Bulgur wheat is a grain made from various species of wheat. Not only is wheat not Paleo, but all grains are off the Paleo menu. Despite being touted as a health food for being low in fat and high in fiber, grains have many other problems that exclude them from a healthy lifestyle.
Paleo and Carbohydrates
To start with, they are extremely high in carbohydrates and bulgur wheat is no exception. 100g of the dry grain contains a whopping 75g of carbohydrates. Sure, there’s some fiber and protein, but it’s not enough to counteract the massive spike in blood sugar you’ll get from all those carbs.
Nutrition
Grains also come with phytates and lectins, which are antinutrients that bind to minerals and prevent them from getting absorbed by the body. Even without the anti-nutrients, a diet high in grains isn’t very nutritious. Bulgur wheat has an impressive amount of magnesium and phosphorous, but that’s about it. It has only moderate levels of iron, zinc, and a few B vitamins, whereas the list of vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables goes on and on.
Mark Sisson has a definitive guide to grains.
