Couscous Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Couscous is a paste made from durum wheat or semolina flour. Read on to learn more about its nutritional value and potential health benefits.
Jyothi Shenoy, MD, MBA

Written by Jyothi Shenoy, MD, MBA. Updated on December 14, 2022.

Couscous is a grain product made from durum wheat or semolina flour. It is cooked like pasta and tastes like pasta.

Couscous is a very good source of protein and fiber. It can meet 26% of the daily protein needed with 100 grams.

It is rich in B vitamins and provides many benefits for your body thanks to its various mineral content.

Being a great source of copper and manganese, it supports the proper functioning of fat and carbohydrate metabolism and helps maintain the health of the nervous system.

In addition, it is an effective cereal product for bone health with its calcium and zinc content.

Although it contains all the essential amino acids, lysine and methionine content is low.

When you combine it with a legume meal, this deficiency will be eliminated, and the entire daily protein requirement will be met.

If you are looking for an accompaniment to your legume meal, you can try couscous.

Couscous Quick Nutrition Facts

Here's a quick nutrition overview for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of couscous:

  • Energy: 376 calories
  • Carbs: 77.4 grams
  • Fiber: 5 grams
  • Protein: 12.8 grams
  • Fat: 0.64 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 0.117 grams

Jump to a section where you can learn more about couscous nutrition value, including macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, protein quality, and more.

Health Benefits of Couscous

Thanks to a significant amount of specific vitamins and minerals, couscous could provide several health benefits.

Continue reading to discover the potential benefits of consuming couscous.

They May Boost Red Cells Production

Copper is needed by the body for several functions, including the formation of red blood cells.

It can also support nerve functions and improve the transmission of signals between different parts of the body.

It can keep the nerve cells healthy and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Copper is also needed for the optimal functioning of the nervous system. It can improve mood by regulating the balance of hormones in the brain.

It can support the defense mechanisms of the immune system involved in infection prevention.

Copper also helps in the formation of collagen, a protein that makes up our skin, bones, and other tissues. It protects the cells from damage and improves the absorption of iron in the body, thereby increasing the availability of this vital nutrient.

Copper is also needed for regulating carbohydrate metabolism. It can help to convert sugar into a usable form of energy, thus ensuring the body receives a steady supply of fuel to perform its critical functions.

May Improve Bone Mineral Density

Manganese is a vital nutrient that helps in the formation of connective tissue, blood clotting factors, bones, and reproductive hormones.

When combined with other nutrients like calcium and zinc, manganese can support the bone formation processes and improve bone mineral density.

This is especially important for postmenopausal women and older men who are at a higher risk of osteoporosis due to the decline in bone mineral density.

It also supports the metabolism of fat and carbohydrate and enhances calcium absorption. It can help with blood sugar regulation, thereby improving glycemic control in patients with diabetes.

Manganese is an integral part of the body’s antioxidant mechanisms. It helps in the synthesis of an enzyme called superoxide dismutase, which acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body and prevents oxidative stress linked to the high risk of cancer, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes.

It is also needed for normal nerve and brain function.

Manganese can also reduce inflammation and hence, can be useful as a potential therapeutic agent for the management of inflammatory disorders such as osteoarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Couscous Nutrition Facts

Continue reading to find out the following couscous nutrition information:

  • Macronutrients
  • Vitamin Content
  • Mineral Content
  • Amino Acid Profile
  • Fat Breakdown
  • Carbohydrate Breakdown

Macronutrients

Macronutrients, often called macros, are most commonly used term when it comes to eating a healthy diet or losing weight. There are three types of macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Macronutrients provide energy to your body and allows it to function properly. The following table contains the information on couscous macronutrients, while reading further will give you a better understanding on each of these macronutrients.

Carbohydrate26% DV77.4 g
Protein26% DV12.8 g
Fat1% DV0.64 g

Vitamin Content

Couscous are excellent source of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid).

They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), and Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and some Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), and Vitamin B9 (Folate).

Here's the full couscous vitamin content per 100g:

Vitamin A0% DV0 IU
Vitamin C0% DV0 mg
Vitamin D0% DV0 µg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)14% DV0.163 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)6% DV0.078 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)22% DV3.49 mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)25% DV1.24 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine)6% DV0.11 mg
Vitamin B9 (Folate)5% DV20 µg
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)0% DV0 µg
Vitamin E0% DV0 mg
Vitamin K0% DV0 µg

Mineral Content

Couscous are excellent source of Copper, and Manganese.

They also contain a good amount of Magnesium, and Phosphorus and some Iron, Potassium, and Zinc.

Here's the full couscous mineral content per 100g:

Calcium2% DV24 mg
Copper27% DV0.247 mg
Fluoride0% DV0 mg
Iron6% DV1.08 mg
Magnesium10% DV44 mg
Manganese34% DV0.78 mg
Phosphorus14% DV170 mg
Potassium4% DV166 mg
Selenium0% DV0 μg
Sodium0% DV10 mg
Zinc8% DV0.83 mg

Protein and Amino Acid Profile

Couscous contain 12.8 g of protein per 100 g, or in other words, couscous provide 3.4 g of protein per 100 kcal.

Similarly to most other plant proteins, protein in couscous contain all nine essential amino acids, however, they are a little bit low in lysine, and methionine.

Histidine OK35% DV0.259 g
Isoleucine OK33% DV0.493 g
Leucine OK30% DV0.872 g
Lysine Low11% DV0.245 g
Methionine Low18% DV0.199 g
Phenylalanine OK41% DV0.62 g
Threonine OK29% DV0.337 g
Tryptophan OK54% DV0.163 g
Valine OK28% DV0.544 g

Fat Breakdown

Around 2% of the calories in couscous are from fat. Couscous have 0.64 grams or 1% of recommended daily values per 100g.

Saturated fat and trans fat can increase cholesterol levels and increase the heart disease risk.

Couscous fat content mostly consists of healthy unsaturated fats.

According to FDA, dietary cholesterol should be kept below 300 mg per day. Luckily, couscous is cholesterol free.

Couscous do not contain trans fats. Trans fats should be kept as low as possible.

Total Fat1% DV0.64 g
Saturated Fat1% DV0.117 g
Monounsaturated Fatdo not have a %DV0.089 g
Polyunsaturated Fatdo not have a %DV0.252 g
Trans Fatsdo not have a %DV0 g
Cholesterol0% DV0 mg

Carbohydrate Breakdown

82% of the calories in couscous come from carbohydrates.

Carbs in couscous are mostly starch (94%), followed by fiber and sugars.

When it comes to sugars, couscous are almost sugar-free.

Couscous are a great source of fiber, and considered as a "high fiber food", as the contain 8.7 grams of fiber per serving.

According to U.S. government's National Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), food must contain 5 grams or more of dietary fiber per serving to be labeled as high fiber food.

Total amount of fiber in 100g of couscous is 5.

Total Carbohydrate28% DV77.4 g
Dietary Fiber18% DV5 g
Sugars0% DV0 g

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