Rice is a staple in many cultures. But, is rice bad for weight loss? The calories you consume with rice can add up quickly and make your weight loss goal seem impossible. So, the answer is yes!
Rice is also a high-carbohydrate food, which means it will cause your blood sugar levels to rise and might make you feel hungry again sooner than other foods would.
Today I will share with you the best alternative to rice if you are looking to lose weight or reduce caloric intake without giving up taste!
The Best Rice Alternative
If you want to lose weight, replace rice with riced cauliflower on your plate!
Riced cauliflower is a great option because it is low in calories and therefore you can enjoy it in higher volumes.
A cup of riced cauliflower has about 25 calories, compared to 200 calories for a cup of rice! This means you can eat 8x more riced cauliflower than rice for the same amount of calories.
While it does not have the exact same texture as rice, this food is a great substitute. You can add any flavor to your riced cauliflower and get all of its nutritional benefits!
Health Benefits of Riced Cauliflower
Other than the fact that riced cauliflower is low in calories, there are many other health benefits of why we should include it in our diet.
Riced cauliflower is high in dietary fiber. Fiber helps you feel full longer and prevents overeating.
Riced cauliflower is also a significant source of vitamins C and K (they help your body heal), and potassium (which helps regulate blood pressure).
Cauliflower can also help reduce inflammation and protect against several chronic diseases with its wide array of antioxidants.
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Where To Buy Riced Cauliflower
Rice Cauliflower has gained a lot of popularity recently, and can therefore be found at almost any of your local grocery stores.
You might see two different choices: plain rice cauliflower, and rice cauliflower stir fry. The rice cauliflower stir fry will have veggies such as peas and bell peppers mixed in, as well as condiments.
A brand of organic riced cauliflower stir fry that I particularly like is Tattooed Chef. It’s 60 calories per cup instead of 25, but all you need to do is cook it and it is ready to eat.
How To Make Riced Cauliflower
You can make it yourself by using a box grater, food processor or blender to rice cauliflower into pieces that resemble the shape of grains size-wise.
Remove any excess water by using a dish or paper towel and squeeze the riced cauliflower.
Next, spray olive oil on a pan and saute the riced cauliflower for about five minutes before adding any other ingredients. Cover with a lid and cook for another 5 mins or until it is done.
For a more detailed step by step on how to cook riced cauliflower click here.
Can I Still Eat Rice And Lose Weight?
If you can’t live without rice, and still want to lose weight, it is possible. However, you need to stay in a daily caloric deficit.
Here are some tricks that can help you minimize the number of calories when eating rice:
Exercise portion control. In other words, eat less rice than you normally would.
Eat vegetables along with the rice to help you feel fuller. Examples of some good vegetables are carrots or broccoli, which both have very few calories per serving and lots of nutrients!
Lastly, opt for steaming your rice instead of frying it. For every tablespoon of oil, you add about 120 calories on top of the 200 calories per cup of rice.
Conclusion
If you ask me “is rice bad for weight loss?”, my answer is a resounding yes! Especially when you have other options.
Try cauliflower rice for weight loss! Riced cauliflower is the best alternative I’ve found to eating rice. You can substitute it in any dish and potentially save hundreds of calories!
Try it! Your body will thank you for it, as not only will you look better, but you will make a healthier choice.
Lily
Hi, I'm Lily! Like you, I have struggled with my weight. It was not an easy journey but I was able to lose 40 pounds and have kept it off for 14 years. My goal is to share with you all the research, tips, and tricks that I have learned over the years to help you lose weight also.Download this cheat sheet to learn the secrets to go from busy and out-of-shape to energetic and fit!