Is Couscous Gluten Free

Unfortunately Couscous is a wheat product so there- fore not gluten free.


Couscous dates back to as early as the 13th century an is now known as the  'the North Africa national dish' Today, in Egypt and the Middle East, couscous is known, but in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya couscous is a staple. Couscous is also a staple of Sicilian cuisine. Couscous was originally made from millet. Historians have different opinions as to when wheat began to replace the use of millet. The conversion seems to have occurred sometime in the 20th century, although many regions continue to use the traditional millet.

Couscous granules

Preparation 


The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved. Any pellets which are too small to be finished granules of couscous  fall through the sieve and will be again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny granules of couscous. This process is very labour-intensive. In the traditional method of preparing couscous, groups of women would come together and make large batches over several days. These would then be dried in the sun and used for several months. Couscous was traditionally made from the hard part of the durum, the part of the grain that resisted the grinding of the relatively primitive millstone. In modern times, couscous production is largely mechanized, and the product is sold in markets around the world.

One of the great meals you can make with couscous

Couscous Alternatives

Quinoa 

A great Alternative to couscous is Quinoa.  Quinoa is usually considered to be a whole grain, it is actually a seed, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley. Quinoa can be used for a variety of things, it can replace rice for a different taste. It can also be used as a gluten free substitute for  couscous Quinoa  takes less time to cook than other whole grains – just 10 to 15 minutes. Quinoa tastes great on its own, unlike other grains such as millet or teff. Add a bit of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice and - yum! Finally, of all the whole grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa provides all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain,  and is almost always organic.

The nutrient composition is very good compared with common cereals. Quinoa grains contain essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

Pearl quinoa

After harvest, the grains need to be processed to remove the coating containing the bitter-tasting saponins. Quinoa grains are in general cooked the same way as rice and can be used in a wide range of dishes. Quinoa leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is limited.

Is Quinoa Gluten Free?

 

For people who need to follow a gluten free diet regime the good news is that standard quinoa grains are gluten free. Quinoa grain can be included into your diet easily and you can besure that as long as the other ingredients are also gluten free there will be no problem.

There are however quinoa food products where it is not quite so clear cut. Quinoa flour and quinoa flakes are processed quinoa and cannot be guaranteed gluten free. 

The problem comes because some quinoa manufacturers use the same factory to produce other flours. This means that there can be some cross contamination with wheat flour products.

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Written by Francis Giampieri ©