Make the right choice between quinoa vs brown rice for weight loss. Choose wisely to achieve your health goals.
We need to be careful about our dietary habits when it comes to maintain weight. Due to this reason, people often indulge in the debate of quinoa vs brown rice for weight loss and get nothing out of it. There is no doubt that both foods are rich in body-friendly nutrients, and we can rely on them easily.
But today, in this post, Healthishife is going to decipher them individually so that you can see what suits you the best. Keep in mind that their impact might be different on different people. Therefore it is always better to choose what is healthy for you so that you can gain benefits from it in the long run easily.
Let’s get started with our discussion!
Table of Contents
Quinoa vs Brown Rice for Weight Loss
Quinoa and rice are similar to each other and have different health benefits for us. If we want to describe them, then rice is a common part of our meals, especially Asian and South Asian cuisine which cannot survive without rice.
Brown rice, on the other hand, is more popular among health-conscious people who are aiming for weight loss because of its healthy benefits. Quinoa does not come from grains, but still, it works like rice for people. It is a special plant seed, and people have been using it since old times as well.
Benefits of Quinoa for You
There is no doubt that quinoa is good in helping you with weight loss. However, we need to consume accurate amounts of quinoa in a fixed diet.
It can escalate your different body functions easily to reduce body fat in the end. In this section, we are going to see how quinoa can benefit you in terms of weight loss, so let’s learn about it without further delay.
Healthy Whole Grain
Quinoa is not a grain; therefore, it is not good to include it in the grain family for weight loss at all. It lacks gluten; therefore, people often rely on it for a healthy diet.
Experts believe that it is a whole grain because of the way it performs for our bodies. Therefore, if you are looking to add an effective whole grain to your diet, then nothing can beat quinoa’s benefit for you.
Read Now: 12 Secrets To Living Longer and Healthier Life
Low Calories
When we are aiming for weight loss, what is our goal? Our goal is to lower our calorie intake. For this, quinoa is a great option.
The consumption of quinoa for weight loss is healthy because it does not negatively impact the body and helps in fat reduction to a large extent.
If you compare white rice with quinoa, you will realize that quinoa is more beneficial because your body can easily convert it into energy, and when extra energy develops into fat, we can reduce it later quite feasibly as well.
Quinoa is also beneficial in replenishing your calorie loss so that you won’t feel weakness and body fatigue due to an extreme diet as well.
Control Blood Sugar
Did you have any idea that quinoa is beneficial for regulating your blood sugar levels? It also creates a positive impact on our blood pressure. Moreover, quinoa can help with diabetes if you want to cut down your weight at the same time.
The glycemic index of quinoa is also low, which makes it completely healthy and safe for diabetic patients. You can even track your health soon after you have started to consume quinoa to see if it’s working for you or not.
This whole grain comes packed with fiber and proteins, which are both important for intake.
These are the main driving force behind quinoa’s sugar control action. You won’t have to face peculiar blood sugar levels after consuming quinoa.
There is no doubt that quinoa is also good for speeding up your weight loss journey. Quinoa will reduce the sugar in your blood, which means your body will only consume the required amount of energy.
Therefore with quinoa, a patient suffering from diabetes can easily control their sugar levels and weight simultaneously.
Fibrous and Curbs Hunger
When we are following a diet, we need to step up on carbs intake. Therefore you will find a sufficient amount of carbs in quinoa easily. Our bodies take some time to break down carbs through metabolism.
Therefore you don’t feel hungry for some time. In this way, you can easily control your appetite with quinoa and effectively control your weight as well. People with a bad habit of overeating can take great advantage of quinoa as well.
You only need 3g of quinoa for consumption so that you can continue with your weight loss journey without facing any sort of complications.
Benefits of Brown Rice for Weight Loss
Rice is one of the common staple foods for millions of people worldwide. We consume two types of rice. One type is white rice, and the other is brown rice.
Today, brown rice is considered more healthy because of its health and nutritional benefits over white rice. Below we are going to discuss the health benefits of brown rice.
Boost weight loss
There is no doubt that brown rice cannot beat quinoa in different areas, but still, these are effective for weight loss.
Just a single cup of brown rice can resist your appetite, which greatly helps with sticking to your diet.
But when we compare brown rice to white rice, there is a visible difference. You get more fiber from brown rice in place of white rice.
Lowers blood pressure
Another huge advantage of brown rice is that it is good for blood pressure regulation. People with high BP problems can easily consume brown rice without facing any complications.
- You can control your weight efficiently with brown rice.
- The potassium level in your body increases.
- Regulation of natural insulin produced in your body becomes easier.
- Protect your blood vessels from damage.
Easy to digest
Brown rice is important for promoting digestion for a person. Due to this reason, we can save ourselves from different gut problems through brown rice. People who often face stomach problems can greatly take advantage of brown rice on the whole.
