Bulgur: calorie, beneficial properties and harm, use for weight loss

The history of the existence of Bulgur dates back several thousand years. He gained great popularity in the East and in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Recently, it can be found on the shelves of Russian stores. This product is famous for its beneficial properties and is an excellent aid in losing weight.

Bulgur is a cereal obtained from processed wheat. It is cleaned, steamed, dried and divided into small particles. Thanks to this treatment, the croup receives a certain taste and aroma.

Dishes from Bulgur are very simple to cook. To do this, it is enough to fry it in a skillet or a skillet with a little oil and then add water a bit (proportions are determined individually based on the required consistency), then cook until ready.

The energy value per 100 grams of dry product is 345 kcal. The ratio of BZHU:

• proteins - 13 g;
• fats - 1.5 g;
• carbohydrates - 58.47 g.

Calculating CBDU is important for maintaining proper and balanced nutrition, as well as for achieving optimal weight. Whole grain cereals have a particularly high nutritional value.

Bulgur contains a maximum of vitamins and elements. Let's take a closer look at its chemical composition.

• Vitamins A, B, E, K, PP, choline.
• Folic acid.
• Sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium.

The product contains slow carbohydrates and does not contribute to the rapid increase in blood glucose, as well as the deposition of fatty tissues. Due to the low glycemic index, it is allowed for people with diabetes.

As mentioned earlier, the caloric content of bulgur is 345 kcal. This means that 100 grams of dry product contains approximately 15% of the daily caloric intake for men and 18% of the norm for women.

The volume of boiled bulgur on water increases several times in comparison with its initial weight. At the same time, the energy value of this side dish decreases to 84 kcal.

If you want to get the maximum benefit from the use of boiled cereal, soak it in a deep cup of hot water. Liquid should be 2 times more than cereals. The cup must be securely covered with a lid and left for at least half an hour. If you leave the porridge in water for more than an hour, then in the future it can be used as an independent side dish or ingredient for dietary salad. It will be a little harder than boiled cereal, but it will be digested and absorbed by the body much faster.

Tasty and fragrant porridge will turn out in a multicooker. For this, the grits need to be fried until golden brown in the “Baking” mode with a small amount of butter. Then add filtered water, salt, spices and switch to the mode “Buckwheat” or “Rice” (depending on the model of the device). After the timer is turned off, leave the garnish on the “Heating” function for a quarter of an hour. Porridge with butter will turn out beautiful color, with a pleasant taste. One serving of this dish contains 102 calories.

Those who follow the figure, cooked side dish can be used for breakfast, but in small portions and no more than 2-3 times a week. It also contains a large amount of fiber and this dish can be included in the diet of children over one and a half years.

One of the healthy foods for weight loss is bulgur with vegetables. The benefit is that in this combination of products contains a large number of plant fibers that improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Bulgur can be combined with fresh vegetables (except cabbage) and greens, and you can stew.

A fragrant side dish comes out of fried young zucchini, eggplant and red bell pepper mixed with cereal.If desired, you can add corn or canned peas, sprinkle with chopped dill and parsley. A small amount of spices will also give the dish a unique oriental flavor.

Fans of combining various cereals are recommended to cook rice pilaf and bulgur with spices. The calorie content of dishes with rice is quite high, so with a limited diet you should eat them in small quantities and preferably in the morning.

Like any food product, bulgur has pros and cons. The benefits of bulgur for weight loss:

• normalizes the nervous system, acts as a natural sedative;
• is an excellent garnish and is combined with vegetables, seafood, dietary meat;
• croup perfectly breaks down fats and is recommended for people on a diet;
• rich vitamin composition increases hemoglobin, stops hair loss, improves skin and nail color;
• a large number of nutrients that increase the tone of the body. It is recommended to people who lead an active lifestyle and adhere to proper nutrition;
• ready-made dish from Bulgur is perfectly digested and suitable for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (except for the period of exacerbation of the disease);
• The product can be added to the diet of expectant mothers who are recommended a certain diet (gestational diabetes) for health reasons. When breastfeeding bulgur is also allowed, but in reasonable quantities, to prevent increased gas formation in the baby;
• thanks to lysine, porridge has antibacterial properties.

