Couscous vs quinoa

Plain couscous, cookedQuinoa, cooked
Same weightSame caloriesOne serving

In short

One serving each: 178 calories in couscous (1 cup, cooked, 160 g), 222 calories in quinoa (1 cup, 185 g). Both get most of their calories from carbohydrate.

More in couscous: selenium (8.5×), sodium and niacin (2.1×). More in quinoa: copper (5.4×), magnesium (9.3×), phosphorus (8×), zinc (4.8×) and 11 more. Everything else is within 4% of a day's needs.

Calories, and where they come from

Plain couscous, cooked178 cal

1 cup, cooked (160 g) · 6 g protein · 37 g carbs (0.16 g sugars) · 0.26 g fat

Quinoa, cooked222 cal

1 cup (185 g) · 8.1 g protein · 39.4 g carbs (1.6 g sugars) · 3.6 g fat

Share of the calories fromproteincarbsfat

Where they differ

Bar length is the share of a day's needs (FDA Daily Value) in one serving of each. Every row uses the same scale, so a short difference in length is a small difference. Color says which food, never which is better.

0%50%100%
  • Selenium43.8 µg · 5.2 µg
    80%9%
  • Copper0.066 mg · 0.36 mg
    7%39%
  • Magnesium12.8 mg · 118 mg
    3%28%
  • Phosphorus35.2 mg · 281 mg
    3%22%
  • Zinc0.42 mg · 2 mg
    4%18%
  • Folate24 µg · 77.7 µg
    6%19%
  • Sodiumlimit302 mg · 12.9 mg
    13%1%
  • Riboflavin (B2)0.043 mg · 0.2 mg
    3%16%
  • Iron0.61 mg · 2.8 mg
    3%15%
  • Fiber2.2 g · 5.2 g
    8%19%
  • Vitamin B60.082 mg · 0.23 mg
    5%13%
  • Thiamin (B1)0.1 mg · 0.2 mg
    8%16%
  • Choline5.3 mg · 42.5 mg
    1%8%
  • Vitamin E0.21 mg · 1.2 mg
    1%8%
  • Niacin (B3)1.6 mg · 0.76 mg
    10%5%
  • Potassium92.8 mg · 318 mg
    2%7%
  • Total fat0.26 g · 3.6 g
    <1%5%
  • Protein6 g · 8.1 g
    12%16%

Show as: bars · dots

Where they are alike

Less than 4% of a day apart, in one serving of each.

  • Saturated fatlimit0.046 g · 0.43 g<1%·2%
  • Cholesterollimit0 mg · 0 mg0%·0%
  • Carbohydrates37 g · 39.4 g13%·14%
  • Calcium12.8 mg · 31.4 mg1%·2%
  • Vitamin A0 µg · 0 µg0%·0%
  • Vitamin C0 mg · 0 mg0%·0%
  • Vitamin D0 µg · 0 µg0%·0%
  • Vitamin K0.16 µg · 0 µg<1%·0%
  • Vitamin B120 µg · 0 µg0%·0%

Reported for only one of the two, so not compared: manganese.

From USDA FoodData Central: Plain couscous, cooked (Survey (FNDDS) 2708441), Quinoa, cooked (SR Legacy 168917). Daily Values are the FDA's for adults and children 4 years and older. Missing values are never shown as zero. For exploring the data, not dietary advice.

vs
Compare Plain couscous, cooked withQuinoa flourUncooked quinoaAncient Harvest corn and quinoa pasta, cookedDry couscous