Rice Cakes - Are They Really Good For You?

Rice cakes became popular with the advent of the low fat diet. In fact, some people are fanatic about their rice cakes, snacking on them constantly because "they contain no fat, so they are healthy!" As a snack, however, they may not be the best choice.

Let's take a look at the label. An average rice cake has:

Calories: 35
Total fat: 0.3 gm
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 29
Carbohydrates: 7.3 gm
Fiber: 0.4 gm
Sugar: 0.1 gm
Protein: 0.7 gm

OK, so they are low in calories and have very little fat. But they also have very little fiber and very little protein. So what is left?

Carbohydrates

Now there is nothing wrong with carbohydrates in the proper setting. But here we have carbohydrates without any fat, very little fiber and very little protein.

Without protein, fat or fiber, carbohydrates are easily digested and converted to blood glucose very quickly. This is called the glycemic effect, and indeed, regular rice cakes are a type of grain that ranks high on the glycemic index. What the rice cake is, essentially, is a food that will give you a sugar jolt!

As a snack, this is a poor choice, not only for people trying to lose weight, but for people whose goal is to eat in a healthy manner. By constantly supplying a rush of blood sugar, insulin gets produced in excess. Blood sugar levels rise, then drop suddenly due to the excess insulin, and this can create more hunger pangs. So you want to eat another rice cake.

Granted, there are not a lot of calories, but really, wouldn't it be better to choose a snack with more nutritious ingredients? Even if it had more calories, something like a piece of fruit would provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. Because of the fiber, it would be digested slower and not spike the blood sugar as quickly, so it would be more satisfying.

Or, do I even dare say, eat a snack that contains protein and fat (the good type of fat) such as a handful of nuts?

Snacking is not bad. Some experts suggest that eating three small meals and two snacks daily is a good way of providing optimum nutrition, but only if we are choosing wisely. Eating is about feeding our bodies what they need to thrive. Choosing snacks that are nutritiously empty is a lost opportunity. An apple versus a rice cake is like a vitamin supplement versus a sugar pill.

Pamela Post is a Registered Nurse with a Masters Degree in Public Health. For the past 10 years her interest has leaned toward nutrition and health maintenance. Additional information on the glycemic index of grains [http://www.glycemicindexpower.com/glycemic-index-grains/] and other food types, can be found at [http://www.glycemicindexpower.com]

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