Bulgur wheat is made from whole wheat kernels that are cleaned, steamed, dried and ground into particles. It is not the same as cracked wheat, which isn't precooked and takes longer to prepare than bulgur wheat.

Uncooked bulgur wheat has 150 calories in 1/4 cup, as well as 5 g protein and 34 g carbohydrates, including 4 g of fiber.

Bulgur wheat may be used as a hot breakfast cereal or in any dish where you would use rice or couscous such as pilaf. It is often used in salads such as tabbouleh salad, where its nutty flavor is enhanced by the flavors of the other ingredients.

A typical recipe for tabbouleh salad calls for 1 cup bulgur wheat, 2 cups boiling water, 3 tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 cup tomatoes, 1 cup jicama, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 3 tbsp. chives, 2 tbsp. fresh mint, 1 tbsp. fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic. The recipe makes five 1-cup servings, and each serving has 147 calories, 3.3 g fat, 550 mg sodium, 7 g fiber and 4.7 g protein.