Keto Rice/Low Carb Rice
The ketogenic diet (which includes keto rice) boasts historical usage to treat epilepsy and other neurological problems in children and adults.
It has gained popularity among those wishing to lose weight due to its ability to burn fat, create energy, control blood sugar levels and reduce appetite.
Rice is a starch-rich food that is made up mostly of carbohydrates.
Consuming rice regularly can lead to overeating, weight gain, and diabetes in some cases.
Studies have shown that rice can also cause problems with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, resulting in heart disease.
Consequently, the body requires a calorie intake to expend energy on other tasks rather than digesting more rice.
Low-carb diets are a healthy way of eating for many people.
They boast a basis on whole foods and typically include three meals and two snacks per day, along with limits on what foods you eat. Some low-carb diets may also have previously unknown ketogenic components.
Is Brown Rice Keto?
No! Brown rice, carb-heavy, does not qualify as a ketogenic food.
According to the keto diet, Brown rice is not a ketogenic food and is not one of the “best” grains.
A ketogenic diet would be better off with cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, or zucchini instead of brown rice.
There are many other reasons why brown rice does not qualify to be good for your body either.
So, while brown rice is okay to eat as a sometimes food, it is not necessary if you are following the ketogenic diet.
Is rice keto-friendly? How many carbs are in rice?
Rice Keto boasts friendliness for a healthy lifestyle. But is rice keto-friendly? And how many carbs are in rice?
How Many Carbs are in Rice?
Rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates. One cup of cooked white or brown rice contains 45 grams of carbohydrates.
This amount does not account for the water weight, which would have to get subtracted.
But how does that measure up against other foods? Compared to most vegetables, rice is relatively high in carbohydrates.
The exact amount of vegetables would contain only about 5 grams of carbohydrate.
While this comparison is not valid for all kinds of rice, it provides a general idea about the carb content in different food items.
How much fiber is in rice?
Fiber is an essential component to sustain regular bowel movements and healthy digestion.
This can be a struggle when transitioning from a low-carb diet to the keto diet. The reason is that fiber has four calories per gram, which will work against you in your quest to maintain a healthy metabolism and achieve ketosis.
When eating on a typical low-carb plan, the challenge is meeting your fiber needs without overdoing it on carbohydrates.
If you’re eating a regular low-carb diet, you will most likely be getting about 30 grams of fiber every day.
Keto rice is an excellent way to increase your fiber intake without overdoing it on carbs and adding more to your daily caloric intake.
The trick is finding the correct type of rice that fits into the keto plan without compromising your daily allotment of calories.
Rice is a staple in many parts of the world, and each has its unique flavor.
It doesn’t take long to get used to the various types, but it’s worth it because they all taste good and have distinct health benefits.
Is cauliflower rice keto?
Cauliflower rice is a low-carb, gluten-free, paleo-friendly alternative to rice that you can use instead of any other type of rice on ketogenic diets.
And it’s not just for those with celiac disease who need to avoid gluten.
Cauliflower also has many health benefits as a low calorie, gluten-free, and low carb alternative to white carbs like bread and pasta.
Cauliflower rice is a delicious alternative to carb-heavy white rice.
Is cauliflower rice keto-friendly?
Cauliflower contains fewer carbs and calories than regular white rice or brown rice, making it a great low-carb substitute for any meal that requires a bit of carbohydrate.
Net Carbs in Cauliflower
Cauliflower boasts a low-calorie nutritional profile and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Let’s take a look at how many net carbs are in cauliflower.
Cauliflower contains about 3 grams of carbohydrates per 100-gram serving, which makes it an excellent choice for anyone on a keto diet or who’s counting their carbohydrates.
It also makes cauliflower an ideal food for athletes looking to replenish glycogen stores after exercise without affecting ketosis and those seeking healthy snacks with low glycemic loads.
How Many Net Carbs in One Cup of Cauliflower Rice?
One cup of cauliflower florets is approximately 28 grams, including five net carbohydrates. This is just shy of the 6 grams of net carbs per cup of plain rice or other white carbohydrates.
Konjac Rice
Konjac rice has the consistency of jelly because it contains mainly water, fiber, pectin, and glucomannan.
