Couscous Health Benefits – Couscous is a good food that contributes many health benefits. Among the great benefits of couscous is preventing cancer, improving heart health, preventing bacterial infections, maintaining fluid stability in the body, losing weight, building muscle, improving body immunity and healing wounds. The many health benefits of couscous are of particular concern to those of you who are concerned about health. Here we see more about couscous.
What is Couscous?
Couscous is a traditional food derived from northern Africa and consists of small grain durum wheat. Many people think this is a small grain, but this is a small rye dough that is made in such a way. How to enjoy the couscous is to water using hot water so the little balls will expand. The first couscous food was known to the northern African people of the 13th century and later became a popular food in the central and turmeric states of the country. If you want to get natural couscous, this food only exists in the Mediterranean and North Africa.
While other countries such as America, England and other countries, they can only get the couscous in steamed form. The great health benefits of couscous are related to the mineral content and vitamins in it. Among them are selenium, thiamin, folate, manganese and niacin. Here we look at some of the health benefits of couscous that you should not miss.
7 Couscous Health Benefits
1. Maintain cardiovascular health
Selenium is a component that dominates in couscous, thanks to selenium it has many health benefits. Selenium includes minerals that are difficult to get from food but its presence is very important for health.
If you consume a serving of couscous, you already get 60% of the daily requirement of selenium. Selenium is a mineral that serves to maintain heart health, it acts as an antioxidant and serves to maintain healthy blood vessels by preventing the formation of plaque. In addition, selenium is also useful for lowering bad cholesterol. Thus, the health benefits of couscous are to prevent atherosclerosis, prevent heart attacks, and prevent stroke.
As a source of selenium, couscous also stores a lot of potassium that acts as an essential nutrient for the body. Potassium also plays a role in maintaining the health of blood vessels, this is very beneficial for those suffering from cardiovascular disease, because this nutrient will regulate the rhythm and heartbeats become stable.
Here we look at some of the health benefits of couscous that you can not take lightly.
2. Prevent cancer
Still related to the content of selenium, couscous is very good in preventing cancer. The content of selenium is useful in a metabolic system that leads to proliferation, this is a form of protection against certain cancers. If the body contains sufficient quantities of selenium then it will produce quality anti-metastasis and action against cancer prevention such as prostate cancer. In addition, selenium is also associated with other types of cancer such as lung cancer, and carcinogenics in smokers.
3. Boost immunity
Selenium contains the best antioxidants that help fight proliferation and other toxins in the bloodstream. The actual function of selenium is to regenerate vitamin C, vitamin E, which maintains the body’s resistance. In particular, the health benefits of couscous is to maintain the body’s system so resistant to disease.
4. Lose weight
Those who take a diet plan, always looking for foods that are low in calories. Grain is the alternative because it is filling and easy to cook and low in calories. Grain like quinoa, couscous is superior, because it contains only 200 calories in one serving. This covers only 10% of the body’s daily requirements. So, those who are losing weight are great for trying couscous. In addition, couscous is also low in sodium so it is good for those suffering from diabetes, cholesterol, and saturated fats.
In addition, couscous is also rich in fiber. The function of fiber is to prevent ghrelin secretion, and the hormone that prevents the hunger. So this gives you the ability to prevent overeating.
5. Heal the wound
The health benefits of couscous also speed up wound healing such as scratches, incisions, accidents or other injuries. This is thanks to the high protein in couscous. Proteins are important substances for wound healing, which is why they are injured to consume protein-rich foods such as eels or freshwater fish. Our body is made up of 15% protein, so its availability is very important for the good of the body.
6. Improve digestive health
In addition to rich in protein, couscous is also rich in fiber that is good for digestion and prevents constipation. One cup of couscous meets 10% of daily necessities. High fiber content is very good for moving the intestine so that the digestion becomes healthy. In addition, the function of fiber is to clean the arteries, move food throughout the day, stimulate peristaltic movement.
7. Maintain body fluid balance
This is a very important thing, because the body is made up of 90% fluid. So, maintaining the balance of body fluids is a necessity that should not be underestimated. If the fluid is not enough or dehydrated, then the body can not function properly.
Couscous contains potassium which is useful for stabilizing liquids. Stable fluids can maintain stable blood pressure in the body.