Harm:

• with gluten intolerance (celiac), the use of bulgur is strictly prohibited in any quantities. Gluten ingress into the human body with celiac disease can cause serious harm to health. Many people are not aware of the fact that they are intolerant of this substance. And if, after consuming bulgur, weakness, intestinal upset or clouding of consciousness occurs, then it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor and pass the appropriate tests;
• when overeating porridge can quickly gain unnecessary calories and dramatically increase the weight. It can also slow down the metabolism, leading to intestinal colic and increased gas formation;
• people who want to lose weight, you need to remember that bulgur quite high-calorie cereals. Moreover, in almost all cooking options for this cereal, it is recommended to fry it in butter or sunflower oil at the beginning of cooking. Roasting gives besides aroma and a beautiful golden shade additional calorie content. Nevertheless, nutritionists allow the use of Bulgur in reasonable quantities, even for people who are prone to corpulence;
• Fiber, which is part of the cereal, can adversely affect the digestive system of a person suffering from ulcers, gastritis, increased acidity of the stomach and inflammatory processes. Therefore, in case of exacerbation of the above diseases, it is recommended to wait for their remission.

Bulgur allows you to diversify the menu of those people who want to lose weight. It can be added to soups, salads and used as a separate side dish. During the diet, the presence of cereal in the diet is acceptable, but not more than 3-4 times a week. Every day there are such porridge is not recommended.

People who choose a dietary meal should weigh cooked cereals before eating. Her weight should not exceed 150-200 grams per day. In addition to proper nutrition, you can add exercise, then the effect of losing weight does not take long.

We propose to consider several useful and low-calorie recipes, the main component of which will be Bulgur.

Ingredients:

• Bulgur - 160 g;
• red lentils - 160 g;
• purified water - 0.5 l;
• allspice - 2-3 peas;
• shallot onions - 1 piece;
• tomato - 2-3 pieces of medium size;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• dried peppermint - 1h. l

Stages of cooking:

• prepare a deep pan. Pour the lentils into it and pour water over it. Bring to a boil over medium heat;
• pour bulgur and allspice in lentil broth. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, slightly reducing the heat;
• at this time, warm the pan well, add a drop of oil to it and proceed to browning the chopped onion;
• After 5-7 minutes add peeled tomatoes to golden onions and stew for 2-3 minutes;
• put stewed vegetables in a bowl with cereals, salt and add mint;
• cook until ready. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

To prepare this low-calorie dish will take quite a bit of time.

• croup - 150 g;
• filtered water - 300 ml;
• fresh mint;
• cucumber, tomato and sweet pepper;
• greenery;
• lemon juice.

Cooking:

• Bulgur pour water and bring to a boil. When water boils it is necessary to reduce the heat and cook for another 13-15 minutes;
• Pour the remaining liquid from the pan. Put the resulting porridge in a plate and fill with a small amount of olive oil;
• cut vegetables into cubes and add to dish;
• mix the salad, add plenty of greens, salt and pour the lemon juice.

Ingredients:

• Bulgur - 100 g;
• water - 200 ml;
• 4 eggplants;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• walnuts - 100 g;
• sweet and sour apples - 150 g;
• plums - 100 g;
• onion - 2 pieces;
• carrots - 2 pieces.

Cooking process:

• cut the eggplants in half and peel off the core;
• chop garlic and nuts, and cut apples, carrots and onions into small cubes;
• pour boiling water into the rump, cover with the lid and leave to stew for 25 minutes;
• Now it's time to start preparing the filling. To do this, prepare the prepared vegetables in a skillet with a deep bottom for at least 10 minutes;
• add plums, apples to vegetables and leave to stew for another quarter of an hour;
• during this time, the bulgur will be steamed and can be added to the pan with ready-made vegetables and fruits;
• the resulting filling to cool and stuff each half of eggplants;
• sprinkle stuffed eggplants with nuts on top and simmer in a saucepan for 20-25 minutes.

Reviews on the use of Bulgur for weight loss is very positive. Those who could get rid of unnecessary kilograms emphasize the fact that they used bulgur on the recommendation of dietitians several times a week. At the same time they felt vigorously, thanks to the excellent composition of the product. Croup helps many people even while observing Lent, replacing food of animal origin. According to reviews lovers of this type of cereal are satisfied with the fact that it can be used in various recipes and the food will never be the same.

On how to cook bulgur for garnish, see the following video.