How many calories does one serving of Healthy Indian Style Couscous Salad with nuts have?
One serving (250 grams) of Healthy Indian Style Couscous Salad gives 383 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 112 calories, proteins account for 44 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 229 calories. One serving of Indian Style Couscous Salad provides about 19 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.
Healthy Indian Style Couscous Salad recipe serves 3, 250 grams per serving.
383 calories for 1 serving of Healthy Indian Style Couscous Salad, Cholesterol 33.2 mg, Carbohydrates 28g, Protein 11.1g, Fat 25.5g. Find how much fibre, iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, folic acid is present in Healthy Indian Style Couscous Salad.
See healthy Indian style couscous salad recipe | couscous salad | Mediterranean couscous salad | with 20 amazing images.
couscous salad is a refreshing and nutritious dish that combines couscous with a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs, and dressings. It is popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines and is known for its versatility and ease of preparation.
Ingredients for couscous salad.
Couscous : The base of the salad, which can be regular or whole wheat couscous.
Vegetables : Common additions include diced cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, spring onions, and broccoli.
Beans : chickpeas.
Herb : Fresh herbs like parsley, mint, or cilantro enhance the flavor.
Feta Cheese : Crumbled feta adds creaminess and a tangy flavor (optional).
Dressing : A simple dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt.
Is Indian Style Couscous Salad healthy ?
Yes, but conditons apply.
Let's understand the ingredients.
Couscous: Couscous is a good source of plant protein, especially for vegetarians. Couscous is a good source of fibre and almost negligible in fat and thus a wise choice for those aiming healthy heart, weight loss and looking to manage diabetes. However, do not overlook its carb content. Toss it with low carb colourful veggies to make a healthy meal. Also remember to buy couscous made with durum wheat than the one made with semolina. It is also a fair source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus and some B vitamins. Remember it is made with durum wheat, so not a good choice for those with gluten intolerance.
Feta Cheese: Regardless of the type of milk used to create it, Feta cheese is a concentrated source of the nutrients naturally found in milk, including calcium and phosphorus and thus good for bone health. Feta cheese also contains small amounts of other essential nutrients such as zinc, riboflavin and potassium. Feta cheese is also easier to digest. It is a dense source of high quality protein and low in fat, thus suitable for weight watchers. However, one nutritional drawback of these reduced-fat cheeses is that they are usually higher in sodium than other full-fat natural cheese. So people with hypertension and heart disease need to monitor its consumption very closely.
Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Olive oil : Olive oil is a strong antioxidant and good for heart. Also it has anti inflammation properties. This is one of the healthiest oil you can opt for. It has around 77% of MUFA. Olive oil, especially the extra virgin olive oil, is unrefined oil in its natural state and free of chemicals. Moreover, olive oil also possesses polyphenols – a type of antioxidant which protects body cells and maintains heart health as well. Popular in Mediterranean cooking, this oil works best for salad dressings or quick sautéing recipes. They cannot be used for prolonged cooking at high temperatures. Note that it's fat at the end of the day so don't consume too much. Read the super article of which oil is the healthiest, avoid vegetable oil.
Spring Onions : The sulfur compounds in spring onions are known to keep blood pressure under check. Here the sulfur compounds and antioxidant quercetin together help to keep blood sugar levels under control by increasing the production of insulin making it good for Diabetics. Spring onions have also been identified to lower cholesterol levels in the body. The vitamin C also puts you at less risk of heart disease. Being very low in calories and fat and encompassing a basketful of nutrients, they are looked upon as a weight loss vegetable too. See detailed benefits of spring onions.
Tomatoes ( Cherry tomatoes, Yellow tomatoes ) : Tomatoes are extremely rich source of Lycopene. Tomatoes are a powerful antioxidant, super rich in Vitamin C, good for heart. Tomatoes are a Pregnant woman's friend and are rich in Folate or Folic Acid which helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Read about 13 amazing benefits of tomatoes.
