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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Truly really should You Be Generating use of A Rice Cooker

Do you have a rice cooker that you have stashed away and it is now hiding in a cabinet? You do? Effectively, it's time to grab it, set it on the countertop and start off creating some completely remarkable a single-pot meals.
Initial of all, don't allow the identify "rice cooker" fool you. What you have is basically a giant (relying on the capability you have selected) steamer. What this indicates is any dish that demands moist cooking will do great in a rice cooker. If you really like cooking and eating Middle Eastern or Caribbean or ethnic meals, it is the excellent way to whip up some actually tasty dishes utilizing chicken, fish, steamed vegetable aspect dishes and poached fruit desserts. These are wonderful ideas for putting your cooker to do the job, in addition to making soups and hearty stews.
If you take beef that has been browned and add vegetables with herbs, wine and tomatoes, offered adequate time and liquid, it will provide a delicious lengthy-simmered dish and you won't have to fear about scorching or boiling over. How's that for a hectic cook's greatest pal. It's like possessing your personal private chef cooking for you though you do other items!
Did you know cooking bean dishes is a snap? Use your cooker to soften pinto beans for your individual do-it-yourself refried bean recipe. Bring a piece of salmon, season it and wrap it in a foil pouch and steam it - delectable and oh, so healthful for you. If you have a steam tray you could prepare extended-grained wild rice at the identical time and voila!, your whole dinner is prepared at 1 time. How about spaghetti? Just break your pasta in fifty percent and cover it with h2o and permit the rice cooker do it's point! Can you see it - the possibilities are nearly limitless!
So, if you don't have a rice cooker or are hunting to obtain a new one particular or even a larger a single, my suggestions would be to search around for the very best prices, specially if you look on-line. There are a lot of producers and several manufacturers, but widespread opinion is the Japanese rice cookers - Tiger, Hitachi, Sanyo, Zojirushi - are the finest cookers, BUT, they can be pricey. Do your study - make your purchase - then get cooking!
in} - then get cooking!

A <a href="http://ricecookerratings.org/breville-rice-cooker">Breville Rice Cooker</a>  is one of the better brands we review over at <a href="http://ricecookerratings.org/">Rice Cooker Ratings</a>. Visit today to find out more on rice cookers.

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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:

Rice

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.

Rice Cakes - Are They Really Good For You?

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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Rice Bran Oil - Is It Really The Healthiest Oil And The Best Cooking Oil?

Many people ask me: Is rice bran oil a good oil the best cooking oil? Is it the new revolutionary healthiest oil? Is this the all-in-one cooking oil solution? Not exactly. It is one of the better choices of all the bulk cooking oils available, but not without a down side. Lets review oils and healthy fats; the good, the bad and the plain ugly.

What is rice bran oil?

It is the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of whole brown rice. Rice bran oil has a mild, nutty flavour. Promoters call it "The Healthy Oil". One label says rice bran oil is "nutritionally balanced, versatile - perfect for BBQs, frying, baking and salad dressing". My research suggests it is healthier to some degree, but use it in small quantities, for roasting and frying.

Is it the healthiest oil? - The advantages of rice bran oil

High smoke point - does not degrade easily at high temperature

Has a long shelf life.

Low viscosity (more runny) - need less oil to cook in and is less absorbed by foods.

Virtually free of trans fats

More Vitamin E complex and other anti-oxidants than other cooking oils- these help keep it stable and protect against free-radical damage.

Rich in tocotrienols - powerful form of Vitamin E

Contains a Gamma Oryzanol - a powerful antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering agent

Problems with fats and oils - including rice bran oil

In modern Western countries most people eat too much high calorie fat. A low-calorie diet is one of the keys to avoiding cancer and many other diseases. B
ut the biggest issue are the problems with the type of fats we consume.
We eat:
Too much saturated animal fat, toxic "trans" fats and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Too little Omega 3 and fat-soluble antioxidants such as vitamin E

Rice bran oil is better than other oils in many respects - but has a seriously imbalanced ratio of too little omega 3 to too much omega 6.
Bulk polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola and corn are dangerous to our health because they are processed with high heat and generally poor quality. These oils also contain and imbalanced ratio of Omega 3 to omega 6. They should be completely avoided.

Our food has changed - we used to get enough omega 3... now we don't!

The best primary source of omega-3 is seafood - although flaxseed and hempseed oils are notable exceptions. Dark leafy green plants and free-range eggs provide useful amounts too.
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate a diet of fresh plant and animal foods - including a lot of seafood. This provided a balance of omega-3 to omega-6 of about 1:1. This is what our bodies are designed for.

Nowadays we eat way less seafood and large amounts of grains and seeds - most of it processed. Since the 1960s when seed oils began to replace saturated fats our intake of omega-6 has doubled - and omega-3 consumption is about 1/10 of what it should be. This has created a dangerous imbalance. Overconsumption of oils with this omega 3 to 6 imbalance has been implicated in higher rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and skin disorders.

Can I eat deep fried food if I use rice bran oil?

Of all the bulk cooking oils available, rice bran oil is one of the better choices for high temperature cooking. If you occasionally eat deep-fried food this is perhaps the best option. However I do not recommend deep-fried food. Any oil heated to high temperature will suffer some degradation and produce dangerous free radicals. In addition to this deep fried foods contain too much oil to be considered healthy.

The key to eating healthier fats and oils: eat more seafood, whole foods and fish oil supplements and reduce consumption of seed and grain oils. Olive oil remains the best choice for regular use in cooler cooking: dressings, dips, baking and moderate-temperature frying. We also use rice bran oil, sesame oil and clarified butter for pan-frying and roasting. ANY of the cheaper vegetable oils consumed in quantity can cause problems.

Copyright Wild Health

New Zealander Roger Wild is a chef and nutritionist, who encourages people to experience full health through positive food and lifestyle choices. Get his recipes and straight forward advice to stay motivated, eat well and be healthy.

Check out his ‘Healthy food made easy’ website. Sign up and get recipes like: Easy gluten free Miso Soup Recipe and articles like: Gluten free food list

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