How is bulgur useful and how does it help to normalize weight?
How is bulgur useful and how does it help to normalize weight?
Bulgur is a popular ingredient in many dishes in the Middle East. Nutritious cereals are easy to prepare and healthy. Bulgur is an excellent side dish for meat or fish. It is also used when creating sweet dishes, a variety of soups, added to stew. Rice is often replaced with this cereal, for example, when stuffing pepper, cooking cabbage rolls, dolma and even risotto.
It is important to note that bulgur contains a large amount of fiber, which is very useful for the human body.
What is bulgur?
Bulgur is an edible cereal made from dried crushed wheat, mainly durum wheat. In its finished form, it looks like couscous or quinoa in consistency. Non-peeled cereals are used to create bulgur, so embryos, endosperm and wheat bran remain in bulgur.
The culture of bulgur consumption dates back millennia. The first mention of cereals is recorded on cuneiform tablets of the IX century BC, the time of King Ashurnatsirapal II of Assyria.
Residents of Turkey, India and the Balkan region treated wheat with boiling water, laid it out in the sun to evaporate moisture, and then sifted in the wind. The size of the grains also depended on the size of the sieve. Pilaf was cooked from large ones or used when stuffing meat, vegetables, dolma. Medium ones were added to salads. Small ones went to soups and porridge.
Nutritional value and calorie content of bulgur.
Bulgur is very nutritious. Since it is a grain with minimal processing, it retains greater nutritional value compared to processed wheat products. It contains a lot of vitamins, minerals and fiber. One serving covers many needs of the body according to the recommended daily nutrient standards.
Solid wheat varieties are an excellent source of manganese, iron and magnesium. Bulgur is slightly more caloric than many whole-grain products, such as brown rice.
One cup of cooked bulgur (182 g) contains:
151 Kcal;
34 g of carbohydrates;
6 g of protein;
0 g of fat.
There are many useful trace elements in one portion of cereals. As a percentage of the recommended daily intake:
Folic acid - 8%;
Vitamin B6 - 8%;
Manganese - 55%;
Magnesium - 15%;
Iron - 10%.
Doctors recommend using bulgur in the process of weight loss.
What's the use of bulgur?
Doctors believe that whole-grain products are good for health. Bulgur is suitable for the prevention of heart and vascular diseases, diabetes, contributes to the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), reducing inflammation and normalizing weight.
Heart health
Sufficient amount of fiber in the diet reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases by 20%, studies confirmed. Scientists have studied the health indicators of people who consume 90-225 g of grains per day.Diabetes prevention
Compared to purified grain, bulgur reduces blood sugar levels. Some studies show that whole-grain products can also improve overall sensitivity to insulin.Gastrointestinal tract work
Regular consumption of whole-grain products, such as bulgur, contributes to the growth of useful intestinal bacteria. They produce short-chain fatty acids that support intestinal health. A large amount of fiber in bulgur stimulates normal digestion and prevents constipation.Reducing inflammation
Some data indicate that bulgur can reduce chronic inflammation. In a recent study, patients with unhealthy diets replaced refined wheat products with whole-grain cereals. Doctors noted a clear decrease in inflammation markers.Normalization of weight
Although the amount of fat in the body is affected by many factors, studies indicate that higher fiber intake reduces the risks of weight gain.Longevity
When chronic diseases are excluded, the standard of living improves. Doctors confirm that the consumption of whole grain reduces the risk of death from heart disease and other diseases.
What are the contraindications to the use of bulgur?
Despite the fact that this cereal is extremely useful for the human body, it is important not to use it in large quantities. Coarse grains can harm with stomach ulcers, reflux or high acidity.
Although bulgur is useful for most people, some should still limit its consumption. First of all, this is relevant for diagnosed celiac disease - allergies to gluten in wheat. People with chronic intestinal disorders may not tolerate bulgur due to its insoluble fiber content. If you are trying cereal for the first time, start with a small portion.
Some people will consider high calorie content unacceptable, but this is only a formality. Cereal dishes contain a lot of fiber and other nutrients. Even a small portion is enough for a sense of satiety.
The conclusions of nutritionists about the health benefits and health of this product show that the benefits of its use are still much greater.
Bulgur can be consumed for both breakfast and lunch. In addition, cereals have a low glycemic index of 46, which is important for the weight loss process.
How to choose a bulgur?
The groats must be dry, without foreign inclusions. Depending on the type of wheat, the groats can have a color from bright yellow to brown. The brighter the color, the better - this effect is given by hard wheat varieties. Taste qualities do not depend on either the price or the shade. The benefits and harms of porridge also do not depend on the original parameters of the grain.
How to cook bulgur?
Bulgur is very easy to prepare. It can be fine, medium or coarse grinding; its cooking takes from 3 to 20 minutes, depending on the variety. The larger the grain, the longer the cooking time. You need two parts of water for one part of bulgur.
Cereals are used as an ingredient in salads, soups, tabules, pilaf and vegetable stews. It can be eaten both hot and cold, replaced with bulgur rice or couscous in traditional recipes.
If you eat too many products like bulgur every day in large quantities, you will get an excess of carbohydrates. This is harmful, especially against the background of lack of protein, insufficient consumption of vegetables, herbs and healthy fats. If the diet is balanced, eating bulgur every day theoretically, of course, is possible, but it is almost much healthier and more reasonable to observe the principle of rotation of products: today - bulgur, tomorrow - buckwheat porridge with mushrooms, the day after tomorrow - a portion of wild rice. Due to this, you will get more different vitamins and trace elements, and the diet will be varied.
If you want to reduce weight, it is necessary first of all to remove the so-called "fast carbohydrates": muffins, sweets, juices, sugar-containing and highly refined products, such as instant semolina and oatmeal. That is, products with a high glycemic index.
If we talk about a balanced diet, there are no significant restrictions for whole cereals. With this approach, the carbohydrate content in the diet can reach up to 50-55%, including dietary fibers. The problem is usually not in cereals. Whole cereals (that is, those that have not undergone deep industrial processing) are not harmful in themselves. Due to the use of whole grain (with shell and embryo), they retain maximum benefit.
In the diet of modern man, excess carbohydrates is achieved due to an inadequate level of consumption of dishes that have undergone deep industrial processing. These are sugar-containing products - candy, cookies, juices, ketchups, premium flour bread, muffin, white rice, instant porridge. They should be abandoned. And whole cereals can remain even in every main meal as a side dish. Especially at the initial stage, when a person takes the first steps in a healthy diet.