Capsicum (Bell Peppers, red, green and yellow capsicum) : Rich in vitamin C, protects and maintains the lining of the heart. Low glycemic index (40) colourful capsicum are immune boosters. Colourful capsicums (red, green and yellow capsicum) are not only visually appealing but also good for your eyes too, as they contain antioxidant Lutein, which protects the eye from cataracts and degeneration of the eye. Capsicum is high in Folate or folic acid, which is important for rapid growth and multiplication of red blood cells and white blood cells in the bone marrow. See detailed benefits of capsicum.
Can diabetics, heart patients and overweight individuals have Indian Style Couscous Salad?
Yes, but control portion size. Reduce feta cheese and olive oil used in the recipe. Couscous is a good source of plant protein, especially for vegetarians. Couscous is a good source of fibre and almost negligible in fat and thus a wise choice for those aiming healthy heart, weight loss and looking to manage diabetes. However, do not overlook its carb content.
Indian Style Couscous Salad is rich in below macronutrients, vitamins and minerals given in descending order (highest to lowest).
- Vitamin C : Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds. Have citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit and sweet lime), lemons, vegetables ( capsicum , broccoli, cabbage). Not all of the vitamin C is lost when vegetables are cooked. Some studies have shown that up to 50% of the vitamin C can be retained, depending on the cooking method and the vegetable. Cook vegetables quickly. The longer vegetables are cooked, the more vitamin C they will lose. 139% of RDA.
- Calcium. See Calcium rich recipes : Calcium is a mineral that makes bones stay strong. See our list of calcium rich Indian foods. Dairy products: Like milk, curds, cheese, paneer and buttermilk. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek, broccoli. Nuts ( almonds, peanuts, walnuts) and ragi. Required from kids to adults. 43% of RDA.
- Phosphorus : Phosphorus rich Indian foods works closely with calcium to build bones. Phosphorus rich Indian foods like dairy products ( milk, paneer, curds), nuts ( almonds, peanuts, walnuts) , seeds, jowar, bajra, moong, matki, oats, ragi, whole wheat flour etc. 38% of RDA.
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) : Vitamin B2 enables the production of red blood cells that contribute to the rise in your energy levels. So have more milk, curds, eggs and green leafy vegetables. 36% of RDA.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. Indian Foods rich in B1 are Flax seeds (alsi), Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, Garden cress seeds (halim), capsicum, whole wheat flour , chana dal, moong, walnuts, masoor dal, brown rice , jowar, bajra. 30% of RDA.
- Fiber : Dietary fiber reduces the risk of heart disease, prevents the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables (green peas , carrot, bitter gourd ), dals ( chana dal, urad dal , toovar dal) moong, oats, matki, whole grains . 29% of RDA.
- Folic Acid (Vitamin B9): Folic acid is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy. Folic acid rich Indian foods (kabuli chana, chana dal, yellow moong dal, urad dal, toor dal , sesame seeds ). 25% of RDA.
- Iron : Iron is essential in the chemical reactions that produce energy from foods. Eat more greens and garden cress seeds to prevent you from being anaemic. Here are the top 7 sources of iron rich foods. 21% of RDA.
- Protein : Protein is required for managing the wear and tear of all cells of the body. Have protein rich Indian foods like curds, paneer, Greek yoghurt, tofu, almonds, sprouts, chana, rajma, chick peas, quinoa, buckwheat ). 20% of RDA.
- Zinc : Zinc is involved in collagen synthesis and this helps repair skin and helps build immunity. See our zinc rich Indian foods and recipes like pumpkin seeds, nuts, whole grains like jowar, bajra, barley. Pulses like moong, rajma, chick peas. Dals like Urad Dal, Chana Dal, Toovar Dal, Masoor Dal etc. However the grains and pulses have phytates in them which hinder zinc absorption. Hence nuts are a better source of zinc in vegan diets. 17% of RDA.