it’s high in starch and could easily be the only high-carb food you eat in a day. 

Like with any diet, choose your nutrients and calories wisely. If you’re going to eat carbs, there are worse carb-heavy foods to eat than quinoa.