The health benefits are that it controls blood sugar levels by slowing down the absorption of sugar after eating carbohydrates.
This is because it slows the digestive tract and the carbohydrate digestion process.
Konjac has a high amount of soluble fiber content” that makes one feel full for more extended periods, “which helps with blood sugar control.”
Konjac has 2g of protein per 100g of konjac or 300 calories. They also contain all eight essential amino acids that are a must for human survival.
This is important because protein plays a vital role in growth and development.
Keto Rice Substitutes
Keto rice substitutes are plenty. They include Cauliflower Rice, Zucchini Noodles, Shirataki Noodles, rice carbs, carbs in steamed rice, and rice flour carbs.
The first version is a great way to get something to taste just like rice but with less carbs.
This recipe combines cauliflower, eggs, cheese, and spices for a tasty alternative that you can season in any way you please.
Cauliflower “Rice” Substitute (You can use this in any way one uses rice. You could make a casserole, use it as a side dish, put it in tacos, or mix it into sauces.)
Two cups cauliflower florets (about two heads) grated or shredded with the leafy part of the cauliflower.
I grate mine using an old cheese grater which works excellent. Just do not use your food processor. I would just as soon not eat it.)
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup grated cheese (I like to mix cheddar, parmesan, and salt-free sharp cheddar) I used the “not so sharp” brand. You can use any cheese you like.
- 1 tsp ground turmeric (hemp seeds will also work if you prefer). I have also used ground ginger and curry powder instead.
Procedure:
- Set oven to 325F degrees.
- Lightly grease the baking pan.
- In a large pan, saute the grated cauliflower in ghee or butter for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add turmeric and stir well. You want it to be a little bit browned on all sides. Aim for 2-3 minutes of cooking time.
- Mix in the grated cheese and add salt if needed so that it is not too watery, which will make it mushy and taste like ‘rice.’
- Mix well.
- Pour into the greased baking pan or other dish and set it in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. You will want to check on it often to ensure it does not burn.
- Let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a few days, if not longer.
- Once cooled, cut into slices and serve with your favorite keto-friendly meal.
I used the recipe to make a quick lunch. I topped it with my favorite “Not So Spicy” Salsa and heated it in a skillet with some butter or ghee for about 2 minutes. This is a perfect replacement for rice in any fried rice dish and also makes great fried rice itself.
Ingredients:
- Two cups cauliflower florets (about two heads) grated or shredded with the leafy part of the cauliflower. I grate mine using an old cheese grater which works excellent. Just do not use your food processor. I would just as soon not eat it.
- 2 Tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup grated cheese (I like to mix cheddar, parmesan, and salt-free sharp cheddar) I used the “not so sharp” brand. You can use any cheese you like.
- 1 tsp ground turmeric (hemp seeds will also work if you prefer). I have also used ground ginger and curry powder instead.
Procedure:
- Set oven to 325F degrees.
- Lightly grease the baking pan.
- In a large pan, saute the grated cauliflower in ghee or butter for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add turmeric and stir well. You want it to be a little bit browned on all sides. Aim for 2-3 minutes of cooking time.
- Mix in the grated cheese and add salt if needed so that it is not too watery, which will make it mushy and taste like ‘rice.’
- Mix well.
- Pour into the greased baking pan or other dish and set it in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. You will want to check on it often to ensure it does not burn.
- Let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a few days, if not longer.
- Once cooled, cut into slices and serve with your favorite keto-friendly meal.
Is Brown Rice Flour Keto Friendly?
Brown rice flour may be ketogenic friendly and a low-carb, grain-free alternative to wheat flour or other grain-based flour.
Brown rice flour is moderately high in sugar and carbohydrates due to its higher starch content; however, it is lower in calories than some of the other starches (like potato starch).
The main benefit of using brown rice flour over wheat flour as a low-carb option is its lower net carb content.
Brown Rice Flour Nutrition
Two tablespoons of brown rice flour (8g) has about fifteen calories. This is about
- 6% of the 130 calories in a typical low-carb diet or about 4% of the recommended daily intake.
- 0.5g total fat: This is also about 6% of the 20g recommended daily intake of fat, according to the FDA.
- 0.6g protein: This is about 10% of the 34g recommended daily intake of protein, according to the FDA.
- 6g carbs: This is also about 4% of the 150g recommended daily intake of carbs, according to the FDA.
Is Jasmine Rice Keto Friendly?
No!
Jasmine rice is high in carbs and so not keto-friendly. It would help if you opted for low carb alternatives like cauliflower rice or zucchini pasta.
Keto-friendly food is minimal in carbohydrates, but these foods can still contain insulin-spiking sugars and carbs.
The best choices to ensure your success are vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, but some grains also fit into a low-carb diet like quinoa and brown rice.
Low Carb Rice
Zero carb rice is a new type of rice that contains no carbs and is safe for most people on a low-carb diet.
It also tastes like regular brown rice if you add water to it. The idea is that this type of rice will be perfect for portions from 5 to 10 ounces (you can even use it in the Instant Pot).
This makes zero-carb rice ideal for anyone looking to have easy access to healthy food on their diet or those who are following a ketogenic lifestyle.
What Rice Has the Lowest Carbs?
Rice is one of the most important staple foods globally, as it provides 9 out of every ten people with a minimum of two servings.
It is also a handy food for people with diabetes because rice does not have any sugar. However, other types of rice sometimes have more carbs than white rice, and brown rice has anywhere from 58-200g per serving.
To decide which rice has the least carbs, I wanted to compare the carbs in both white and brown rice varieties.
These were the types of rice that were available:
- Brown Basmati Rice (Yellow and Orange) Brown Jasmine Rice White Basmati Rice White Jasmine Rice Sushi Rice Wild Brown Rice
I then measured how much of each type of rice was in my recipes—a cup of cooked brown basmati rice: Total Cals: 283 Total Carbs: 2.1 Total Fat: 6.3
- Brown rice is naturally high in fiber. That is why it has a higher Glycemic Index than white rice and thus, leads to a slower spike in blood sugar levels. The result is that you will experience milder highs and lows after eating pure brown rice.
Basmati Rice vs. White Rice
Basmati rice has a slightly lower amount of calories and carbs than white rice, but when prepared, it also has more flavor and a wonderful scent that could easily get enjoyed at lunch or dinner time.
However, since basmati rice is long grain rice, it takes more water to cook it.
It is also more likely to stick together in one big lump and make it harder for you to take out individual grains or use them in a salad.
How Many Carbs in Yellow Rice?
First and foremost, how many carbs are in yellow rice?
The answer depends on the type of brown rice or white whole grain used to make it.
Traditional yellow rice has more carbs than instant rice, but lower-carb versions boast whole-grain brown rice and white whole grain such as wild rice.
All have about 25 grams of carbs in every 1 cup cooked serving. For more details about the different types of rice, go to the next section.
Carbs in Red Rice
Some foods have a nuanced flavor that can only get achieved if they get cooked just right when it comes to cooking. Carbs in red rice are one of these foods.
Place your raw rice in boiling water with a dash of salt mixed into the pot before covering it and turning off the heat to get the perfect flavor.
This will cook your rice for about 20 minutes before removing it from the heat. To finish cooking your red rice, turn off your stove and let it cool for about an hour.
Red rice has less carbs than most other rice. So if you are on a diet, this is the perfect choice for you.
It has just enough flavor to stand on its own and can be used in any recipe that calls for rice.
Is Rice Flour Keto Friendly?
No! Rice flour is a carbohydrate-rich food. It does not have fat, protein, or fiber.
It only has carbohydrates necessary for your body to complete its daily functions.
This makes rice flour not keto-friendly, but luckily there is another way to use it. The trick is figuring out how you can use rice flour in recipes.
Carbs in rice flour
Rice flour has 8g net carbs per 100g. This is a lot of carbs, so you should use it sparingly.
You can’t use rice flour to replace regular flour in all your recipes. Please don’t go crazy with it, or else your results will be different than expected.
Bottom Line
The best keto-friendly option is to eat cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles if you’re on a low-carb diet and need something a little more filling.
You can also get creative by using our keto bread recipe, which is sure to satisfy your hunger while keeping you on the right path toward your goal.
Remember, it’s lovely to enjoy these things as long as you keep your overall carbs low enough to be still considered ketogenic.
