Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Boostcous, the protein-boosted, fiber-rich couscous alternative made entirely from chickpea, lentil, and pea flour. It checks a lot of boxes right out of the gate: 18 grams of plant protein, 11 grams of fiber, gluten-free, non-GMO, regeneratively grown, and even glyphosate-free with third-party testing to back it up. But does a cleaner ingredient list automatically make something a smart choice for your health goals? Jenn breaks down the nutrition facts, does the net carb math, and asks the questions the brand left unanswered. Is Boostcous a game-changer, or just better marketing on the same old starch problem? You might be surprised where Jenn lands on this one. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday. Have an idea for a nutrition nugget? Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/
KEYWORDS: Jenn Trepeck, Nutrition Nugget, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Health Tips, Wellness Tips, Legume-Based High-Protein Pasta Alternatives, High Protein Couscous Alternative, Protein Couscous, Legume Pasta, Plant Protein, High Fiber Foods, Chickpea Flour, Lentil Flour, Pea Flour, Net Carbs, Gluten Free Grains, Non-GMO Foods, Glyphosate Free, Regenerative Farming, Clean Ingredients, Macro Friendly Foods, Digestive Health, Gut Health Fiber, Complete Plant Protein, Low Sugar Foods, Healthy Carbs, Alternative Grains, Protein Packed Meals, Quick Healthy Meals, Five Minute Meals, Healthy Pasta Alternatives, Weight Loss Foods, Blood Sugar Balance, Muscle Building Foods, Plant Based Protein, Healthy Starch, Legume Flour, Couscous Alternative, High Protein Snack, Fiber Rich Foods, Clean Label Food, Third Party Tested, Food Label Reading, Nutrition Facts, Net Carbohydrates, Healthy Grain Swaps, Functional Foods, Best High Protein Gluten Free Couscous Alternative, Plant Based High Fiber Low Net Carb Pasta Substitute
Transcripts
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[00:00:20] Lara Frendjian: I'm having salad with a side of fries. This
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[00:00:26] So I saw this one online. I was immediately intrigued. And so first they got me because they said Boostcous, a healthier couscous, or something to that effect. And then they used the clip from the movie Pineapple Express where Seth Rogen's character goes, "Couscous? The food's so nice they named it twice."
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[00:01:13] Then he and his best friend, it was like they were adventure buddies. They would go do some of these wild activities, come home at the end of the day, and they didn't love the higher protein pasta alternatives, right? The- he said they tasted like chalk or hurt their stomachs. And then the real food options, like the healthier options, frankly just took forever to cook.
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[00:02:03] Like, I only got that from the video that I saw. So Boostcous, if you're listening, maybe add the story to your website. Okay. Anyway, the website says, "Meet the protein-boosted fiber-rich couscous that supports your health goals without slowing you down." They say, "Build muscle with 18 grams of complete plant protein.
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[00:02:59] [00:03:00] And then they also link to a third-party test showing that it's glyphosate-free. So I'm still curious to check out the nutrition facts, and we'll get to those. I just wanna point out, so the instructions to make it, it's more like cooking pasta than couscous, even though technically couscous is pasta, but I know, I digress.
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[00:03:46] So they say it's just the three kinds of flour, and that's what we see in the ingredients. It says chickpea flour, yellow lentil flour, and pea flour. And this sounds great. [00:04:00] I want to love it. We'll see when we get to the nutrition facts. My other question, though, is what's their binding agent? How are they getting it to combine and stick together into these little pearls?
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[00:04:38] Each serving is 290 calories, two and a half grams of fat, none of which are saturated or trans fat. Then 49 grams of total carbs with 11 grams of fiber and two grams of sugar, none of which are added sugar, and then 18 grams of protein. The micronutrients, there's a little bit of calcium, some potassium, and iron.[00:05:00]
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[00:05:28] So it's a little more than four times what we want it to be. And then the 18 grams of protein is about, it's, like, two and a half ounces or so, so that's a snack-size amount of protein. If we wanna have this and sort of manage that net carb piece- Maybe what we do is have less than a full serving similar to what we would do with other grains and starches.
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[00:06:13] So Bouscous, better than couscous,
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[00:06:20] Jenn Trepeck: I mean, it could be worth having and adding into your mix for some variety. I think I would still personally end up going back to my favorite alternative pasta that's made of mung bean and edamame. I think their marketing kinda oversold it. I mean, I'm not totally surprised on that.
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[00:07:03] Better ingredients, maybe not the be-all, end-all. But I would try Bouscous. I'd keep it around. Well, there you have it. That's our story on Bouscous. All right. Well, as always everybody, I'm Jenn Trepeck. Connect with me on Instagram or all social media. I'm @jenntrepeck, J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K. Website is asaladwithasideoffries.com.
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[00:07:38] Lara Frendjian: My pleasure, Jenn. This was so much fun. I can't, uh, wait to hear from your listeners.
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[00:08:04] You'll get this week's recipe for the peanut butter and honey protein squares, an incredible pre-workout snack. Well friends, that's it for today's episode of Salad with a Side of Fries. Congratulations for making yourself and your health a priority. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure to click subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast platform, share us with a friend, and we'll be back next week.
