calories in 1 cup | boiled vs fried | rice & beans | rice vs quinoa | rice vs pasta | gain weight
Rice is pretty low in calories, actually! The calories of rice depend on the cooking method, though. Boiled brown rice seems the best option. It’s low in calories and also it has the best nutritional value.
How many calories are in a cup of boiled rice?
Most types of rice contain about 90-120 calories per 100g of cooked rice. Practically, a cup (160g) of cooked rice has up to 240 calories. Furthermore, 2 cups of rice contain up to 480 calories.
Rice is a filling food. Mainly due to the high fiber content. Eating 1 cup of rice, along with veggies or beans will keep you full for a really long time. Certainly, eating reasonable amounts of rice can help you lose weight.
What type of rice has more calories?
There are so many types of rice and rice products. What’s the best option, especially if you want to lose weight? Analytically:
- white rice has 129 calories per 100g. Practically, a cup (160g) of cooked white rice has about 205 calories.
- yellow rice has 88 calories per 100g or only 140 calories per cup.
- brown rice has 122 calories per 100g. Moreover, a cup of cooked brown rice has about 195 calories.
- wild rice has 101 calories per 100g or 165 calories per cup.
- rice crackers contain about 416 calories per 100g.
- cooked rice noodles contain about 108 calories per 100g. Uncooked rice noodles has about 364 calories per 100g.
- rice flakes has about 394 calories per 100g.
As you can see, a cup of cooked rice contain about 200 calories. White, yellow, or brown rice hasn’t any significant difference in the calorie content. So, eating a cup of boiled rice can help you lose weight. It can keep you full for a long time and it’s pretty low in calories. Prefer brown rice. It has a superior nutritional value!
Furthermore, cooked and uncooked rice has totally different amounts of calories. That’s important if you want to count calories for a recipe.
As cooked rice has absorbed water is much heavier. On the other hand, 100g of uncooked rice has about 370 calories. Moreover, a cup of uncooked rice has about 680 calories.
Does the cooking method affect the calorie content?
If you want to lose weight you should avoid fried rice. Especially if you use any vegetable oil, butter or any other kind of fat. Vegetable oils are particularly high in calories. Just a tablespoon contains 120 calories!
Hence, boiled rice contains fewer calories than fried rice. According to the USDA, 100g of fried rice contains about 174 calories (1). That’s 35% more calories! Furthermore, a cup (200g) of fried rice has about 345 calories.
If you eat rice regularly, it’s a good idea to invest in a quality rice cooker. I use it almost daily to steam veggies or rice. You can find an inexpensive rice cooker on Amazon. The 1st thing you should consider is the capacity. Also, you should choose a device that it’s easily washed.
Rice with beans is the healthiest meal!
One of the most filling meals is rice along with beans. Rice has a high Glycemic Load. Especially white rice. For instance, brown rice has a Glycemic Load of 20 (2). On the other hand, white rice has a Glycemic Load of 45. That’s pretty high.
A Glycemic Load greater than 20 is considered high. Moreover, a Glycemic Load of 11–19 is considered medium and a Glycemic Load of 10 or less is considered low. Foods with high Glycemic Load can spike blood sugar. You should avoid eating foods that cause high blood sugar.
So, eating rice along with beans is good for you. For 4 reasons:
- Firstly, most beans have a Glycemic Load near to 10. Mainly due to their high dietary content. So, the total Glycemic Load of the meal gets lower.
- Secondly, rice lacks of certain amino acids. On the other hand, beans contain these amino acids. Hence, the meal becomes an excellent source of protein (3)!
- Additionally, rice and beans are low in calories. Just 100g of rice and beans contain about 150 calories. Furthermore, 1 cup (240g) of rice and beans has only 360 calories.
- Last, but not least, beans are also extremely satiating foods. Eating rice with beans will keep you full for a long time. Also, they provide many important nutrients for the body. So, they’re an excellent meal if you want to lose weight.
Quinoa or rice has the lowest calories?
Certainly, quinoa is among the healthiest grains you can eat. For instance, it’s high in phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Moreover, quinoa has a Glycemic Load of 13.
OK. Quinoa is healthy. But, does it have fewer calories than rice? According to the USDA, 100g of cooked quinoa has 120 calories (4). Practically, a cup (185g) of cooked quinoa has about 220 calories.
Therefore, quinoa has almost the same calories as rice. So, what to prefer? Rice or quinoa? Eat both! It’s good for you to eat a variety of foods. Each food has unique health benefits and nutritional value.
Moreover, if you eat a variety of foods you won’t get bored. That’s important. Especially, if you want to follow a healthy whole food plant-based diet.
What has more calories? Rice or pasta?
Another food high in carbs is pasta. 100g of cooked pasta has about 160 calories.
Rice has fewer calories than pasta. Actually, rice has 23% fewer calories!
You shouldn’t avoid foods high in carbs, such as pasta, rice, quinoa or potatoes. Especially if you’re an active person, an athlete, or you don’t want to lose weight.
Additionally, these foods can keep us full for a long time. Researchers have found that they’ve a pretty high satiation effect (5)!
Can eating rice make you fat?
Practically, you won’t gain weight eating rice, pasta or potatoes if you:
- eat reasonable amounts,
- don’t cook them with fat sources, such as vegetable oils or butter. Be extra cautious with dressings, as well. Eating fatty foods, with foods high in carbs, such as rice, pasta, or potatoes will probably make you gain weight!
Why can’t I lose weight on a healthy diet?
The most important rule you have to follow to lose weight is that you have to be in calorie deficit. If you can’t lose weight, even though you follow a healthy plant-based diet you probably do 1 or more of these common diet mistakes.
This QUIZ can help you…
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Yes!
Hmm
Share the quiz to show your results !
Subscribe to see your results
I got %%score%% of %%total%% right
Loading...