Rice is a popular food across countries and cultures. It comes in tons of varieties and can be used in many different types of cuisine. Rice is a great source of carbohydrates, but carbs often get a bad rep nowadays, so is rice even healthy? And if so, how much of it can I eat in a day?
Dietary Guidelines recommend that carbohydrates like rice make up no more than 45-65% of a person’s daily caloric intake. With a typical 2,000 calorie diet, this means 6 cups of cooked white rice in a day would be the most you should eat if those are the only carbs you eat.
Read on for more information about rice, if it is healthy, what counts as a serving size of rice, when is the best time to eat rice, and if rice can help with building muscle or weight loss.
Is Rice Healthy?
Unfortunately, diet fads that cut out carbohydrates make it feel like there is something wrong with carbs like rice, pasta, bread, tortillas, and others. If someone has told you that rice or other carbohydrate foods are bad for you- they are wrong!
Carbohydrates are actually your body’s preferred source of energy. In fact, nutrition recommendations state that 45-65% of your calories should come from carbohydrates. Rice can be a great addition to meals to add some much needed carbohydrates!
Maybe you have heard that brown rice is better for you than white rice. Brown rice is a whole grain, and therefore has higher levels of fiber, and certain nutrients like manganese, B vitamins and magnesium, and selenium.
While brown rice is a healthy option, white rice is too! White rice is often enriched with vitamins and minerals (meaning they are added back in after the food has been processed). In fact, enriched white rice is a great source of folate- an important nutrient for avoiding neural tube defects in a developing fetus!
Dietary recommendations suggest making half of your grains whole grains, but that doesn’t mean all of them have to be! I encourage people to choose the type of rice that tastes best to them. Personally, I prefer white rice, so I find other ways to eat whole grains during my day.
How Much Rice is Too Much?
Yes, eating rice is healthy, but it is still important to be aware of the quantity, just like anything else. For example, we know that broccoli is a healthy food, but even eating only broccoli all day every day is not a healthy eating pattern.
Remember that your diet should include protein and healthy fats, along with carbohydrates. Loading up on rice might throw your macronutrients out of balance which isn’t great for blood sugar, energy levels, or feeling satisfied.
The amount of rice that is appropriate for each person will vary, but if your plate looks super imbalanced, that might be a sign that something needs to be adjusted. When eating a meal that includes rice, it is also important to make sure you have a vegetable and a protein, and some healthy fats.
Serving Size of Rice
You might be surprised to find out that a serving of cooked rice is one cup. However, serving size is not the end-all-be-all when it comes to your nutrition needs.
Those with higher calorie needs and higher carbohydrate needs might need multiple servings of rice, while others don’t don’t even need the full serving. Additionally, if you are eating other foods that are high in carbohydrates, you likely don’t need as much rice!
While serving sizes are good to be aware of, pay more attention to the balance of foods on your plate, and listen to your body’s hunger and fullness signals to regulate how much you need to eat.
Can You Eat Rice Every Day?
Yes! Rice is such an essential part of many cultures, and in some places, rice is eaten multiple times a day. As it is an inexpensive, easy-to-cook grain, eating rice every day is not a bad thing.
Each food has a unique nutrient profile, so eating a variety of foods is a great way to make sure your body is getting everything it needs. Maybe that means you choose recipes that include other starches too! Mixing things up and eating a variety of foods can also help keep your meals interesting.
When is the Best Time to Eat Rice?
The best time to eat rice is when you need the energy from those carbohydrates! Your body needs energy from carbohydrates all day long, but energy needs are usually higher during the day than they are right before you go to sleep at night.
I like to adjust my carbohydrate intake to what I am doing during the day. For example, if I am exercising after dinner, having more rice with that meal is going to be helpful for fueling my night time workout. However, if I workout in the morning, it might be better to eat a larger portion of rice at lunch to replenish the carbs that I just burned through during exercise.
Eating a huge bowl of rice right before bed is probably not going to be the best because you don’t really need all that energy as you are winding down for the night. Instead, eating a higher protein snack before bed can help keep your blood sugars stable throughout the night and help you sleep better.
Can Rice Help with Building Muscle?
You might be surprised to know that carbohydrates like rice can actually help you build muscle! A common mistake that I see among people that want to build muscle is overdoing protein intake and not getting enough carbohydrates or fat in their diet.
Yes, protein is also essential to building muscle because it gives your body the materials it needs to repair itself and get stronger after pushing your muscles hard through exercise.
Carbohydrates are still your body’s preferred source of energy, even when you are lifting weights, so you will likely be able to make more of your gym sessions when you are eating carbohydrates because you will feel less tired, have more energy, and be able to workout harder.
Athletes should also know that if your body doesn’t get enough energy, it could start breaking down muscle- and that’s not good!
Can Rice Help with Weight Loss?
You might feel confused about eating carbohydrates if you are wanting to lose weight. The keto diet, which is extremely low in carbohydrates, is a popular fad right now that many are drawn to- hoping for quick results.
However, I strongly advise against dieting, and especially against cutting out food groups. This can actually lead to malnutrition- where your body doesn’t get enough of the nutrients it needs to function, grow, and develop. This is one of the reasons dieting is so dangerous for kids and teenagers. Removing food groups can seriously impact their bodies during important periods of development!
For children, adults, and teenagers alike, hyperfixation on weight is unhelpful. Instead, I encourage people to look for ways to improve their overall eating habits, without restricting certain foods. All types of rice can be part of a healthy diet that supports a healthy weight.
Rice Facts
Rice is a popular food staple around the world but here are some interesting facts you might not know about rice…
- There are about 40,000 varieties of rice. If you thought there was just white rice and brown rice, think again!
- It takes a lot of water to grow rice.
- Rice is only harvested once a year.
- Rice is a gluten-free food! There are not many starchy foods that are gluten-free, so rice is often an essential part of your diet if you have to stay away from gluten due to Celiac Disease or a gluten intolerance.
- Uncooked rice stays good for years, but once it is cooked, get it in the fridge quickly because it spoils fast.
- Long-grain, medium-grain, and short-grain rice all turn out differently when cooked. For example, short-grain rice sticks together more while long-grained rice is dryer and stays separated.
- Go look up the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines. They are a pretty incredible sight! Who ever thought growing rice could look so cool!?
Summary
Rice is not a food that needs to be feared. In fact, it is a very nutritious carbohydrate that I encourage people to include in their diet! With so many different varieties available, rice is a versatile starch that can make a great addition to lots of different meals.
If you are unsure of how much rice you should be eating, one of the best things you can do is look for ways to balance your plate with protein, healthy fats, and color from fruits and vegetables. You can also work with a dietitian for more individualized help on what kinds of foods and how much food your body needs!
Resources
Bryan M. Rice facts. Facts.net. Modified February 11, 2022.
Park T. Is rice good for you? Chhs.colostate.edu. Published May 2020.
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