Is couscous healthy as a source of carbohydrates?
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Don't feel like the standard rice, pasta or potatoes for an evening? Fortunately, there are plenty of other carbohydrates to choose from. One option popular for salads and Mediterranean dishes is couscous; nowadays you can find it in any supermarket.
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But is couscous healthy as a substitute for rice or quinoa, for example? What are its nutritional values, and what about the vitamins and minerals it contains? We'll discuss it in today's blog!
Couscous is wheat!
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First of all, an important note: couscous is not a separate grain, such as spelled and quinoa. Instead, it is simply a way of preparing wheat. It is made of water and wheat by mixing it, steaming it and drying it again.
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45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
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30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
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This also means that couscous is not gluten-free, as is sometimes thought. Wheat contains gluten, and these don't just disappear with this preparation process. If you do not eat gluten for whatever reason, then couscous is not a good choice.
Nutritional value of couscous
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But is couscous healthy, albeit with gluten? To answer that question, let's first take a look at the macronutrients that you find in couscous. To be able to compare with other products, we give the nutritional value (source: ah online) here per 100 grams of raw couscous:
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This makes couscous very nutritionally comparable to brown rice. The amount of protein is even slightly higher than with rice.
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15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
Whole wheat couscous
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The amount of fiber in couscous is relatively low. In comparison, whole grain pasta contains about twice the fiber per 100 grams. A higher amount of fiber is better, because it prevents blood sugar spikes and keeps your intestines healthier.
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For that reason you can also opt for wholemeal couscous. It is still made from wheat, but then the skins around the grain are not removed during preparation. The taste hardly changes, but it is better for your blood sugar!
Vitamins and minerals in couscous
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Also for the vitamins and minerals it is better to choose whole grain couscous. Wheat contains quite a few of these micronutrients, but many of them are precisely in the membranes. So you miss that if you choose normal, â € ˜whiteâ € ™ couscous.
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15 minSide dishtraditional olive oil, curry powder, wheat flour, coconut milk, sambal oelek, chicken broth tablet, water, fresh mango,curry sauce with mango -
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About vitamins and minerals we are talking about? Like all grains, wheat is rich in B vitamins, which are important for your energy supply. Couscous also provides several important minerals, including iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.
Is couscous healthy?
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In short, is couscous healthy? Assuming you can tolerate gluten, it is a great source of carbohydrates. So you can make a nice stew or salad with couscous if you don't feel like rice or pasta.
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Of course, as with all foods, it is important that your diet as a whole is in order. If you already eat too many carbohydrates, then couscous is not a good supplement. And if you don't eat vegetables with it, it won't be a full-fledged meal. However, once you have the big picture in order, there is no reason not to opt for (whole grain) couscous every now and then!
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Of course, as with all foods, it is important that your diet as a whole is in order. If you already eat too many carbohydrates, then couscous is not a good supplement. And if you don't eat vegetables with it, it won't be a full-fledged meal. However, if you have the big picture in order, then there is no reason not to opt for (wholemeal) couscous every now and then!