Grains and bread
Cooked couscous
A typical 150 g (5.5 oz, about 1 cup) serving of cooked couscous has about 168 kcal and 2.1 g of fiber, from 112 kcal per 100 g.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 3 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density: 112 kcal/100 g | +1 |
| Protein: 3.4 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Fiber: 1.3 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Solid food with 72.6 g of water | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 7 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 169700
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 168 kcal per serving
- 112 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 5.7 g per serving
- 3.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 34.8 g per serving
- 23.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0.2 g per serving
- 0.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 2.1 g per serving
- 1.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 0.2 g per serving
- 0.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 108.9 g per serving
- 72.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Couscous, cooked (FDC ID 169700), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 150 g (5.5 oz, about 1 cup) serving provides about 168 kcal, 5.7 g of protein, and 2.1 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
Under the Codex Alimentarius standard, couscous is a product of durum wheat semolina bound with water and given a physical treatment such as cooking or drying, and couscous made from other cereals may be called couscous only if the cereal is named, as in corn couscous. It is a traditional North African dish that in Spain and Latin America is sold mostly dry, ready in a few minutes with hot water or broth. This page covers USDA's rehydrated couscous, with 112 kcal, 3.79 g of protein and 1.4 g of fiber per 100 g; dry, as sold, it has 376 kcal and 5 g of fiber per 100 g.
A 150 g (5.3 oz) serving, rehydrated, provides 168 kcal, 5.7 g of protein and 2.1 g of fiber. It is soft, very low in fat and low in fiber, and is usually well tolerated in the first few days of treatment, when the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests avoiding fatty and very high-fiber foods, and after a dose increase. Because it has little protein, use it as a base for some, mixed with chickpeas, chicken or fish and vegetables, and start with that protein part, as the same advisory suggests.
What the evidence says
Rehydrated, it has 1.4 g of fiber per 100 g, 1.25 g per 100 kcal, so it meets neither of the EU minimums for a "source of fibre" claim, 3 g per 100 g or 1.5 g per 100 kcal, and the EU applies those rules to the food ready for consumption according to the manufacturer's instructions, not to the dry product (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Under the same rules, protein provides 13.5% of its energy and exceeds the 12% required for "source of protein", but a 150 g serving provides only 5.7 g. In the 2008 international glycemic index tables, couscous averages 65, against 75 for white bread and 73 for boiled white rice. It is made from wheat, so it contains gluten, one of the allergens the EU requires labels to highlight (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011).
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about cooked couscous
How much protein is in a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked couscous?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked couscous has 3.8 g of protein. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 5.7 g of protein. That is 3.4 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many calories does a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked couscous have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked couscous has 112 kcal. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 168 kcal. That is a low energy density.
Does cooked couscous have fiber?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked couscous has 1.4 g of fiber. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 2.1 g of fiber.
Is cooked couscous filling?
Moderately: our estimated satiety score is 3 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 1 (low energy density: 112 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 3.4 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 1.3 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 72.6 g of water) = 3. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
How does cooked couscous sit with nausea from a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about cooked couscous on a GLP-1 medication. “Easy to digest”: a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of cooked couscous?
We use 150 g (5.5 oz) as a typical serving, about 1 cup. That amount provides about 168 kcal, 5.7 g of protein, and 2.1 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Couscous, cooked (FDC ID 169700).accessed .
- InstitutionCodex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO).Codex Standard for Couscous (CXS 202-1995).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Couscous, dry (FDC ID 169699).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Article 5(3) and Annex).accessed .
- Official databaseDiabetes Care (American Diabetes Association).Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281-2283. doi:10.2337/dc08-1239.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex II, substances or products causing allergies or intolerances).accessed .