Introduction:
Rice is one of the most popular and probably the oldest food items in the world. Rice is consumed in several ways around the world. Rice cakes are popular ancient food items. It was mainly used in East Asian countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Japan, and Malaysia. However, in the early 1980s and 90s, one of the sought-after trends in food was rice cakes, which had a rising popularity throughout the globe. Also, they used to be called add-ons or foods for dieting because they were believed to be a part of any weight loss diet, owing to their low-calorie and low-carbohydrate nature. Even today as substitutes for many high-calorie snack replacements in daily diets such as white bread, cookies, salted crackers, or chips, these are low-calorie options indeed. Rice cakes or crackers are also available in their puffed form and remain a popular snack amongst the kids today.
According to nutrition experts, even though rice cakes are delicious and offer their crunchy texture to the palate with the added benefit of being low in both carbohydrates and calories, they still do not pack in many nutrients. Though one can prefer them over refined, processed, and junk foods or snacks any day like potato chips or fries, these are only meant to be low-calorie replacements occasionally. Rice cakes are commonly consumed along with nut butter or with fruits aside to avail the best flavors. Further, these are always commercially usually available as gluten-free options. Gluten-free products are advised by nutritionists for individuals who commonly suffer from either celiac disease (a digestive immune disease) or gluten sensitivity. One other advantage of consuming rice cakes occasionally over any other snack that would be refined or processed in nature- would be that they are quite low in unhealthy saturated or trans fats and low usually in commercial preparations even in terms of the added sugar content. While the saturated fat and added sugar content may vary based on the brand one purchases, it is always important to focus on nutrition or the ingredient label at the back of the product.
What Causes Nutrient Loss in Rice Cakes During Processing?
Rice cakes are prepared from white or brown rice which is more subject to high heat and pressure causing the rice base as well as the bonding ingredients used along with it that expand (under the heat and pressure). They are manufactured into the round molds, sprayed or added on with flavors or additives, and then eventually packaged for commercial distribution.
Because of the high heat and pressure technique, whatever nutrients one would be gaining through either the base of white rice or brown rice is lost and instead refined carbohydrates that are converted into natural sugar by our body are only obtained. This means that the commercial rice cakes after all are not high in any nutrients and would merely remain a refined product. Though brown rice scores much higher than white rice in terms of nutritional content, the manufacturing does not allow scope for anyone to avail any quantities of remnant nutrients as such.
What Are the Effects of Additives?
Further, it would depend on what type of rice cakes someone is opting for, because it would contain sugar, additives, or extra preservatives that can just give empty calories. These cakes when sprayed with either conventional sweet or savory flavors usually salted, cheesy, strawberry, chocolate, or caramel would be filled only with empty calories of no nutritional value at all.
A single commercial rice cake would contain approximately 0.008 to 0.009 ounces of added sugar or around 70 to 85 calories based on the extent of additives. Some rising safety concerns also exist regarding the competitively low levels of inorganic arsenic components that would prove harmful to adolescents and children. Though these concerns are being investigated, safety issues about the conversion of inorganic to methylated arsenic in human urine would be debatable.
How To Boost the Nutrients in Rice Cakes?
One can try adding protein-rich nut butter, cottage cheese, and salsa to the rice cakes with avocados or use it as a low-calorie base instead of sandwich bread. One can also creatively pair hummus spreads or sliced vegetables, salads or use a pairing of cottage cheese, basil, mozzarella cheese, lean meat, or boiled eggs and season the cakes with fresh ground pepper to add up some spice and proteinaceous flavor to the snack or meal with it.
Given the availability of rice cakes in various forms, and flavors, and with numerous additives in the commercial market, consumers must exercise caution when reviewing nutritional and ingredient labels. This diligence allows individuals to identify the levels of added sugars and other additives that may contribute to empty caloric intake, enabling them to select superior brands. An optimal choice, in addition to pairing rice cakes with protein, is to prepare homemade whole-grain rice cakes, which can serve as a nutritious treat. Whole grains are inherently more satisfying and richer in essential vitamins and nutrients, promoting prolonged satiety. Therefore, whole-grain rice cakes represent a healthier alternative to their commercially produced counterparts.
Moreover, when purchasing commercial rice cakes, it is advisable to seek brands that are free from additives, added sugars, artificial colors, and preservatives. To manage sodium intake, consumers should prioritize low-sodium or sodium-free options. Additionally, when assessing the nutritional content of commercial rice cakes, opting for varieties made from brown rice or other whole grains is recommended, as these options are generally more nutritious than those made from white rice.
Conclusion:
Rice cakes often fall short in nutritional value due to the manufacturing and refining processes they undergo. However, there are ways to enhance their nutritional profile, even for those who consume them occasionally. It is also crucial to recognize that these commercially produced rice cakes are not effective weight loss options, as they are composed of refined carbohydrates and contain a significant amount of empty calories.
