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What is bulgur good for?

Svetlana FusFood
Bulgur with vegetables and spices. Source: yummieliciouz.com

To make groats, wheat grains are steamed, then dried in the sun, hulled and crushed to the desired size. 100 g of cereal contains 12 g of protein, about 2 g of fat, 63 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fiber, and its caloric content is 340 kcal. In 100 g of porridge made from bulgur, the amount of all these ingredients is about 3 times less.

Since the wheat germ remains in the production of bulgur, this cereal contains more nutrients and vitamins compared to semolina, couscous, and many other popular cereals. Bulgur contains B vitamins (except 12), K and PP, folic acid, as well as minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, and magnesium.

Boiled bulgur is digested more slowly and creates a feeling of satiety for longer than semolina and couscous. The glycemic index of bulgur is 47, couscous 65, and semolina 75.

It is useful to add berries, fruits, or greens to bulgur to improve the taste of the dish and saturate it with vitamins. A traditional bulgur dish is a tabbouleh, cold-boiled cereal with herbs and fresh vegetables, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil.

One of the advantages of cooking with bulgur is that even after prolonged cooking, it does not boil to a mushy state and does not lose its shape, like rice or barley.

Bulgur is a nutritious cereal that adds variety to the diet. And remember that there are many more worthy cereals: pearl barley, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal, and others.

Let me remind you that bulgur, like other cereals, is primarily carbohydrates. You often hear that it is better to eat carbohydrates in the morning and afternoon to gain energy for physical and mental work and, most importantly, not to eat in the evening to avoid gaining weight. This is only partially true. I would advise you to remove simple carbohydrates from your evening meal, first of all, sweet fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, honey, and sweets. They should be consumed in the morning. But a small amount of porridge such as bulgur can be eaten for dinner.

Do you like bulgur?

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