Some of the most delicious dishes feature grain as a key ingredient. Risotto, deep-fried rice, paella, and sushi, for instance , all rely on this starch-filled materials, but are there any rice varieties that will won’t pack on the carbs?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Should you be on a non-keto low-carb or regular ketogenic diet, you’ll have to avoid grain for optimal results.
That being said, you can still get your grain fix by using the right low-carb alternatives and keto recipes. Let’s start our journey through the world associated with rice and its alternatives by taking the closer look at the composition of each feed.
Why Rice isn’t Good for Reduced Carb and Keto Diets
Each feed of rice is essentially starch which is packaged in a fibrous protein tablet. From a nutritional perspective, rice is similar to a bean but with more starch and less protein and dietary fiber.
Though different types of grain will vary in their carb content, however, lowest carb variety isn’t lower enough to fit into a low-carb diet plan. In fact , it will be nearly impossible to find a grain variety that is composed of less than 75% net carbs.
To provide you with a better idea of what I mean, we’ve integrated a chart with the carb articles of the most popular rice varieties beneath. In this case, we’ll focus mostly around the “healthier” rice options (which are not as low in carbs as you may think).
Is Wild Rice, Dark Rice, or Brown Rice Lower Carb?
Although brown rice, wild rice, plus black rice are all richer within micronutrients, fiber, and protein compared to white rice, they are still filled with too many carbs to fit into a low carbohydrate diet.
As you can see, wild rice could be the lowest carb rice. However , along with ~32 grams of net carbohydrates in each half-cup, it’ll become challenging to fit it into a low carbohydrate or keto diet without eliminating other nutritious keto-friendly foods.
How about Rice Noodles: Are They Low Carbohydrate?
Rice noodles can be thought of as lengthy strips of net carbs (similar to traditional flour-based pasta).
More specifically, one mug of rice noodles comes filled with 44 g of total carbohydrates and 42. 2 g associated with net carbs (which is almost similar to the carbs in white rice).
Rather than skipping noodles altogether, there are plenty of keto-friendly alternatives you can test. We’ll learn more about them after we all uncover the truth about rice cakes.
Are usually Rice Cakes Low Carb?
Since they are made from puffed rice, grain cakes will be lower in carbs compared to cooked rice. However , before we have been tricked by their low carb content material, we must also consider what grain cakes lack.
Because they are almost 100% net carbs, grain cakes will increase your daily carb rely without adding any healthy excess fat, protein, fiber, or micronutrients for your diet. In other words, even the lowest carbohydrate rice cake products are not an excellent option for keto since they add clear carbs to your diet and not more than that.
Rice Cake Item | Total Carbohydrates (per rice cake) | Net Carbs (per grain cake) |
White rice cake | 7 | 7 |
Brown rice wedding cake | 14 | 13 |
Kim’s Miracle Pop Rice Cakes | 2 | 2 |
That being said, If you are craving the rice cake, opt for the lowest carbohydrate option and make sure to have some high-fat keto foods with it. For instance , try spreading keto Nutella at the top or make it into a quick keto pizza .
The 5 Best Low Carbohydrate Rice Substitutes for Keto
If you can’t consume rice, what can you eat on a low carbohydrate diet as a suitable alternative? Listed below are the best low-carb substitutes for grain that are both healthy and keto-friendly:
- Riced cauliflower
- Miracle rice (shirataki rice)
- Cabbage grain
- Hemp seeds
- Mushroom rice
1 . Riced Cauliflower
This is the most widely used low-carb rice alternative since it is actually cheap, low in carbs, and filled with health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.
In general, ½ glass (85 g) of prepared cauliflower rice has 4 grams associated with total carbs and 2 grms of net carbs, which makes it simple to fit into a strict keto diet plan as well as non-keto low-carb diets.
Riced cauliflower is available at the local grocery store pre-packaged, but it could be made just as easy at home when you have a cheese grater or foods processor.
Using It:
Riced cauliflower makes a great keto pizza crust , the perfect rice substitute for fried rice , and also a tasty low-carb alternative for sushi rice . Scroll below for more keto cauliflower rice recipes.
2 . Miracle Rice — The best Carb Keto Rice, No Cauliflower Necessary
Produced from konjac root, miracle rice (and shirataki noodles) only contain search for amounts of net carbs and are filled with health-promoting fiber. More specifically, the 3 oz . serving (85 g) of miracle rice comes with ten calories, 3 g of dietary fiber, and less than 0. 5 gary the gadget guy of net carbs.
Miracle rice is available in most wellness food stores or online. You may even see it called “shirataki rice, ” “slim rice, ” or “konjac rice” as well.
Provided that the product is listed as getting zero net carbs per offering, it’ll be the perfect rice substitute for keto.
How to Use It:
Try using miracle rice as a grain alternative in a stir-fry , pilaf, or cauliflower rice recipe. It would also work nicely as a rice or barley substitute in a soups and stews.
