Is Couscous Healthier Than White Rice?

Short answer: Cooked couscous has fewer calories than cooked white rice in these records. Couscous is made from wheat and contains gluten; plain rice does not.

Selected foods: Couscous, boiled and White rice, boiled. These specific preparations are compared below.

Which to pick for your goal

If you want	Better pick	The numbers
Fewer calories	Couscous	112 kcal vs 130 kcal per 100 g
More protein	Couscous	3.8 g vs 2.7 g per 100 g
More fiber (keeps you full)	Couscous	1.4 g vs 0.4 g per 100 g
Overall (Nutri-Score)	About the same	both A

Small differences count as a tie: a few calories or a few tenths of a gram won't change your day.

Nutrition side by side, per 100 g

Per 100 g	Couscous	White Rice
Calories	112 kcal	130 kcal
Protein	3.8 g	2.7 g
Fat	0.2 g	0.3 g
incl. saturated	0 g	0.1 g
Total carbohydrates	23 g	28 g
incl. sugars	0.1 g	0.1 g
incl. fiber	1.4 g	0.4 g
Salt	0 g	0 g
Nutri-Score	A	A

Rounded values from exact USDA records (see * Data and sources below). Different brands, cuts and recipes can have different values. Diary food cards and the alternative versions below retain their own typical recipes.

For the same amount: 50 g

Equal amount	Couscous	White Rice
Calories	56 kcal	65 kcal
Protein	1.9 g	1.3 g
incl. saturated	0 g	0 g
incl. sugars	0.1 g	0 g
incl. fiber	0.7 g	0.2 g

In a typical serving

One serving	Couscous	White Rice
Serving	plate, 200 g (7.1 oz)	plate, 200 g (7.1 oz)
Calories	224 kcal	260 kcal
Protein	7.6 g	5.4 g
Fiber	2.8 g	0.8 g
Easy walking to burn it*	73 min	85 min

* For a 70 kg (154 lb) person; the app works it out for your weight and your activities.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Blood sugar angle

Couscous has 23 g of carbohydrate per 100 g (0.1 g sugars, 1.4 g fiber); White rice has 28 g (0.1 g sugars, 0.4 g fiber). This table is not a measured glycemic-response comparison; the amount eaten and the rest of the meal matter. Glycemic index values vary by variety, ripeness and cooking, so treat any single number with caution — and eat either with vegetables and some protein.

Other versions: typical diary estimates

The first two rows repeat the selected USDA records; other rows are typical diary estimates, without an exact source-record match. The cut, fat level or recipe can change the result. Per 100 g:

Per 100 g	Calories	Protein	Sat. fat	Sugars	Fiber	Nutri-Score
Couscous	112	3.8 g	0 g	0.1 g	1.4 g	A
White Rice	130	2.7 g	0.1 g	0.1 g	0.4 g	A
Brown rice, boiled	123	2.7 g	0.2 g	0.4 g	1.6 g	B
Bulgur, boiled	112	3.1 g	0.1 g	0.1 g	4.5 g	A

*Data and sources

Couscous, cooked — USDA FDC 169700 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
Rice, white, long-grain, regular, unenriched, cooked without salt — USDA FDC 169757 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).

Retrieved 2 October 2026. USDA composition is per 100 g; drink values per 100 ml use the record’s measured household weight, with the USDA customary cup of 236.6 ml. Displayed cup servings remain 240 ml. Carbohydrate includes fiber on this US site; salt is sodium × 2.5. The food records are historical reference values, not current brand guarantees.

WHO guideline on free sugars: honey, syrups and fruit-juice sugars count as free sugars. WHO guideline on saturated and trans fats: consider replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.

FAQ

Which has fewer calories, couscous or white rice?

Couscous: 112 kcal vs 130 kcal per 100 g. In a typical serving that's 224 kcal for couscous (plate, 200 g) and 260 kcal for white rice (plate, 200 g).

Is couscous or white rice better for weight loss?

No single food makes you gain or lose weight — the day's total does. Gram for gram, couscous is the lighter pick (112 kcal vs 130 kcal per 100 g) and has more protein and more fiber, which help you stay full. The portion usually matters more: a typical serving of couscous (plate, 200 g) is 224 kcal, of white rice (plate, 200 g) 260 kcal.

Which has more protein, couscous or white rice?

Couscous: 3.8 g vs 2.7 g per 100 g. Per typical serving: 7.6 g for couscous (plate, 200 g) and 5.4 g for white rice (plate, 200 g).

Does this comparison apply to every brand or recipe?

No. The main table uses the two specific USDA foods named and linked on this page. Fat level, ingredients, trimming, cooking and water content can change the result. Use the same amount for a fair comparison and check the label for the product you actually eat.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.