Quinoa glycemic index and glycemic load
Quinoa has a low glycemic index of 52 (the median of 2 lab tests, range 50 to 54) in the 2021 International Tables, where pure glucose is 100. A serving of 1 cup (6.5 oz, 185 g) has 34.2 g of carbs minus fiber, which gives a glycemic load of about 18.
Glycemic load by portion
| Portion | Carbs | Fiber | Carbs minus fiber | Glycemic load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup (6.5 oz, 185 g) | 39.4 g | 5.2 g | 34.2 g | 18 |
Glycemic load = GI 52 × carbs minus fiber ÷ 100. Carbs from USDA FoodData Central, Quinoa, cooked.
Every standardized test
| Food as tested | GI | Category | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa, white, cooked in boiling water for 15 min (Nutritious Foods, Australia) | 50 | low | Australia |
| Quinoa, red, cooked in boiling water for 15 min (Nutritious Foods, Australia) | 54 | low | Australia |
The tables' own average for this food: 53 (mean of four foods).
Glucose = 100. Low 55 or less, medium 56 to 69, high 70 or more (category cut-offs from the International Tables). Only tests that followed the ISO 26642:2010 method: at least 10 healthy adults, a portion with 25 or 50 g of available carbs (Supplemental Table 1). Tests of boiled quinoa, the form in the glycemic load table above.
What changes the number
The same food tested in different forms, from the tests above and the other standardized tests of quinoa in the tables.
| Form in the test | Tests | Median GI | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked, then cooled | 1 | 53 | — |
| Boiled | 2 | 52 | 50 to 54 |
Variety, ripeness, cooking time and the lab all move the result, which is why one food can span a wide range.
Compared with similar foods
| Food | GI | Portion | Carbs minus fiber | Glycemic load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa | 52 | 1 cup (6.5 oz, 185 g) | 34.2 g | 18 |
| Sweet corn | 53 | 1 ear medium (3.6 oz, 103 g) | 19.1 g | 10 |
| Basmati rice | 60 | 1 cup (5.6 oz, 158 g) | 43.9 g | 26 |
| Brown rice | 72 | 1 cup (7.1 oz, 202 g) | 48.4 g | 35 |
| White rice | 77 | 1 cup (5.6 oz, 158 g) | 43.9 g | 34 |
Same group in the International Tables (Grains and rice), each at its usual US portion. A low GI with a big portion can give a higher glycemic load than a high GI with a small one.
How much the glycemic index tells you
Researchers and health bodies do not agree on how much weight to give the glycemic index of single foods.
- Level E The World Health Organization examined the glycemic index, found it inconsistent, and refused to build guidance on it. Carbohydrate intake for adults and children: WHO guideline, 2023
- Level C A year after the World Health Organization set the glycemic index aside, a meta-analysis of cohorts each over a hundred thousand people linked high glycemic index diets to more diabetes, heart disease and death. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2024
- Level C Glycemic index and glycemic load, the other two ways of judging carbohydrate, held up far worse than fiber in the same analysis. Reynolds et al., The Lancet, 2019
Keep exploring
Sources
- Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 2021;114(5):1625-1632, Supplemental Table 1, PMID 34258626, doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233 (accessed 2026-10-12)
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Quinoa, cooked, FDC ID 168917
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Corn, sweet, yellow, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt, FDC ID 169999
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Rice, white, long-grain, regular, enriched, cooked, FDC ID 168878
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), FDC ID 169704
- Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.
Sources checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.