Couscous is a food made by rolling durum wheat flour with salted water to form small pieces. These grains cook in just a few minutes, making couscous a convenient side dish. When correctly cooked, couscous is tender, fluffy and moist.
It is commonly called a grain but it is actually pasta. It doesn’t have a strong flavor and it takes on the taste of the other ingredients. Consuming couscous regularly has many benefits, so to know more about these benefits just read below.
Nutrient content
Iron is a mineral used for the transportation of oxygen through the body. Whole-wheat couscous has a good amount of this mineral. A 55-g serving contains 10 % of the recommended daily value. If you compare couscous with some form of meat such as lean beef or pork, the iron content would go up significantly.
Carbs help promote proper brain function and give you energy. The recommended daily intake for adults is 130 g. Couscous contains 50 g of carbs per 55-gram serving. Protein is essential for cell repair, muscle growth, and immune function. Whole-wheat couscous has a really good amount of this macronutrients.
How to prepare it?
Couscous has become a staple in many households around the world. It can be served with almost anything and often accompanies lamb, chicken or vegetables. For hundreds of years, couscous has been served on top of fish or poultry dishes or steamed over stews. In modern times it is even served as a dessert when mixed with sugar, cinnamon, nuts or fruit.
Health benefits
If it is made from a whole grain it has many benefits. Compared to grains that have been processed and refined, it has more health benefits since it mostly keeps the nutrients. More importantly, it is free of cholesterol. That’s to say, it won’t increase your risk for heart disease. The mineral selenium is also present in high amounts in this food that will preserve the health of your blood vessels and ensure that your immune system stays on the flawless level.
This food is also known as a powerful antioxidant, which makes it a benefactor for your body that helps maintain vitality. Couscous is also rich in potassium; one cup meets 40 % of the recommended daily intake of this important mineral. The role of potassium in the body is multiple; it regulates blood pressure and heartbeat, relieves pain, and keeps your muscles and your nerves healthy. It stimulates insulin production, enhances detoxification of the organism and promotes cellular regeneration.
Side effects
Resembling rice and pasta, couscous cannot be consumed by someone with a Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Because it is made of durum wheat, it is not gluten free. It may look like a whole grain, but couscous is actually tiny pasta that is a staple of some nations, especially served with meat stews.
Elsewhere, its unwarranted healthy reputation probably comes from its popularity among vegetarian people and foodies owing to its versatility and unique texture. It’s really just refined wheat. You have to look for the whole-wheat couscous in order to have benefited from it.