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Can I eat quinoa while pregnant?

No known issues Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Quinoa isn't on the pregnancy food lists of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Ireland, so Doola Scan shows No known issues for cooked white, red or black quinoa and quinoa flour. The FDA lists quinoa among the whole grains in its dietary advice for pregnancy, and Health Canada's food guide names it among the whole grain foods to enjoy. What the guidance does cover is cooked quinoa kept for later: leftovers show Check in all six countries, and how long they keep differs, from 1 day in Australia to 3 to 4 days in the US.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Cooked quinoa, white, red or black

    No known issuesIn all six countries

  • Quinoa in bowls, soups and stir-fries

    No known issuesIn all six countries

  • Quinoa flour in baking

    No known issuesIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Quinoa while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on quinoa, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • No known issues

    None of the six countries' pregnancy guidance names quinoa.

  • United States

    No known issues
    Cooked quinoa kept as leftovers or in a cold salad
    • FDAReheating kills bacteria that grow during storage.Source
    • FDARefrigerate within 2 hours, keep cooked meat or poultry leftovers 3 to 4 days, reheat leftovers to 165°F.Source

  • United Kingdom

    No known issues
    Cooked quinoa kept as leftovers or in a cold salad
    • FSAFridge within 2 hours, eat within 48 hours, reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.Source
    • FSABacteria grow if food is warmed rather than heated through.Source

  • Canada

    No known issues
    Cooked quinoa kept as leftovers or in a cold salad
    • Health CanadaRefrigerate within 2 hours, eat within 2 to 3 days, reheat to 74°C.Source
    • Health CanadaEat refrigerated leftovers within 2 to 3 days; reheat to 74°C.Source

  • Australia

    No known issues
    Cooked quinoa kept as leftovers or in a cold salad
    • NSW Food AuthorityLeftovers in the fridge, eaten within a day and reheated to at least 60°C.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Leftovers: fridge, reheat thoroughly, not more than one day old.Source
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Avoid leftover meats refrigerated more than a day unless reheated.Source
    • FSANZVulnerable people: eat refrigerated leftovers within 1 day; reheat to 75 °C steaming hot.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Store leftovers in the fridge and use them within a day of cooking.Source

  • New Zealand

    No known issues
    Cooked quinoa kept as leftovers or in a cold salad
    • Health NZLeftovers: fridge, eat within two days, reheat until piping hot (over 70°C); never eat cold.Source
    • Health NZStore leftover cooked or canned food in fridge and use within 2 days (Health NZ listeriosis page: 24 hours).Source
What to check

Before you eat quinoa.

  1. Cool cooked quinoa quickly and keep it in the fridge

    The NHS says to serve rice and grains as soon as they're cooked, or cool them within 1 hour and keep them in the fridge. It says to throw away rice and grains left at room temperature overnight, because reheating does not get rid of the toxins bacteria can make. NHS

  2. Eat leftovers within your country's time

    The FSA says to eat leftovers within 48 hours, and Health NZ within two days. Health Canada says 2 to 3 days and the FDA 3 to 4 days, while FSANZ asks pregnant women and other vulnerable people to eat refrigerated leftovers within 1 day. FSANZ

  3. Reheat until steaming hot, once

    The FSA asks for leftovers reheated only once, until steaming hot throughout. Health Canada gives 74°C, the FDA 165°F, and Health NZ asks for leftovers reheated until piping hot and never eaten cold. FSA

  4. Follow the label on a shop-bought quinoa salad

    For cold rice or grain salads you buy, the NHS says to follow the use by date and the storage instructions on the label. NHS

Questions

About quinoa
in pregnancy.

Quinoa isn't named in the pregnancy guidance of any of these six countries, so Doola Scan shows No known issues for it. The leftovers guidance applies once it's cooked and kept: cool it quickly, keep it in the fridge and eat it within your country's time.

The FDA's dietary advice for before and during pregnancy lists quinoa among its examples of whole grains, and asks that at least half of your grains are whole. Health Canada says whole grain foods have more fibre than refined grains and names quinoa among them. The NHS asks for wholegrain or higher-fibre starchy foods in pregnancy.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. None of these countries names quinoa at any stage of pregnancy, and the leftovers advice applies throughout.

Leftover cooked food shows Check in all six countries. Health NZ asks for leftovers to be reheated until piping hot and never eaten cold, while the NHS says to follow the use by date and storage instructions on shop-bought cold grain salads. Any salad leaves or raw vegetables in it have their own washing guidance.

None of these countries sets a limit for quinoa. The FDA asks for grains, at least half of which are whole, and lists quinoa among the whole grains.

The NHS says cooked rice and grains should be cooled within 1 hour and kept in the fridge until you reheat them. The FSA asks for leftovers to be reheated only once, until steaming hot throughout; Health Canada gives 74°C and the FDA 165°F.

Quinoa isn't on any of these countries' pregnancy food lists. For protein in pregnancy, MyHealthfinder lists beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy among the plant-based protein foods, and the NHS asks for some protein-rich foods every day.

Quinoa isn't on the pregnancy food lists of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Ireland, so Doola Scan shows No known issues for it. The FDA counts quinoa as a whole grain.

Quinoa isn't named in the pregnancy guidance of any of these six countries, so Doola Scan shows No known issues. Keep cooked quinoa in the fridge and eat it within your country's leftovers time.

Yes. Take a photo of the plate, the menu or the label, and Doola Scan checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance, including the cheese, meat or dressing in a quinoa bowl. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.