Bulgur Nutrition per 100 g: Dry, Cooked and Bulgur vs Rice

By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 4 November 2026

Bulgur is whole wheat that has been cooked, dried and cracked. Because it is pre-cooked, it is ready in minutes, and because the whole grain stays in, it keeps most of its fibre. Per 100 g cooked bulgur, USDA lists 83 kcal, 3.1 g protein and 4.5 g fibre. That is about three times the fibre of cooked brown rice and more than ten times that of white rice, for fewer calories. This page shows bulgur dry and cooked, compares it with rice, and gives a few ways to use it.

Nutrition per 100 g: dry and cooked

Nutrient	Dry	Cooked
Energy	342 kcal	83 kcal
Water	9.0 g	77.8 g
Protein	12.3 g	3.1 g
Fat, total	1.3 g	0.2 g
Carbohydrate	75.9 g	18.6 g
of which fibre	12.5 g	4.5 g
of which sugars	0.4 g	0.1 g
Sodium	17 mg	5 mg
Potassium	410 mg	68 mg
Magnesium	164 mg	32 mg
Iron	2.46 mg	0.96 mg
Zinc	1.93 mg	0.57 mg
Manganese	3.05 mg	0.61 mg
Niacin	5.11 mg	1.00 mg
Folate	27 µg	18 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy. Dry: “Bulgur, dry” (FDC 170688). Cooked: “Bulgur, cooked” (FDC 170287). Both checked 2026-11-01. Values are rounded. Bulgur cooked without salt is naturally very low in sodium; the salt you add is the salt you eat.

Per serving

	1 cup cooked (182 g)	50 g dry (about 200 g cooked)
Energy	151 kcal	171 kcal
Protein	5.6 g	6.2 g
Carbohydrate	33.9 g	38.0 g
Fibre	8.2 g (about 33% of 25 g)	6.3 g (about 25% of 25 g)
Magnesium	58 mg	82 mg
Manganese	1.11 mg	1.53 mg

The cup weights (182 g cooked, 140 g dry) are from the USDA records. The two records give different numbers for the same weight of grain (the cooked record has less fibre and magnesium than the dry one would predict), so the two columns do not match exactly. Percentages compare with the 25 g of fibre a day that EFSA considers adequate for normal bowel function in adults.

Bulgur vs rice, per 100 g cooked

Nutrient	Bulgur	Brown rice	White rice, enriched
Energy	83 kcal	123 kcal	130 kcal
Protein	3.1 g	2.7 g	2.7 g
Carbohydrate	18.6 g	25.6 g	28.2 g
Fibre	4.5 g	1.6 g	0.4 g
Magnesium	32 mg	39 mg	12 mg
Potassium	68 mg	86 mg	35 mg
Iron	0.96 mg	0.56 mg	1.20 mg
Folate	18 µg	9 µg	58 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Bulgur, cooked” (FDC 170287), “Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked” (FDC 169704), “Rice, white, long-grain, regular, enriched, cooked” (FDC 168878). Checked 2026-11-01. The higher iron and folate in white rice come from enrichment: in the US, rice sold as “enriched” must contain added thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron under its federal standard, and folic acid has been added to enriched grain products since 1998. Whether the rice you buy is enriched depends on the country and the brand, so check the pack.

What the table means in practice: per 100 g cooked, bulgur has about a third fewer calories than rice, more protein and far more fibre. A cup of cooked bulgur (182 g) gives 8.2 g of fibre; a cup of cooked white rice (158 g) gives 0.6 g. Brown rice sits in between and has a little more magnesium and potassium than bulgur.

Glycemic index of bulgur

Bulgur is not listed in the main table of the international GI tables (2008), so we give no number for it. For orientation, the same table lists boiled white rice at 73 ± 4, boiled brown rice at 68 ± 4 and couscous at 65 ± 4 on the glucose scale. Whatever the exact value, the fibre and the smaller carbohydrate load per 100 g cooked are what set bulgur apart from rice in the table above.

