Is Quinoa Keto? (How to make it work on a low-carb diet)

Is Quinoa Keto?

Is Quinoa Keto Introduction

Whole grains are a great addition to any balanced diet, providing insoluble fiber, macrominerals, and essential nutrients. A quinoa salad recipe with chicken can be a great meal to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and aid with weight loss. Quinoa, though technically the seeds of a plant, are classified as a whole grain, which makes it a superfood! Although quinoa can be very healthy for you, it is high in carbohydrates which does not make it very keto-friendly.

Why is Quinoa Not Keto?

Tri-colored quinoa has about 18g of net carbs per 3.5oz (100g) cooked serving. Other kinds of quinoas such as white, red, and black can vary slightly in their net carb total, but not by much. In summary, quinoa is too high in carbohydrates to work with a keto diet since it usually restricts carbs to about 50g of carbs a day or fewer. If you don’t already have a full keto meal plan taken care of for you, eliminate quinoa when you make one.

Health Benefits of Quinoa

While it can’t easily work with most diet plans, quinoa is considered a superfood because of benefits for your digestive and cardiovascular health. Most of the fiber in quinoa is insoluble which means it doesn’t easily dissolve in water. This means it is digested slower, which keeps you fuller longer, and prevents spikes in blood sugar. This is great for weight loss, and great for managing diabetes and better overall heart health! Additionally, quinoa is a naturally gluten-free grain. People with gluten-allergies or sensitivities like those following a celiac diet plan can safely enjoy this healthy whole grain without triggering any health issues.

Eating Quinoa on a Low-Carb or Keto Diet

To add quinoa to a keto diet, portion control is the key. A serving of quinoa is about 100g or 3.5oz, which contains about 18.4g net carbs. Even on a relaxed keto diet, it’s difficult to allocate for that many carbs. Therefore, the only way to fit quinoa in is to be strict with your carb intake for the rest of your meals, or to eat smaller portion sizes. Sprinkling a few tablespoons or so of quinoa over a salad or mixing it into your stew or soup will allow you to still enjoy some of the nutritional benefits of quinoa without going over your carb allowance. A portion 1 ounce of quinoa will cut net carbs down to ~6g.

Keto-Friendly Alternatives to Quinoa

Substituting quinoa in recipes is easy. Riced vegetables have similar textures to quinoa without the added carbs.

Riced cauliflower and broccoli are popular replacement choices for quinoa and rice for those on the keto diet because their textures are very similar. With the right seasoning, riced vegetables can make delicious keto meal ingredients.
Try these keto alternatives to quinoa:

• Shredded or riced broccoli

• Riced cauliflower

• Riced turnips

• Shredded daikon radish

• Shredded rutabaga

• Finely chopped nuts

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