Nutritional Value: Quinoa vs Brown Rice for Weight Loss
Protein
We can easily get 4-5 grams of proteins from both quinoa and brown rice. However, if you are relying on packs, the quantity of proteins can reach up to 8 grams.
Amino acids
Quinoa is a good asset of amino acids because we can obtain some rare amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on the whole. Therefore quinoa replenishes this gap for us effortlessly.
Even vegetarians can procure a lot of benefits from quinoa, and due to this reason, it creates a positive impact on the person’s weight loss journey without making them compromise their diet. In the case of amino acids, quinoa is a better option to go for because it provides us with more amino acids as compared to brown rice.
Calories
Now we are going to compare the calorie intake of quinoa and brown in this section so that you can have a better idea about the accurate consumption of quinoa and brown rice in terms of calories.
- Quinoa comes with 222 calories.
- Brown rice gives you 218 calories.
Fiber
Fiber is crucial for our body’s normal functions. It resists hunger, and for a person who is following a diet, fiber is a highly advantageous nutritional element.
From developing good bacteria in the gut and reducing the chances of developing diabetes, we can avail a lot of benefits from fiber.
You can consume 5 grams of fiber through quinoa, and for brown rice, the amount of fiber in a single cup is more than 3 grams as compared to quinoa.
Read Now: 26 Best Foods For Dehydration Recovery
Carbohydrates
Brown rice supplies you with more carbs instead of quinoa. For brown rice, the quantity is 45 grams of carbs, and quinoa has only 30 grams of carbs in a single cup. Carbs are important when we are aiming to cut down weight on all counts.
Micronutrients
Both brown rice and quinoa are good for us in micronutrients. We get manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and magnesium from brown rice easily.
Quinoa is better in terms of consuming zinc, iron, potassium, and calcium. In this faceoff, quinoa wins because of the wide range of micronutrients present in quinoa.
Gluten
Gluten is absent in both quinoa and brown rice. Due to this reason, for people who are gluten intolerant, both options can prove to be beneficial in weight loss.
Also, if you cannot consume flour as per medical restrictions, then you can rely on brown rice and quinoa for this purpose.
Quinoa vs Brown Rice for Weight Loss: Which is better for you?
It is obvious that you will find different benefits in brown rice for weight loss. But still, quinoa is better as compared to brown rice. Quinoa not only cuts down weight but also regulates blood sugar levels for a person. This whole grain keeps you active and more energetic, which eventually helps in your workouts as well.
Quinoa is affordable to purchase, and you can combine it with different forms of meals to bring creativity to your healthy diet. In this post, we have described the benefits of quinoa for weight loss in detail so that you can start relying on it easily. We hope that now you can take full advantage of quinoa from this day forward!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is quinoa or brown rice better for losing weight?
Quinoa exceeds brown rice in the areas of high nutritional content and weight loss. From providing our bodies with essential nutrients like amino acids, proteins, fiber, and fewer carbs, people prefer quinoa to brown rice.
But for the calories, eating brown rice is beneficial, and for those people who cannot consume gluten, then consuming other brown rice and quinoa is healthy.
Is quinoa a suitable replacement for brown rice for weight loss?
Yes, it is. If you are replacing brown rice with quinoa, then you will receive 5 grams of fiber in a single intake. With more fiber, you will be able to regulate your BP, insulin production, protect your blood vessels, keep yourself from stomach issues, and control your weight on all counts. Fiber is also beneficial when you want to eat less and feel fuller for a few hours.
Can I eat quinoa every day?
Yes, you can consume quinoa every day but make sure to switch between different types of quinoa. Consuming a single type of quinoa for months can demotivate you, and you might end up giving up a healthy diet. Another problem with it is that you can face inflammation in the gut and cramps as well.
How much quinoa can you eat to lose weight?
If you are relying on 2 cups of quinoa daily, then it is more than enough. In some rare cases, people often have to face stomach problems and vomiting due to frequent consumption of quinoa. Therefore it is better to drop this idea if you are facing a similar situation.
When can you eat quinoa for weight loss?
The best time to consume quinoa is in your breakfast. Your body will be more able to absorb essential minerals and nutrients through quinoa. Plus, it will be much easier for you to see how long you don’t feel hungry after eating one or two cups of quinoa as well. It will help you improvise your diet later.
Are oats more promising than quinoa?
Oats are important because of their macronutrients. From cabs to proteins and fat, we get highly essential nutrients from oats. However, still, quinoa is a better choice because it supplies you with the adequate amount of nutrients that your body needs on all counts.
How can I make quinoa taste good?
You can combine meat and beef with quinoa to enhance its taste. It also goes well with vegetables and some healthy seasonings. You can even try out different combinations of quinoa through the internet to keep changing your taste and make your diet more fun with quinoa.
