Don’t be too alarmed by this title. I’m not asserting that couscous isn’t a fantastic, nutritious food––it is! I frequently cook with couscous. It’s light, fluffy, packed with nutrients, and my family loves it. It’s also used across the Middle East in a number of delectable dishes.

While couscous isn’t massively different from bulgur in structure, it’s nutrient profile is significant enough to make many people wonder which is more nutritious––bulgur or couscous?

For one, couscous is human-manufactured from semolina wheat flour. It has a more airy quality than bulgur, which is heartier and dense. That’s probably because bulgur contains loads more fibre than couscous.

But that’s just the start. Let’s break down each grain’s nutrient profile to get a better look at where they’re different.

Bulgur Versus Couscous

Nutritional Profile of Bulgur

Per 1 cup, cooked

Macronutrients:

Protein: 5.6 gr (11% of RDI)

Total Carbs: 33.8 gr (11% RDI)

Fiber: 8.2 gr (33% RDI)

Sugar: 0.2 gr

Total Fat: 0.4 gr

Micronutrients (in most significant quantities):

Folate: 32.8 mcg (6% RDI)

Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg (8% RDI)

Niacin (B3): 1.8 mg (9% RDI)

Manganese: 1.1 mg (55% RDI)

Magnesium: 58.2 mg (15% RDI)

Iron: 1.7 mg (10% RDI)

Nutritional Profile of Couscous

Per 1 cup, cooked

Macronutrients:

Protein: 5.9 gr (12% of RDI)

Total Carbs: 36.5 gr (12% RDI)

Fiber: 2.2 gr (9% RDI)

Sugar: 0.2 gr

Total Fat: 0.3 gr

Micronutrients (in most significant quantities):

Folate: 23.5 mcg (6% RDI)

Niacin (B3): 1.5 mg (8% RDI)

Thiamin (B1): 0.1 mg (7% RDI)

Manganese: 0.1 mg (7% RDI)

Selenium: 43.2 mcg (62% RDI)

Bulgur Or Couscous? This Is Why Bulgur Wins...

Bulgur Has More Dietary Fibre

Bulgur is a staple ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, which health experts like Dr. Axe consider one of the most nutritious and beneficial diets for weight loss and fighting inflammation (1). Fibre also feeds the good bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract, much like resistant starch (keep reading to find out what this is).

So, how does the fibre in bulgur contribute to weight loss? Fibre makes its way through the digestive tract more slowly without being broken down like other nutrients. Because its structure remains relatively unchanged, it leaves us feeling fuller longer, so we’re less inclined to consume more food than we actually need.

Bulgur Is A Whole Food

Bulgur is a whole grain that is parboiled, dried, and cracked, so it cooks quickly. Couscous on the other hand, comes from a grain, but it isn’t a grain in itself. Couscous is actually a pasta made to look like a whole grain, therefore it’s not a whole food. Instead, it comes from husked and crushed wheat––what we know as semolina.

What’s better about whole foods? I looked to the experts to find out, and this is what an analysis by researchers at Yale University consistently found in their investigations: “a diet of minimally processed foods close to nature, predominantly plants, is decisively associated with health promotion and disease prevention” (2).

Bulgur Is Highly Versatile

Bulgur comes in several sizes, namely coarse, medium, fine, and extra-fine grind. You can make savoury, peppery salads, like traditional Turkish kisir, or roll cooked bulgur and lentils into delectable patties that your teeth will happily sink into, again and again. Couscous, on the other hand, is made in one size, similar to medium-grain bulgur.

Bulgur Has Naturally-Occurring Prebiotics

Bulgur contains a type of carbohydrate known as resistant starch. This vital nutrient feeds the beneficial bacteria in our gut, which we need to maintain healthy digestion, mental and emotional balance, and various other body processes.

Bulgur Is More Micronutrient Dense

Couscous may have slightly more protein––not enough to be significant––bulgur is far higher in essential minerals. It’s loaded with magnesium, a key mineral for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body. Simply put, magnesium helps reduce insulin resistance, can help lower blood pressure, and may even help fight PMS symptoms (3)––and those are just a few of this mineral’s wide-ranging benefits.

Healthy Eating Is Balanced & Diverse

I don’t believe we should be unilateral when it comes to food. Everyone has a different metabolism, constitution, and nutritional requirement. Plus, food is a source of pleasure and we should indulge in what tastes good occasionally, even if it’s not the healthiest choice. Some demands just need satisfying––like a glass of good wine and a piece (or two) of dark chocolate!

This comparison isn’t meant to kick couscous out of the cupboard for good. Rather, it’s intended to highlight the differences so that we may be more conscious of the food we choose and why. In some cases, couscous is just going to be the better choice because of its structure. Other times, bulgur.

Kitchen Is My Therapy is a one-woman enterprise born of love, passionate encounters with food, and wholesome, feel-good food therapy. If you have any questions, ideas, or inspirations you wish to share, feel free to reach out anytime.

Blessings,

Ginger Kroeze

References

1. Top 15 Anti-Inflammatory Foods and How to Follow this Diet

2. Science Compared Every Diet, and the Winner Is Real Food

3. 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Magnesium