Quinoa vs. Salmon

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Salmon


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cooked quinoa versus salmon (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in quinoa and salmon:

  • Both quinoa and salmon are high in calories.
  • For omega-3 fatty acids, salmon has more dha, epa and dpa than quinoa.
  • Quinoa is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Salmon has more niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12, however, quinoa contains more folate.
  • Salmon has signficantly less carbohydrates than quinoa.
  • Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D, potassium and protein.
Detailed nutritional comparison of quinoa and salmon is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Quinoa src
Image of Salmon src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both quinoa and salmon are high in calories. Quinoa is very similar to quinoa for calories - quinoa has 120 calories per 100 grams and salmon has 127 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to salmon per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:14 and for salmon, 67:0:33 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Quinoa Salmon
Protein 15% 67%
Carbohydrates 71% ~
Fat 14% 33%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Salmon has signficantly less carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and salmon does not contain significant amounts.

dietary fiber

Quinoa is a great source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than salmon - quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and salmon does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Quinoa and salmon contain similar amounts of sugar - quinoa has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and salmon does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Salmon is an excellent source of protein and it has 366% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and salmon has 20.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both quinoa and salmon are low in saturated fat - quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat per 100 grams and salmon has 0.81g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both salmon and quinoa are low in trans fat - salmon has 0.03g of trans fat per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

cholesterol

Quinoa has less cholesterol than salmon - salmon has 46mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Salmon has more Vitamin A than quinoa - salmon has 35ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin D

Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D and it has more Vitamin D than quinoa - salmon has 435iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Quinoa and salmon contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and salmon has 0.4mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Salmon and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - salmon has 0.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Salmon has more niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12, however, quinoa contains more folate. Both quinoa and salmon contain significant amounts of thiamin and riboflavin.

Quinoa Salmon
Thiamin 0.107 MG 0.08 MG
Riboflavin 0.11 MG 0.105 MG
Niacin 0.412 MG 7.995 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 1.03 MG
Vitamin B6 0.123 MG 0.611 MG
Folate 42 UG 4 UG
Vitamin B12 ~ 4.15 UG

Minerals

calcium

Quinoa has 143% more calcium than salmon - quinoa has 17mg of calcium per 100 grams and salmon has 7mg of calcium.

iron

Quinoa has 292% more iron than salmon - quinoa has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and salmon has 0.38mg of iron.

potassium

Salmon is an excellent source of potassium and it has 113% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium per 100 grams and salmon has 366mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, salmon has more DHA, EPA and DPA than quinoa per 100 grams. Both quinoa and salmon contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Quinoa Salmon
alpha linoleic acid 0.085 G 0.047 G
DHA 0.015 G 0.333 G
EPA ~ 0.182 G
DPA ~ 0.047 G
Total 0.1 G 0.609 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, quinoa has more linoleic acid than salmon per 100 grams.

Quinoa Salmon
linoleic acid 0.974 G 0.081 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.004 G
Total 0.974 G 0.085 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Quinoa or Salmon .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) .

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FAQ

Does quinoa or salmon contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both quinoa and salmon are high in calories. Quinoa is quite similar to quinoa for calories - quinoa has 120 calories in 100g and salmon has 127 calories.

Is quinoa or salmon better for protein?
Salmon is a fantastic source of protein and it has 370% more protein than quinoa - quinoa has 4.4g of protein per 100 grams and salmon has 20.5g of protein.

Does quinoa or salmon have more carbohydrates?
By weight, salmon has signficantly fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - quinoa has 21.3g of carbs for 100g and salmon has no carbs..

Does quinoa or salmon contain more potassium?
Salmon is a rich source of potassium and it has 110% more potassium than quinoa - quinoa has 172mg of potassium in 100 grams and salmon has 366mg of potassium.