3. Cabbage Grain
Another great keto rice substitute is cabbage grain. You can prepare cabbage rice while you would cauliflower rice: in a meals processor or with a cheese grater.
Both red plus green cabbage are keto-friendly choices, with green cabbage having a somewhat lower net carb count:
- Red cabbage — 1 cup, chopped (89 g) provides 7 grams of total carbohydrates and 5. 1 g associated with net carbs
- Eco-friendly cabbage — 1 cup, chopped (89 g) has 5. 2 gary the gadget guy of total carbs and several g of net carbs
How to Use This:
Riced diet programs is great in stews, as an alternative to deep-fried rice, or as the feature veggie in a keto bowl . It will pair extremely well with spices commonly used within Indian meals , such as garam masala, cumin, and turmeric.
4. Hemp Seeds
Shelled hemp seeds are good for mimicking the taste and texture associated with wild rice and other heartier grains.
They are also packed with healthful fat, plant-based protein, and dietary fiber, making them the best rice substitute for anybody looking up their intake of these nutrition while keeping carbs low.
Overall, each ½ mug of shelled hemp seeds offers us with:
- 5 calories
- 39 g of fat
- 3 g of protein
- 7 g of complete carbs
- 8 gary the gadget guy of net carbs
Since this is the highest body fat rice substitute, make sure not to overdo it. The fat calories can also add up surprisingly fast and slow weight loss .
How to Use This:
Use as being a wild rice substitute for wild rice pilaf , or add it to your keto foods to mimic the particular mouthfeel of couscous or outrageous rice.
5. Mushroom Rice
With their earthy umami flavor, mushrooms are a delicious keto-friendly substitute for grain as well. Just make sure to keep the carbohydrate counts in mind because they will vary with respect to the mushroom variety.
Listed here are the carbs in the most commonly ingested mushrooms (in every cup, sliced):
Mushroom kind | Total carbs (g) | Net carbohydrates (g) |
Portobella | 5. 9 | 3. 2 |
Shiitake | 7. 4 | 3. 9 |
White-colored button | four. 4 | second . 5 |
Cremini | 3. 0 | 2 . 6 |
How to Use This:
To prepare mushroom-based keto rice, finely chop the cup or two of mushrooms and saute with some butter plus salt. You can also combine mushroom grain with the other low carb grain alternatives to switch up the flavor plus texture of your meals.
Low Carbohydrate, Keto-friendly Rice Recipes: Fried Grain, Sushi, Rice Balls, and More
When you’d prefer to follow step-by-step directions, we’ve included a round-up in our favorite rice-based keto recipes beneath:
Low Carbohydrate Cauliflower Fried Rice
This keto recipe is definitely packed with all of the flavors and designs we crave in restaurant-style deep-fried rice. However , there is one thing lacking: the starch.
Luckily, with the combo of riced cauliflower and bacon, you’ll forget about it. (If you’re looking for a level simpler keto fried rice, provide our 4-ingredient crispy cauliflower rice a try.
Spicy Cauliflower Grain & Salmon Medley
A delicious keto supper featuring low-carb fried rice, with the steps you need to cook the seafood, prepare the keto rice, plus combine them into a satisfying dinner. Feel free to replace the salmon together with your fish/meat of choice whenever you want to toss together a quick dish that you know can come out delicious.
To get more keto-friendly rice-based dinner ideas, take a look at these recipes as well:
- Cilantro Lime green Shrimp with Crispy Coconut Caulirice
- Cajun Shrimp and Cauliflower Grain
- Peri Bowl
Jalapeno Cauliflower Rice Balls
These crispy, hot and spicy, and cheesy rice balls would be the perfect way to use up leftover cauliflower rice. Serve with sugar-free tomato sauce for keto-friendly arancini — or keep it simple and have being. The inside is like a jalapeno popper, and the outside has a wonderfully crunchy texture thanks to the pork rind plus Parmesan coating.
Keto Chicken plus Rice Casserole
Chicken and rice casserole is a lot healthier and more satisfying with low carbohydrate ingredients. In fact , this is one of the best methods to sneak a keto-friendly dish right into a family dinner without anyone realizing. It uses some of my favorite low-carb comfort foods to save on prep time such as pre-riced cauliflower and rotisserie poultry. I almost always grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. It’s fast, easy and can be used for a million various dishes. Pre-riced cauliflower can be found in the particular produce section of most stores and it is a fabulous low carb staple plus substitute for rice.
Keto Sushi (with a Low-carb Sushi Rice Alternative)
At first, changing sushi rice with riced cauliflower may seem ridiculous. I thought the idea has been crazy before I actually gave keto sushi a try — and I had been pleasantly surprised. It fixed my wanting for carb-ridden sushi, and now Excellent reliable keto recipe to make anytime the craving hits.
