Quinoa or bulgar? - which is healther?

Err why are neither of them healthy?! Unless you have a medical issue stopping you eating grains, eat whichever you prefer. Or both. That's sort of like asking which is healthier between broccoli and cauliflower. Their micronutrients will be slightly different, but overall its not really important.

And don't listen to scare mongerers telling you x and y and z foods are the debil!

dreena222 wrote: »

It's a grain.....neither are very healthy

That's just nonsense I'm afraid

As with anything you cant take it in isolation compared to the rest of your diet. Which one do you like? eat that one as part of a balanced diet. Personally I'm not a fan of Quinoa it's expensive and I'm not keen on the texture. personally i'd rather go for couscous

dreena222 wrote: »

It's a grain.....neither are very healthy

Actually quinoa is a pseudograin. If you don't have an autoimmune disease then it's perfectly healthy for you to consume it. There are a few anti-grain / paleo people about who will have something different to say so if it's something that worries you then there's plenty online about whether to eat grains or not to eat grains so you can do your own research and decide for yourself.

Anyway, back to your question about quinoa vs bulgur:

As far as calories go Bulgur is lower cal (83 cals per 100g cooked) than Quinoa (120 cals per 100g cooked). They've both got different nutrition profiles though. Quinoa: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/10352/2 vs Bulgur http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5686/2
Check them out and think about your nutrition needs / goals. Both of them are carbohydrate heavy, rather than fat heavy (nothing wrong with some good healthy fat in your diet though).

My favourite recipe to use them is is definitely Tabbouleh! Yum yum! I've posted a link below for you

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/quinoa-tabbouleh-395939

All grains are cool. Quinoa is simply getting good press lately. Here's another to try; buckwheat.

Energy per 100 grams, 343 Kcal
Carbohydrates 71.50 g
Protein 13.25 g
Total Fat 3.40 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Dietary Fiber 10 g
Folates (B9) 30 µg
Niacin (B3) 7.020 mg
Pantothenic acid 1.233 mg
Riboflavin (B2) 0.425 mg
Thiamin (B1) 0.101 mg
Vitamin A 0 IU
Sodium 1 mg
Potassium 460 mg
Calcium 18 mg
Copper 1.100 mg
Iron 2.20 mg
Magnesium 231 mg
Manganese 1.300 mg
Phosphorus 347 mg
Selenium 8.3 µg
Zinc 2.40 mg
Amino acids
Lysine 672 mg
Methionine 172 mg
Tryptophan 192 mg

Grains were not regularly consumed for most of human history. Therefore, humans lack the ability to digest and utilize grains, essentially making them a toxin.
Note: It is true that grains were not consumed for the vast majority of human history. However, evolution is constant, and it is completely reasonable to believe that humans have indeed evolved mechanisms over the past 10,000 years to digest wheat and grains, and that’s assuming humans weren’t able to digest them in the first place, a claim which also has no evidence behind it.

Gluten, a protein component of grains, causes adverse reactions in the majority of people, ranging from water retention, weight gain, fatigue, and memory issues, to severe, chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer.
Note: Celiac disease, a condition in which the body views gluten as an “invader” and fights it with its immune system, is becoming significantly more common. (The reason for this is unknown.) Celiac disease is diagnosed by removing a tiny portion of intestine and looking at it under the microscope. Additionally, certain blood tests can reflect Celiac.1

However, a growing number of experts believe that certain individuals can have sensitivity to gluten without having actual Celiac Disease. For example, Alessio Fasano, MD, who heads the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland, has concluded through his research that around 18,000,000 Americans (between 5 and 6%) have some degree of gluten sensitivity. On the other side of the argument, research from the Columbia University Celiac Disease Center found rates much lower, around 0.55%. Once again, research has been inconclusive and until biologic markers are found that can diagnosis the disorder, the true prevalence will not be known. Still, if you think you may be sensitive to gluten, then by all means try a gluten free diet and see how your body responds.

Grains cause a massive spike in insulin leading to diabetes and obesity.
Note: The processing of grains, which removes what many believe to be the “healthy” part of the grain, yields a product which elicits a much greater insulin response. Whole grains, on the other hand, cause significantly less insulin release. Furthermore, while excess insulin certainly promotes fat storage, fat gain occurs when more calories are consumed than expended. Spikes in insulin can temporarily trigger fat accumulation, but in the setting of an overall calorie deficit, this will quickly be reversed and the net effect will be fat loss.

Grains contain a chemical called Phytic acid, which binds to minerals such as calcium, leaching them from the GI tract and contributing to bone weakness and osteoporosis.
Note: A large research study examined this hypothesis and concluded that Phytic acid does not affect bone density or markers of calcium absorption.2

Grains contain “antinutrients”, which are plant-based defense mechanisms that interfere with digestion and allow the absorption of toxic materials into the bloodstream.
Note: While antinutrients can certainly be detrimental to good health, there is evidence that certain antinutrients actually have health promoting properties. For instance, phytic acid, lectins, phenolic compounds, amylase inhibitors and saponins have been shown to reduce the blood glucose and insulin responses to starchy foods. In addition, phytic acid, phenolics, saponins, protease inhibitors, phytoestrogens and lignans have been related to reduced cancer risks.3

When traditional cultures consumed grains, they were always soaked or fermented first, and/or allowed to sprout (or grow), which in theory makes them more digestible and increases nutrients.4 Again however, there is conflicting evidence. Some research has shown sprouted grains have no greater nutrition than unsprouted.5

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Just something to think about

Ermegerd. I found these Google searches about the ebils of grain and someone said, "Trust me, I'm a doctor." /proceeds to spam forums with nonsense.

Kk. Moderation in all things. Get your bodies required nutrients, stay away from foods you're allergic to, and stay within your caloric goals for whatever you're trying to achieve. Boom. Healthy is in the context of an entire diet, not individual foods. Eat what you enjoy

Often people reduce their foods with gluten and feel better but it may be because they have reduced the fodmap's in their diet and not actually anything to do with gluten.

If I hear one more grains (or dairy, or whathaveyou) are evil I might just scream.

Bulgur is healthier on my wallet.

Whiskeytub wrote: »

Bulgur is healthier on my wallet.

^ This

dreena222 wrote: »

Says it all

jgnatca wrote: »

The cattle that are "fattened" on grains these days are lean meat.

People have been eating grains for at least four million years. We haven't been in an obesity crisis for 4 million years.

I... just... can't...

Make this stupid all go away please!

dreena222 wrote: »

Lean beef is grass fed beef. Much more nutritious .

Slightly more nutritious, though the grass fed USDA label does not mean they weren't pumped full of steroids and antibiotics. May be more humane, though it also does not guarantee this either. It guarantees diet and little more. They cattle may still be confined and fattened on hay for much of the year.