How many carbs are in quinoa?
Quinoa has 39.4 g of total carbs per 1 cup cooked (185 g) — about 34.2 g net carbs after 5.2 g of fiber. That's 21.3 g of carbs per 100 g, roughly 14% of the 275 g Daily Value.
USDA FoodData Central · cooked · FDC 168917
Carbs by portion
| Portion | Total carbs | Net carbs | Fiber | Sugar | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup cooked (185 g) | 39.4 g | 34.2 g | 5.2 g | 1.7 g | 222 |
| 100 g | 21.3 g | 18.5 g | 2.8 g | 0.9 g | 120 |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 6 g | 5.2 g | 0.8 g | 0.3 g | 34 |
Net carbs = total carbs − fiber (the carbs that raise blood sugar, used in keto/low-carb tracking). Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 168917, SR Legacy). cooked.
A cooked cup of quinoa has about 39.4 g of total carbs per 1 cup cooked (185 g), which is 21.3 g per 100 g. Quinoa gets talked about as a protein food, but the macro doing most of the work here is carbohydrate — it’s a starchy base first, with a modest protein bonus second. The difference from white rice is that quinoa carries that carbohydrate alongside more fiber, more protein and a complete amino-acid profile, which makes it a genuinely better version of the same role on the plate.
Why net carbs come in a few grams lower
The number that matters for keto, low-carb and diabetes tracking is net carbs — total carbs minus fiber. A cooked cup of quinoa brings about 5.2 g of fiber, which pulls the net carbs down to roughly 34.2 g. That’s a real, if modest, buffer — more than white rice offers, where fiber barely dents the total. The carbohydrate itself is almost all starch, with under 2 g of sugar per cup, and the fiber plus a little protein and fat mean quinoa digests more slowly and nudges blood sugar up more gently than a comparable serving of white rice would.
How a cup fits a daily budget
In practical terms, 34.2 g net carbs is a substantial portion of a low-carb day. On a strict keto plan (20–50 g net carbs), a single cup can use the entire budget or run past it, so quinoa doesn’t fit true keto. On a moderate or diabetic-friendly plan it’s one of the better starches you can pick — the fiber and complete protein give it an edge over rice — but it still belongs in the portion-controlled carb column rather than the “eat freely” one. A half-cup (~17 g net) alongside protein and vegetables behaves very differently from a heaping bowlful.
If you want the protein side of the picture, see protein in quinoa — and for any packaged quinoa blend or pouch, read the label’s own carb and fiber lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many carbs are in a cup of quinoa?
About 39.4 g of total carbohydrate in a 1-cup serving of cooked quinoa (185 g), which is 21.3 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 168917). Roughly 5.2 g of that is fiber, so the net carbs land near 34.2 g.
What are the net carbs in quinoa?
About 34.2 g net carbs per cooked cup — total carbs (39.4 g) minus fiber (5.2 g). Quinoa carries more fiber than white rice, so its net number sits a few grams below the total rather than tracking it almost exactly the way a refined grain does.
Is quinoa keto or low-carb?
No. A single cooked cup at about 34.2 g net carbs can exceed a strict 20–50 g daily keto budget on its own. Quinoa is a higher-protein, higher-fiber upgrade over white rice, but it is still a carbohydrate base, not a low-carb food. On keto, cauliflower rice is the usual swap.
Does quinoa spike blood sugar?
Less than white rice, but it still raises it. The extra fiber (about 5.2 g per cup) and the small amount of protein and fat slow digestion somewhat, and quinoa has very little sugar (under 2 g per cup) — it's almost all starch. It behaves like a moderate, slow-ish carb rather than a fast spike.
Does quinoa have fewer carbs than rice?
Per 100 g they're close — quinoa is about 21.3 g of carbs versus roughly 28 g for cooked white rice — but the real edge is fiber and protein. Quinoa carries more of both, plus a complete amino-acid profile, so as a one-for-one swap it's the more nutritious carb, not necessarily a dramatically lower-carb one.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 168917 (Quinoa, cooked; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises the entry.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data, not a Labelgrade (that score is for branded packaged products). See our methodology and the macro calculator to turn this into a daily target.