Couscous and Diabetes

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notvoldy
notvoldy Posts: 16
in Food and Nutrition
I was recently diagnosed as diabetic and have been trying to find tasty meals that I like. I'm not a good cook (I used to eat out all the time before I was diagnosed), but I found a seemingly easy recipe for a couscous salad. I've never eaten couscous before. What exactly is it made of and how good is it for you nutritionally?

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  • Degator
    Degator Posts: 92 Member
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    Couscous is a very small granular pasta, about the size of kosher salt. It doesn't really taste like pasta though. Cooks super quick in like 5 minutes. Since you are eating it as a diabetic, 1/4 cup has one gram of sugar and 2 fiber with 31 carbs. Hope that helps.
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    You can also buy whole wheat couscous, which has way more fiber per serving......
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
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    Couscous is considered a kind of pasta, and its coated in ground wheat powder. So it creates relatively the same insulin response in the body as pasta does.

    If you like couscous you may also want to try the higher protein quinoa ("keen-wah"). It's actually a seed but cooks up like rice or couscous. It's a complete protein in itself (it has all the essential amino acids). A little goes a long way - it's very filling. Quinoa contains more vitamins and minerals and is lower on the GI chart than couscous. I actually like quinoa much more - has a nicer taste and texture, in my opinion, anyway.
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    Couscous is delicious! It is semolina, somewhat like a pasta but not ... it has it's own taste. I grew up in North Africa and we traditionally made it by steaming it over a pot of meat and vegetables that would be used as the "sauce," It is not common to find it served cold, although children sometimes have the left over un-sauced version in the morning with milk and a little bit of sugar. You should post the salad version you found, I'd love to try it!
  • Jessilynmorgan
    Jessilynmorgan Posts: 12 Member
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    Don't know about the insulin factor, but my dietician recommended it for me to add a starch to a meal. It's pretty neutral as far as flavoring and texture go, but I never played around with it that much.

    Oh, I love your name, btw!
  • notvoldy
    notvoldy Posts: 16
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    Couscous is delicious! It is semolina, somewhat like a pasta but not ... it has it's own taste. I grew up in North Africa and we traditionally made it by steaming it over a pot of meat and vegetables that would be used as the "sauce," It is not common to find it served cold, although children sometimes have the left over un-sauced version in the morning with milk and a little bit of sugar. You should post the salad version you found, I'd love to try it!

    I got this from a food blog called Show Me the Curry. I like eastern cuisine and ever since I tried Indian food a few months ago, I've been on a huge kick with it. I'm not brave enough to make things really spicy yet (I grew up in a household that uses literally no spices in food at all, so my tolerance for heat and flavor isn't very high. Good for salt, at least!), but this seems pretty mild.

    (There's also a video instructional for this on their YouTube channel, ShowMeTheCurry.)

    Prep: 20 minutes + chilling time

    Couscous – 1 cup
    Salt – 1/4 tsp or to taste
    Boiling Water – 1 1/2 cups
    Olive Oil – 1 Tbsp (optional)
    Green Onions – 2-3 stalks (chopped)
    Bell Pepper – 1/2 chopped, any color
    Cucumber – 1/2 medium, peeled and chopped
    Cilantro – 10 sprigs, chopped
    Tomatoes – 2 medium or handful of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
    Green Chilies – to taste, finely chopped
    Garbanzo Beans – 15 oz can, washed and drained
    Dried Cranberries – handful
    Chopped Walnuts – handful
    Salt – to taste
    Black Pepper – to taste
    Lemon/Lime Juice – to taste

    Method:

    1. In a bowl, add Couscous, Salt and Boiling Water. Mix well, cover and keep aside for 10 – 15 minutes.
    2. Fluff couscous with a fork to make sure there are no lumps. Allow it to cool.
    3. Add Olive Oil (optional) and mix thoroughly.
    4. Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt or lime juice..salad is a little on the tangy side.
    5. Chill for at least 30 minutes and serve.

    Tip: If you are not worried about calorie counting, try using a Balsamic Vinaigrette as a dressing for your couscous salad. It adds a whole different dimension and flavor.
  • notvoldy
    notvoldy Posts: 16
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    and thank you all for your help. Exactly the information I needed!
  • IceFaith
    IceFaith Posts: 81
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    Couscous is considered a kind of pasta, and its coated in ground wheat powder. So it creates relatively the same insulin response in the body as pasta does.

    If you like couscous you may also want to try the higher protein quinoa ("keen-wah"). It's actually a seed but cooks up like rice or couscous. It's a complete protein in itself (it has all the essential amino acids). A little goes a long way - it's very filling. Quinoa contains more vitamins and minerals and is lower on the GI chart than couscous. I actually like quinoa much more - has a nicer taste and texture, in my opinion, anyway.


    I agree w/ the above. I don't care for the taste of couscous and I love pasta. I do love quinoa though. I cook it in chicken stock most of the time.

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