How many calories are in dry quinoa?

Uncooked quinoa is 368 calories per 100g. A quarter cup (43g) is 158 calories and a full cup (170g) is 626. Cooked, the same seed reads about 121 calories per 100g, because it takes on roughly two parts water.

Why is dry quinoa three times the calories of cooked?

It absorbs water and nothing else. 368 calories per 100g dry against about 120 cooked is a factor of three, which matches the roughly threefold expansion in the pan. A quarter cup dry (158 calories) becomes about three quarters of a cup cooked, still 158 calories.

How much protein is in dry quinoa?

14.1g per 100g, so a quarter-cup measure carries 6.1g. Quinoa is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, which is rare outside animal foods. Cooked, that same protein reads 4.4g per 100g simply because the weight roughly triples.

Is dry quinoa keto-friendly?

No. Uncooked quinoa has 57.2g net carbs per 100g (64.2g carbs minus 7g fiber), which puts even a quarter-cup measure at 24.6g. That clears a strict 20g keto day on its own.

Do I need to rinse quinoa before cooking?

Most packaged quinoa is pre-rinsed, but a rinse removes any saponin left on the seed coat, which tastes soapy and bitter. It costs you nothing nutritionally: the 4.6mg of iron and 563mg of potassium per 100g sit inside the seed, not on it.

How much water does dry quinoa need?

Two parts water to one part quinoa, simmered 15 minutes and rested 5 off the heat. A cup of dry quinoa (170g, 626 calories) yields about 3 cups cooked. Toasting the dry seed in a pan first deepens the flavor and changes nothing about the 368 calories per 100g.

Is dry quinoa gluten-free?

Yes. Quinoa is a seed rather than a cereal grain and contains no gluten, which is why it stands in for couscous and bulgur on gluten-free menus. If you are celiac, check the label for shared milling equipment.

What minerals does dry quinoa provide?

Per 100g there is 4.6mg iron (25% of the daily value), 563mg potassium and 47mg calcium, alongside magnesium and manganese. A quarter-cup measure still covers about 11% of daily iron at 2mg.

How should I store dry quinoa?

Sealed at room temperature it keeps about two years, and longer in the freezer. Its 6.1g of fat per 100g is mostly unsaturated and will eventually go rancid, so a cool dark cupboard beats the shelf above the stove.