Bulgur is a whole-grain staple made from cracked wheat, and it brings a small but useful amount of calcium to the table. A 100-gram serving of cooked bulgur contains roughly 18 mg of calcium, while dry raw bulgur provides about 35 mg per 100 g. This calculator turns your serving size — measured in grams, ounces, or cups — into a precise calcium estimate, along with its percentage of the Daily Value.
Whether you are tracking micronutrients for bone health, planning a plant-forward meal, or simply wondering how your grain bowl adds up, this tool gives you a fast answer. It uses standard USDA reference values and adjusts automatically for cooked versus dry bulgur, so you can compare portions in recipes, meal prep, and packaged food labels. Enter your portion size and the calculator does the rest.
Find the calcium in cooked or dry bulgur and compare it to your daily needs.
How to Use This Tool
Use the calculator when you want a quick calcium estimate for a specific bulgur portion. Type in the amount, choose grams, ounces, or cups, and select whether the bulgur is dry or cooked. Press “Calculate calcium” to see the result in milligrams and as a percentage of the Daily Value.
- Enter the serving size, such as 100.
- Select the matching unit.
- Choose cooked or dry bulgur.
- Click “Calculate calcium” and review the result.
Reference Table: Bulgur Calcium Values
The calculator uses standard values for plain bulgur with no added salt, oil, or other ingredients. These figures come from USDA FoodData Central and are a reliable baseline for meal planning.
| Form | Calcium per 100 g | Reference serving | Calcium per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked / boiled bulgur | 18 mg | 1 cup (182 g) | 33 mg |
| Dry raw bulgur | 35 mg | 1 cup (140 g) | 49 mg |
Cooked bulgur appears lower in calcium per 100 g because it contains more water. The mineral itself stays in the grain; the concentration drops as weight increases from absorbed water.
How the Calculation Works
Calcium content is proportional to the weight of bulgur. The tool first converts your portion to grams using the selected unit, then applies this formula:
For cooked bulgur, calcium per 100 g is 18 mg; for dry bulgur it is 35 mg. The Daily Value percentage is then calculated by dividing the result by 1,300 mg, the FDA Daily Value for calcium, and multiplying by 100.
Worked Examples
Example 1: 1 cup cooked bulgur. One cup cooked bulgur weighs about 182 g. Calcium = 182 × 18 ÷ 100 = 32.8 mg, which is about 2.5% of the Daily Value.
Example 2: 3 oz dry bulgur. Three ounces equals 85.1 g. Calcium = 85.1 × 35 ÷ 100 = 29.8 mg, about 2.3% DV.
Example 3: 150 g cooked bulgur. Calcium = 150 × 18 ÷ 100 = 27.0 mg, about 2.1% DV. Adding a few tablespoons of yogurt or tahini easily multiplies that amount.
Tips for Tracking Calcium from Grains
- Weigh your bulgur on a kitchen scale for the most accurate grams; cup measurements can vary with grain texture.
- If a recipe includes other calcium contributors, such as dairy, leafy greens, or fortified plant milk, track those separately for a total day estimate.
- Rinsing or soaking bulgur after cooking does not remove meaningful calcium; the lower per-gram value is mostly from water weight.
- Pair bulgur with calcium-rich foods like yogurt, tahini, almonds, broccoli, or fortified plant milk to strengthen a grain-based meal.
- Use the Daily Value percentage to compare bulgur with other foods and spot easy ways to reach your calcium goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bulgur a good source of calcium? Bulgur provides a modest but genuine amount of calcium. A typical cooked cup supplies about 33 mg, roughly 2.5% of the Daily Value. It is not a calcium-dense food, but it can contribute to total intake as part of a varied diet.
Does cooking method affect calcium? The main effect comes from water absorption, not mineral loss. Simmering bulgur in plain water does not leach out calcium to any significant degree. Adding calcium-rich broth or seasonings could increase the final amount.
Are different bulgur varieties similar? Yes. Fine, medium, and coarse bulgur are all cracked whole wheat, so their calcium values are close. Check the package label if you are comparing a specific brand or a flour-based substitute.