Quinoa Throwdown - Oats vs Brown Rice vs Quinoa

Is quinoa a "super food" or is it just something novel? I call novel though it has it's uses.

But why don't you be the judge?

Compared here to brown rice, I am going to pick quinoa... but they are pretty much the same. Quinoa has slightly less calories, less carbs, and 3 more grams of protein for the same serving size.

Neither one is quick to prep.

Onto the next throw down...

Compared here to oats, I am going to pick oats all day long. Less calories for TWICE the volume. Less fat, more fiber too. Oats are also much quicker to prep.

As an aside, quinoa is a complete protein. So are rice and beans, but unless you're vegan neither make a good choice for a protein source (and even as a vegan they would be a mediocre choice). The calorie to protein ratio is quite low, especially when compared to things like egg whites, tempeh, tofu, seitan, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, fish, or meat. To put it in perspective, to get 78 grams of protein (which is a decent daily total) you would have to have 2,210 calories of quinoa which is well over most any woman's maintenance calorie level. In general, people would define and incorporate quinoa, brown rice, or oats as a complex carbohydrate source as that is their highest macro.

Chocolate PB&J Protein Oats is a recipe that I like to make with either cooked quinoa or oats, it is one of my go to meals. Lately I have really been into adding the greens to the recipe too! Here is the recipe and macros- http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2015/12/chocolate-pb-protein-oats.html

Bottom line

Is quinoa cool and different? Sure, but it's nothing magical. And it's not quick to prep either.

It's easy to get swept up in the latest super food trends but you have to rationally analyze and compare whether there is merit in the claims. Quinoa is healthy and a fine choice, but it's not "better" than brown rice or oats.

Try new things to see if you like them or not. Eat what you enjoy the most that fits within your calorie goals.
X- Liss