This ancient seed is rich in fiber, protein, and many important vitamins and minerals.

Particularly, it’s a good source of manganese, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium.

One cup (185 grams) of cooked red quinoa provides (3Trusted Source):

• Calories: 222
• Protein: 8 grams
• Carbs: 40 grams
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Sugar: 2 grams
• Fat: 4 grams
• Manganese: 51% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Copper: 40% of the DV
• Phosphorus: 40% of the DV
• Magnesium: 28% of the DV
• Folate: 19% of the DV
• Zinc: 18% of the DV
• Iron: 15% of the DV

The same serving size also offers more than 10% of the DV for thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B6, all of which are essential for proper brain function and metabolism (4Trusted Source).

Notably, quinoa is higher in protein than many other cereal grains, including wheat, rice, and barley (5).

In fact, it’s one of the few plant foods that contains all nine essential amino acids, including lysine, which most grains lack. Thus, red quinoa is considered a complete protein (2Trusted Source, 5, 6Trusted Source).

Compared with other colors of this seed, red quinoa has approximately the same number of calories and amounts of fat, protein, carbs, and micronutrients. What sets it apart is its concentration of plant compounds.

Specifically, red quinoa contains betalains, which have antioxidant properties and are responsible for giving this variety its signature color (1Trusted Source).

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