The difference between chia seeds and quinoa

In recent years, especially among people who want to lose weight and are looking to change their lifestyle, both chia seeds and quinoa have become very popular; Because they have a very high protein content. Also, the high fiber in these two foods makes them effective in increasing the feeling of satiety, and as a result, they leave a positive impact on the slimming process. If you want to know the difference between chia seeds and quinoa to make sure which one is right for you, stay with us until the end of this article.

What are chia seeds?

Chia seeds come from a flowering plant native to Mexico and Guatemala called Salvia hispanica. Chia plant is planted because of the use of its seeds. Chia seeds are small oval shaped and have a diameter of about 1 mm. These seeds can absorb up to 12 times their weight in water. Chia seeds are rich in omega 3 and other nutrients and can be easily added to food and used.

What is quinoa?

Before discussing the difference between chia seeds and quinoa, we should know what quinoa is. Quinoa is a grain that is referred to as a pseudo-cereal. This seed is native to South America, but now it is cultivated and used in many parts of the world. Quinoa is gluten free and rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

The difference between chia seeds and quinoa

The main difference between chia seeds and quinoa can be summarized as follows:

Chia seeds have more calories than quinoa

There are 486 calories per 100 grams of chia seeds and 120 calories per 100 grams of quinoa. So it is easy to understand that quinoa contains less calories and if a person is looking for weight loss, it is better to prefer quinoa. Both chia and quinoa are effective in reducing appetite, and along with taking fat burning pills, having a slimming diet and exercising will have a very favorable result in losing weight. But quinoa may be a more ideal choice due to its lower calories. Chia seed calories are mostly related to fat and quinoa seed calories are mostly related to carbohydrates.

The difference between chia seeds and quinoa in terms of nutritional value

The difference between chia seeds and quinoa in terms of nutritional information is as follows:

The difference between chia seeds and quinoa in terms of vitamins

In this table, the amount of vitamins and minerals in 100 grams of chia seeds and quinoa are compared:

Chia seeds have more protein than quinoa

One difference between chia seeds and quinoa is that chia seeds contain more protein. There are 14.12 grams of protein per 100 grams of quinoa and 16.54 grams of protein per 100 grams of chia seeds. It is easy to conclude that chia contains 17% more protein.

Chia seeds are lower in carbohydrates than quinoa

Quinoa has more carbohydrates than chia seeds and this is one difference between chia seeds and quinoa. There are 64.16 and 42.12 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams of quinoa and chia seeds, respectively. This amount of difference in carbohydrates is about 52%. Chia seeds can be a very good option for weight loss.

Quinoa is lower in fat than chia seeds

The difference between chia seeds and quinoa is the amount of fat in them. There are 6.07 grams of fat per 100 grams of quinoa and 30.74 grams of fat per 100 grams of chia seeds. This difference is about 406%. As you can see, quinoa seems very favorable for weight loss.

Saturated fat, which is very harmful to the human body, is 13.4% less in quinoa than in chia seeds. In terms of trans fats, we must say that both chia seeds and quinoa contain a small amount of trans fats. Chia seeds have 0.14 grams of trans fat per 100 grams, but this amount is even lower in quinoa.

The difference between chia seeds and quinoa in terms of omega-3 content

Omega-3 fatty acids are divided into several categories Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and DHA are two of them. Chia seeds have more ALA than quinoa, but the amount of DHA in quinoa is higher than that of chia seeds.

Is chia seed or quinoa better for weight loss?

As you must have noticed by studying the difference between chia seeds and quinoa, both chia seeds and quinoa are very favorable options to help lose weight. Chia seeds can be used raw, but quinoa needs to be cooked, which does not take much time to cook. Considering the above tables, is it up to you to decide whether to use chia or quinoa? Our recommendation is to use both of these foods in your diet; Sometimes from quinoa and sometimes from chia because each has its own properties.

Is the price of chia seeds higher or quinoa?

With a simple search on Google, you will find that the difference between chia seeds and quinoa cannot be seen in the price difference between them. Because 1 kg of chia seeds costs almost the same as 1 kg of quinoa. You can find and buy chia seeds and quinoa both online and in person in many stores.

final word

In this article from Positive Green Pharmacy magazine, we examined the difference between chia seeds and quinoa. These two foods have a very high nutritional value and since they are rich in vegetable protein, they are considered desirable for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa and chia are also high in fiber and are effective in delaying hunger pangs. Therefore, you can go to them with the goal of losing weight.

However, be careful that weight loss occurs when you don’t forget exercise in addition to diet. Weight loss will not happen until the calorie burning in your body increases.