Couscous notches impressive numbers in the fiber department. Fiber, which is only found in plant-based foods, is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut. A high fiber diet can also help regulate cholesterol levels in the body. Like many forms of pasta, couscous is higher in simple or refined carbohydrates , which your body digests and converts into energy quickly. This can cause your blood sugar to spike and give you a short-lived rush of energy. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates like oatmeal or sweet potatoes are digested slowly and supply energy over a longer amount of time.
While it's not typically listed on nutrition labels, couscous as well as all pasta is an abundant source of selenium, a powerful antioxidant that works alongside vitamin E to promote healthy cells. Selenium also boosts your immune function and helps maintain thyroid health. While the safe upper limit for selenium is mcg—about nine times the amount in a serving of couscous—be aware that excessive intake can lead to adverse effects such as brittle nails and teeth, a metallic taste in your mouth, nausea, diarrhea, irritability, nervous system problems, and more.
As an alternative, place a heat-proof colander in a stockpot, lining it with cheesecloth if the holes are too large for the couscous. Avoid covering the pot because the condensation can drip onto the grains and result in mushy couscous. Couscous can be boiled similar to rice : Heat butter and 1 cup of couscous in a saucepan, stirring to coat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and continue cooking until all the liquid is absorbed.
Do not cook it too long or it will be mushy rather than fluffy. Since couscous is made from durum and wheat flour, it doesn't have much of a taste, similar to pasta. There is a slight nuttiness to it, but basically it is mild.
In Morocco and the Middle East, it is customary to mold the couscous into a shape using a bowl before serving. Even though it is considered an international food, couscous is widely available and shouldn't be difficult to find. Look for boxes, bags, or canisters either in the pasta section, the rice section, or the international foods aisle.
Moroccan or smaller couscous will be the most common, but depending on how well stocked the supermarket is, Israeli couscous may be available too. Uncooked couscous should be stored in the pantry in a well-sealed container the unopened box, bag, or canister it came in. It can last up to two years, but if you've had the couscous for a while, smell it to make sure it hasn't gone rancid. Cooked couscous will last about three days in the refrigerator, but it could lose its freshness sooner if it is combined with other ingredients that spoil faster.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Couscous also contains gluten and is therefore not suitable for anyone with a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease. Couscous is a starchy food and sits as a medium food in terms of glycaemic index, which means that people with any heart disease risk or diabetes will need to be more mindful of portion sizes.
Eating couscous with adequate protein and non-starchy vegetables will also help slow down the release of sugar.
The NHS recommends that starchy foods, including couscous, should be consumed daily and make up about a third of your daily food intake. When cooking couscous, the dried weight is double the cooked weight — for example, g dried couscous will make approximately g cooked couscous. Where possible, look for wholewheat couscous to optimise its fibre and nutritional content.
Fibre is an essential part of our diet, helping to support good digestive health and prevent constipation, and research suggests it may also help to improve levels of good bacteria in the gut. Swapping your usual couscous for wholewheat is an easy way to increase your fibre intake. Wholewheat couscous will also help you to feel fuller for longer, because of its higher fibre content — the fibre slows down the breakdown of sugar into the bloodstream, providing more stable energy.
You can buy pre-flavoured packets of couscous, such as lemon and coriander or roasted vegetable, but they contain added salt and sugar and sometimes palm oil. Try the tasty recipes in our healthy couscous collection. Is hummus healthy? Is popcorn healthy? Our favourite healthy dinner recipes.
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