Is Rice Good For Weight Loss? Best Kinds Of Rice For Fat Loss 2024

Rice is a popular and inexpensive staple eaten worldwide, so these questions often beg to be answered: Is rice bad for you, or is rice good for weight loss? 

If you’re trying to lose weight, some types of rice may assist you on your journey when eaten in moderation. But other types of rice may promote weight gain more than others. 

You can eat rice in various ways, and a little seasoning is all it takes to transform it into many different types of culturally-diverse meals and snacks. 

Rice contains fiber, protein, and carbohydrates that can fuel your body. It’s easy to cook, easily digested, and is a filling replacement for those who are gluten-free. 

So is rice good for weight loss? Let’s review what kinds of rice there are if it can aid in weight management, and tips on how to eat rice as part of an overall healthy diet. 

Whole grain rice consists of the entire grain, meaning nothing is taken out or removed when harvesting takes place from the plant. Whole grain rice can be a great food to add to a well-balanced diet and contains many nutrients naturally that can help shed pounds. 

Refined rice intake is where it can get tricky. Like other refined grains you see on the shelves, when processing takes place it can remove many of their essential nutrients. 

With whole-grain rice, there are three main layers: 

• The outer layer of fibrous bran
• The middle layer of endosperm
• The inner layer of the germ

Refined rice goes through a grinding process that decreases its layers to just one – the endosperm. The endosperm contains protein and all the complex carbohydrates (carbs). 

Leaving the whole grain rice intact provides health benefits for your immune system that refined, processed rice cannot provide. The bran layer has trace minerals, B-vitamins, and offers a rich source of fiber. Furthermore, the nutritious germ layer contains: 

• Healthy fats
• B vitamins
• Vitamin E
• Antioxidants 

Whole grains like brown rice, on the other hand, contain helpful nutrients that may aid in weight loss and help reduce your risk^[1] of weight gain.

This is because eating food high in fiber content, like whole grain rice, can help you feel full and reduce your appetite as it absorbs water and swells in the digestive tract. This helps fill your stomach and increases your satiety.

Fiber also feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut microbiome.^[2] In addition, it plays a factor in heart health since it may help with cholesterol levels, improve blood pressure, and reduce risk factors for heart disease. 

A study^[3] shows that rice consumption of at least 401 grams (14 ounces) is associated with less weight gain than those eating less than 200g (7 ounces) or less daily. 

While rice may not fit into the low-carb diets that many use to help with weight loss, it is low in fat. Additionally, one cup of cooked rice can provide around five to ten grams of protein. While this amount of protein in rice is not significant on its own, when you add it with other protein sources it can encourage a healthy weight.^[4] 

Best Rice For Weight Loss

Not all types of rice are created equal. For example, some rice has more fiber, minimal calories, and other nutrients that promote a healthy body weight. Rice comes in many textures, colors, and sizes. So let’s find out what the best types of rice are for weight loss.

Brown Rice 

Is brown rice good for weight loss? Brown rice is a whole grain, making it a healthier option. Whole grains contain anti-obesity properties^[5] and can help increase metabolism,^[6] making them a great addition to a healthy diet. 

Black Rice

Is black rice good for weight loss? Black rice is another whole grain, and this one packs the highest amount of antioxidants out of all rice, such as anthocyanins.^[7] These antioxidants in black rice can help fight against inflammation and cell damage in your body, which can also support weight loss.^[8] 

Red Rice

Red rice is good for weight loss because it contains double the amount of dietary fiber as white rice, more fiber than brown rice, and has antioxidants that make it a great choice to help reduce the risk^[7] of obesity. Red rice can also help promote healthy^[9] cholesterol levels and heart health that are needed to keep your body burning calories efficiently. 

Wild Rice

Is wild rice good for weight loss? Wild rice is commonly used as a grain but is actually a mix of four kinds of grass, not rice. It has triple the amount of fiber as white rice, which can help to reduce hunger. It also contains manganese which helps to regulate metabolism and is associated with abdominal fat^[10] reduction. 

Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is another long-grain rice available in whole-grain brown or refined white versions. Choosing brown basmati rice will give you more nutrients to keep you full, which may increase your chances of weight loss. 

When you choose brown rice versus brown basmati rice, the size, texture, and flavor will be the biggest differences since the nutritional value is comparable. 

Types Of Rice Bad For Weight Loss

White Rice

Is white rice good for weight loss? Eating white rice is less likely to help you lose weight than the others since the refining process removes much of its nutritional value. It may not always make you gain weight, but the research is conflicting. 

One study^[11] showed that a higher intake of white rice can significantly increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, which may lead to other chronic diseases. This conflicts however with other studies showing^[12] no association between white rice consumption and obesity. 

Jasmine Rice

Is jasmine rice good for weight loss? Jasmine rice is a long-grain type of rice that comes in different colors with varying amounts of nutrients. For example, white jasmine rice is a refined grain like white rice and is less likely to help with weight loss than whole-grain brown and other colors of jasmine.

Fried Rice

Aside from fried rice using bits of nutritious vegetables and eggs in preparation, the type of rice and oil it’s made with plays a significant factor in its nutritional value. Many of the oils in fried rice from restaurants or stores contain trans fats, like hydrogenated oils, which can lead to weight gain.^[13] On the other hand, using olive oil instead, in moderation, may improve weight loss.^[14]

All-in-all, fried rice typically has added fat and is not a healthy option for weight loss.

How To Eat?

If you’re wondering how much rice to eat per day to lose weight, the answer varies depending on your diet plan. 

Low-carb diets will guide you to eat no more than one cup of rice per day due to the amount of carbohydrate rice has. 

Other diets will tell you to eat as much rice as you want, like the 7-day rice diet, which aims to cleanse the body by only eating rice, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats.

To lose weight while eating rice, whichever amount you choose, you’ll want a well-balanced, healthy diet with fruit and vegetables. You’ll also want to consume ample vitamins and avoid processed foods that can prevent weight loss. 

Here are a few tips to incorporate rice into your diet:

• Rice can make a great addition to any meal of the day. It has a great shelf life so you can stock up on your favorite kind. 
• Invest in an affordable rice cooker and make a big batch for prepping your meals. Some rice cookers contain a steamer pot on top to steam vegetables at the same time.
• Consuming rice with steamed or grilled vegetables will increase your satiety, leaving less room for over-consuming calories.
• Enjoy rice with black beans, ground beef, salsa, and avocado for a filling protein-packed taco bowl.
• You can add flavorful spices to the rice that also have health benefits, like garlic, onion, turmeric, and cumin.
• Four ounces of chicken breast contains 26 grams of protein^[15] and five to ten grams of protein per cup of cooked rice, depending on the rice, making this an excellent pair to support weight loss.
• Beans are nutrient-dense vegetables full of fiber and protein, supporting a healthy weight. Brown rice diet and vegetables are part of a vegan diet,^[16] which can reduce waist circumference and body mass index (BMI). 

The Bottom Line

Eating rice to promote weight loss benefits can be a nutritious and flavorful addition diet. Red, brown, and black rice have fiber, protein, good fats, and antioxidants to help with your weight management goals. Refined grains may increase your risk of weight gain.

Daily calorie and nutrient intake needs vary from person to person, so if you’re trying to lose weight, it may take some time and experimentation to see what kind of weight-loss diet works for you. 

If you’re aiming for a low-calorie diet, you’ll want to prioritize portion control and eat plenty of protein, fruits, and vegetables to increase your fiber to satisfy your appetite. 

Even though low-carb diets are popular, your body and brain still need carbs to optimally function. Sticking to whole grains like brown, red, and black rice can be a good source of the energy you need to fuel your workouts and live a healthy lifestyle.

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