Cauliflower Rice Congee
This keto Congee is an Asian-inspired porridge that is great pertaining to cold weather or as a zesty supper appetizer. The ingredients such as cauliflower grain and chicken stock can be made out of scratch or store-bought to reduce period. Optional toppings for congee consist of hard-boiled eggs, sliced scallions, plus fried garlic. With this recipe, you will also learn how to incorporate low-carb cauliflower rice into your favorite keto sauces .
Cauliflower-free Low Carb Grain Recipe Options (No Cauliflower Necessary)
You may have already noticed that many low-carb rice recipes feature cauliflower as the primary rice alternative. If you are looking to switch it up or you are just not a fan of cauliflower, here are 3 go-to options for making low-carb grain without the cauliflower:
1 . Keto Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf
This part dish is the perfect keto-friendly choice for cauliflower rice. Step-by-step, you will see how to make it cauliflower-free by using hempseeds and mushrooms as the low-carb grain substitute.
Altogether, this particular recipe will mimic the taste plus texture of wild rice pilaf without the excess carbs. Feel free to include meat to it for a complete keto meal — or use it as an alternative for cauliflower fried rice.
2 . Replace the particular cauliflower with another low-carb grain alternative.
Choose your preferred option(s) from the list beneath:
- Miracle grain
- Cabbage
- Hempseeds
- Mushrooms
These will work beautifully in most keto stir-fry and deep-fried rice recipes. You can even try blending multiple alternatives together.
Just make sure you are mindful of the distinction in your rice substitute’s carb, proteins, and fat content compared to cauliflower.
3. By pass the low-carb rice.
Though your meal will not be as filling without the low carbohydrate rice, this may be the best option for certain keto recipes.
When making keto sushi, for example , the other low-carb grain alternatives won’t work well. In this case, your best option is to make it without the rice or even try another recipe with comparable flavors and textures (like our keto stick bowl recipe).
Are available Keto-friendly Rice Noodle Alternatives too?
Just like low-carb rice substitutes, there are several keto-friendly rice noodle alternatives made out of konjac root and keto vegetables .
Of all the different and unique assumes noodles, here are some of best keto-friendly substitutes for rice noodles:
- Spiralized veggies. While zucchini is among the most common in keto recipes, you may also spiralize daikon radish, cucumbers, bell pepper, turnips, kohlrabi, onion, and also broccoli stems.
- Eggplant pasta. Reduce eggplant into strips and prepare as a penne-style pasta, or cut into thin sheets and make use of as a layering noodle in lasagna or pasta roll-up recipes.
- Thinly sliced cabbage could work really well as a noodle, but you can furthermore use whole cabbage leaves like a layer in lasagna or even utilize it as a wrapper for eggroll kind recipes.
- Magic noodles. Also known as konjac or shirataki noodles , these fibrous noodles are made from the same ingredients as Magic rice.
- Tofu noodles. Similar to shirataki noodles, these are typically a combination of tofu and glucomannan (the fiber present in konjac root). This yields a lot more pleasant, less crunchy low-carb noodle.
- Homemade noodles. Using psyllium, almond flour, or a combination of low carbohydrate flours, you can create keto noodles at home. These tend to be the most reasonable in texture and flavor yet can add a significant amount of calories towards the dish, so you have to be mindful of the noodle portions.
To learn more about each noodle alternate and their keto recipes, have a look at our extensive guide to keto-friendly noodles and nudeln .
Key Takeaways: Low Carbohydrate Rice Alternatives and Recipes intended for Keto
Grain is not suitable for low-carb and keto eating, regardless of the variety you have
However , there are plenty of low-carb grain substitutes that you can make to satisfy your own craving for the starch-filled grain. Included in this are:
- Riced cauliflower
- Miracle rice or even shirataki rice
- Diet programs
- Hemp Seeds
- Mushrooms
With the help of these keto-friendly options, you may make virtually any of your favorite rice-based meals, including:
- Low Carb Fried Grain
- Jalapeno Cauliflower Rice Balls
- Hot and spicy Cauliflower Rice & Salmon Medley
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Crispy Coconut Caulirice
- Cajun Shrimp plus Cauliflower Rice
- Peri Dish
- Keto Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Cauliflower Rice Congee
- Keto Sushi
In case you are also looking for suitable substitutes just for cauliflower-based rice, here are the three greatest options:
- Create Keto Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf .
- Replace the cauliflower along with one or more low-carb rice alternative(s).
- Skip the rice and also have another keto side
That being said, even if you have the lowest carbohydrate rice substitute, it is still vital to be mindful of how much fat, protein, plus carbs you need to achieve the results you would like.
The easiest way to make sure you happen to be on the right track is by using our keto preparing for meal time app . It will provide you with a large eating plan personalized to your goals plus preferences, so all you’ll have to try and do is shop for the ingredients, make meals, and enjoy them.
Sources
- FoodData Central — USDA
- SELF Nutrition Data — NutritionData
- Food items to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet: What exactly is Keto-friendly? — Ruled. me
- Shirataki Noodles: How to Cook Them plus Their Health Benefits — Ruled. me personally