Health benefits: what the evidence says

Whole grain. Bulgur is a whole grain. A 2016 meta-analysis in The BMJ (45 studies) linked eating 90 g of whole grain products a day with a 19% lower risk of coronary heart disease, 22% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 17% lower risk of death from any cause, compared with eating none. These are observational studies: an association, not proof of cause.
Fibre. One cup of cooked bulgur covers about a third of the 25 g of fibre a day EFSA considers adequate for adults. Swapping white rice for bulgur a few times a week is one of the easiest ways to eat more fibre.
Magnesium and manganese. Bulgur brings useful amounts of both, more than white rice, because the bran and germ stay in.

Ayurveda: bulgur in the traditional system

Bulgur is wheat, and in Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines wheat is favourable for Vata and Pitta and on the list to avoid for Kapha. So in this system bulgur is an everyday grain for Vata and Pitta types, while Kapha types are pointed towards other grains. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

Risks and who should be careful

Gluten. Bulgur is wheat and contains gluten. It is not suitable for people with coeliac disease; cereals containing gluten, wheat first among them, are one of the 14 allergens that EU labels must highlight.
Sensitive digestion. Wheat foods carry FODMAPs; in bread, Monash University reports these are mostly fructans. If you follow a low-FODMAP plan for irritable bowel syndrome, check bulgur portions with a dietitian or the Monash FODMAP app rather than guessing.
More fibre, more gradually. If you are used to white rice, start with half bulgur, half rice and drink enough water.

How to buy, cook and use it

Fine or coarse. Bulgur is sold by grind. Fine bulgur is the one for tabbouleh and kibbe; medium and coarse bulgur suit pilafs.
Cooking: because bulgur is already parboiled, it needs little cooking, and fine bulgur often only needs a soak in hot water. Coarse bulgur is simmered like rice, then rested off the heat with the lid on. Follow the pack: water and times differ by grind and brand.
How much it grows: comparing the protein and carbohydrate in the two USDA records, 100 g of dry bulgur gives roughly 400 g cooked. A 50 g dry portion is a generous side for one.
Storage: cooked bulgur keeps 3-4 days in the fridge and is good cold in salads.
Use: instead of rice next to stews and pulses, with chickpeas and roasted vegetables in one bowl, in tabbouleh with parsley, tomatoes, lemon and olive oil, or to stuff peppers.

Dishes to try

Roasted Mediterranean vegetables (serve over a cup of bulgur)
Red lentil soup with lemon (a spoon of fine bulgur cooked in the soup thickens it)

FAQ

How many calories are in cooked bulgur?

83 kcal per 100 g and about 151 kcal per cup (182 g), from USDA data. Dry bulgur has 342 kcal per 100 g before it absorbs water.

Is bulgur healthier than rice?

In fibre, clearly: 4.5 g per 100 g cooked against 1.6 g for brown rice and 0.4 g for white rice. It also has fewer calories and slightly more protein per 100 g. Brown rice has a little more magnesium and potassium.

Is bulgur a whole grain?

Yes. It is made from whole wheat kernels that are cooked, dried and cracked, so the bran and germ stay in.

Is bulgur gluten-free?

No. Bulgur is wheat and contains gluten.

What is the difference between bulgur and couscous?

Bulgur is cracked whole wheat grain. Couscous is traditionally made from semolina, the endosperm of durum wheat, so unless the label says wholemeal it lacks the bran and germ and most of the fibre that goes with them.

Sources

USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Bulgur, dry (FDC 170688). fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Bulgur, cooked (FDC 170287). fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (FDC 169704). fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Rice, white, long-grain, regular, enriched, cooked (FDC 168878). fdc.nal.usda.gov
Aune D. et al. (2016). Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ 353:i2716. doi.org
US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 137.350: Enriched rice. ecfr.gov
USDA Agricultural Research Service (1997). Folate fortification of enriched grain products from January 1998. agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov
EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, Annex II (allergens). EUR-Lex
Glycemic Index Foundation (University of Sydney). Good Carbs Food Facts: bulgur (how it is made, grinds and uses). glycemicindex.com
Monash University FODMAP. Can the ancient process of sourdough be used to create bread for people with IBS? monashfodmap.com
Encyclopaedia Britannica. Couscous. britannica.com
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. PMC
Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.

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