Couscous is tiny pellets of semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat) and is technically a pasta. It is quick to prepare, provides moderate protein and B vitamins, and is a useful source of selenium. Regular couscous is made from refined durum wheat and so has less fibre than wholemeal varieties; whole wheat couscous is nutritionally superior.
Pour boiling water or stock over dry couscous (1.5:1 ratio), cover tightly with a lid or foil, and leave 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Whole wheat couscous may need an extra minute.
Where Couscous (Dry) Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 287 mg | 14% | |
| Phosphorus | 238 mg | 34% | |
| Chloride | 93.0 mg | 12% | |
| Magnesium | 59.0 mg | 16% | |
| Folate | 28.0 µg | 14% | |
| Calcium | 28.0 mg | 4% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 5.30 mg | 33% | |
| Selenium | 5.00 µg | 9% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.60 mg | 16% | |
| Iron | 2.00 mg | 14% | |
| Zinc | 1.80 mg | 18% | |
| Manganese | 1.07 mg | 54% | |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.590 mg | 10% | |
| Copper | 0.360 mg | 36% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.280 mg | 25% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.150 mg | 11% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 0.130 mg | 1% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.060 mg | 4% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Iodine | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 0.840 g | — | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.260 g | — | |
| Maltose | 1.40 g | — | |
| Sucrose | 0.800 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 0.000 g | — | |
| Fructose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Glutamic acid | 3.84 g | — | |
| Aspartic acid | 0.960 g | — | |
| Leucine | 0.883 g | — | |
| Proline | 0.704 g | — | |
| Valine | 0.653 g | — | |
| Arginine | 0.640 g | — | |
| Phenylalanine | 0.627 g | — | |
| Serine | 0.576 g | — | |
| Alanine | 0.512 g | — | |
| Isoleucine | 0.512 g | — | |
| Glycine | 0.448 g | — | |
| Tyrosine | 0.448 g | — | |
| Threonine | 0.422 g | — | |
| Lysine | 0.384 g | — | |
| Methionine | 0.333 g | — | |
| Histidine | 0.307 g | — | |
| Cysteine | 0.230 g | — | |
| Tryptophan | 0.154 g | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 0.000 µg | — | |
| Biotin (Vitamin B7) | 3.20 µg | 6% | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →