It’s a staple food throughout the world, but not for those on a keto diet. Unfortunately, rice in any form is not keto-friendly, as the net carbs in one serving exceed what the majority of dieters should be consuming in a day.
You may be able to incorporate rice when carb-cycling, but if you’re strictly following keto, plan to stick to lower-carbohydrate rice alternatives instead.
Carb Counts in Different Rice Types
Per cup, here are the carb counts to expect from traditional rice types:
- White Rice: 43.6g net carbs, 53g total carbs
- Brown Rice: 48.4g net carbs, 52g total carbs
- Wild Rice: 31.9g net carbs, 35g total carbs
- Black Rice: 34g net carbs, 47.6g total carbs
- Red Rice: 42.4g net carbs, 46g total carbs
- Basmati Rice: 40.4g net carbs, 41.5g total carbs
Carb Counts in Popular Rice Snacks
A ton of delicious snacks also feature rice as a main ingredient. Although the total carb counts will vary greatly depending on the brand you buy and the ingredients used in addition to rice, here are the carbs you’ll generally find in the most popular rice snacks:
- Rice Cakes: 7g
- Sushi Rolls: 30g (depending on ingredients used)
- Rice Crackers: 2g
- Fried Rice: 45g (depending on ingredients used)
- Rice Balls: 40g (depending on size and filling)
If you’re ordering out or eating food you didn’t make yourself, be sure to check if it has rice products included. For instance, rice is a common ingredient in soups, and you might not know it until you’re halfway through a dish.
Low-Carb Rice Alternatives
If you are craving rice, many alternatives are low in carbs and work great as a stand-in in terms of texture and flavor — plus, many of them offer lots of dietary fiber. Here are a few of our favorite low-carb rice alternatives:
- Rutabaga (9g net carbs): This root veggie can easily be sliced and put in a food processor to imitate rice texture. Its starchy texture and mild taste makes it a great substitute for white rice.
- Shirataki Rice (0g net carbs): Another root veggie, this dish helps improve digestion and cholesterol. It contains zero calories or carbohydrates, a fact which has garnered it the name “Miracle Rice” and made it the lowest-carb rice available.
- Butternut Squash Rice (13.6g net carbs): Although this food pushes the limit of recommended carb intake, it is still a great health addition to one’s diet so long as it is in limited quantities. Some of its health benefits include the fact that it is an excellent source of vitamin A with almost 300% of your daily value, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
- Cabbage Rice (7g net carbs): With zero grams of fat and 2 grams of protein per cup, cabbage rice is a good low-carb source of nutrition for a keto diet. If red cabbage is used, it also becomes a source of iron and Vitamins A and C.
- Cauliflower Rice (3g net carbs): Cauliflower rice can be used in many different kinds of dishes, ranging from Mexican to Thai food. It is also a healthy source of fiber and is only 25 calories per cup.
Avoid These Rice Substitutes on Keto
Although some of the items on this list might seem like suitable alternatives, their carb count says otherwise. Most keto dieters stick to around 25 net grams of carbohydrates per day to prevent blood sugar spikes, which comes to between 8-15 net carbs per meal (depending on how many meals you eat daily).
Avoid substituting any of the following for rice (net carbs listed):
- White Bread: 13g
- Flour Tortillas: 24g
- Canned Fruit: 49g
- Dried and Sweetened Fruit: 31g
- Quinoa: 34g
- Sweet Corn: 59g
- Potatoes: 20g
- Sweet Potatoes: 15g
- Peas: 16g
Read Next: 9 Low Carb Grains That are Allowed on Keto
Is Rice Healthy in General?
It may be too high-carb for keto, but rice is typically considered a food with plenty of nutritional value. Whole grain rice, rather than white rice, is far healthier and associated with more health benefits. White rice is a refined grain, meaning its bran and germ are removed and many of the important nutrients are stripped away.
But many forms of whole grain rice contain over 85% of your daily manganese, which is vital to antioxidant and enzyme function. Rice is a naturally gluten-free food that shouldn’t trigger inflammatory responses some have to gluten.
It’s also an important part of bone, liver, pancreas, and kidney health. Rice has high amounts of magnesium, which improves nerve function, regulates blood pressure and glucose levels, and aids in protein synthesis and bone and muscle development. Brown rice is associated with a decreased risk of obesity. (1)
Finally, rice is one food that may help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Keep in mind that white rice has recently been found to contribute to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. (2) If you do try various rice varieties when carb cycling, I recommend sticking to only whole grain varieties. Some research suggests that substituting whole grain rice for white rice may support healthy blood sugar levels and reduce diabetes risk, although this is still undecided. (3)
Our Favorite Keto-Friendly Recipes with Rice Substitutes
The Perfect Keto team has created a few tasty recipes to satisfy your desire for rice dishes with low-carb rice alternatives!
- Spicy Tuna Keto Sushi Roll
- Pesto Cauliflower Rice
- Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Peanut Butter Rice Crispies
The Best Nostalgic Treat, Made for Keto
Finding low-carb alternatives to rice which fit in with a Keto diet and faithfully recreate tasty snacks from non-keto diets is an easy task. This fact is perfectly exemplified by Mallow Munch.
Mallow Munch is a keto-friendly crisp bar which recreates the taste of Rice Crispy Treats. They’re delicious and nutritious, with 2g net carbs, 9g protein, and 80 calories per bar with no added fillers, sugar, artificial ingredients, soy, or vegetable oils.
These bars and the many other rice alternatives already listed should make it plain that a healthy, tasty, and nutritional Keto diet is easily attainable and maintained and give you many good ideas for where to start.
The Keto Macro Calculator
Not sure if you’re hitting your macros just right? Perfect Keto’s Keto Calculator is a great tool to help you figure out your carb, fat, and protein goals while dieting! Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle or otherwise maintain your physique, this calculator is an incredible support.