We have become so used to eating things on top of something, wouldn't you agree?
Things like pasta, rice, noodles and breads have become our staple foods – mainly because they are a cheaper source of food to produce on a large scale. And they tend to store for longer periods than fresh produce.
So when it comes to rice, what can we do?
An Inside Look At Rice Nutrition
As you can see, rice is quite high in carbs for just a small amount (1/2 cup).
Many people often consume way more than 1/2 cup at one sitting. And if you remember, carbs are the main nutrient that affects blood sugar and A1C levels – so you definitely want to limit your intake if not cut out rice altogether, which is often recommended.
So if you were to cut rice out, what rice alternatives can you use?
Let's explore a few ideas now.
Diabetic Low Carb Rice Alternatives
There are a few rice alternatives you can try.
- Cauliflower rice
- Konjac rice
- Cabbage chunk rice
- Other alternatives
Cauliflower Rice
Using cauliflower as rice may sound like a really strange idea but it really works.
I remember the first time I served it up to my partner and he was pleasantly surprised it how good it was. If I can get stuff past him I know we're onto a winner!
When you grind cauliflower up and cook it, it has a similar texture to rice and the flavor absorbs other saucy things that you might eat with it.
Take this Chicken Massaman Curry as an example. It's served with cauliflower rice instead of standard rice. Served with cauliflower rice this meal is 13 g net carbs. Served with 1/2 cup brown rice it would be around 30 g carbs.
Cauliflower rice is not exactly like rice, so it is something that you need to get used to – but when it comes to what we eat, that's like anything we want to change.
Konjac Rice
As we suggested in our recent post on pasta alternatives, you can also buy konjac rice.
It's made out of the konjac fiber and has zero carbs, so you can eat as much of it as you like. Because of it's fibrous texture, it doesn't really absorb sauces as much as real rice but it is nice to include with some dishes.
Cabbage Chunk Rice
Cabbage is a very nutritious vegetable. And coming from the cruciferous family of vegetables gives it super powers for helping reduce health problems like cancer, diabetes, and inflammation.
Cut it up in chunks, saute it in a pan and top with your other meats and veg for a cabbage chunk rice. Again, it's not exactly like rice but it is a great alternative.
Other options
Instead of eating pasta and rice alternatives, other things you might consider are to include more vegetables, or eat your dishes with a side salad.
Vegetables and salads contain many more nutrients than rice, pasta, or breads anyway. It's just a matter of getting used to it.
Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Cauliflower Rice
Total Carbs:11gNet Carbs:6 g
Fiber:5gCalories:137kcal
Prep Time
3 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings
person
Ingredients- 1/4 cauliflower - approx. 200 g per person
- 2 teaspoon olive oil - or butter or coconut oil
Total Carbs:11gNet Carbs:6 g
Fiber:5gCalories:137kcal
Prep Time
3 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings
person
Ingredients- 1/4 cauliflower - approx. 200 g per person
- 2 teaspoon olive oil - or butter or coconut oil
Instructions-
Roughly chop the cauliflower, place it into a food processor and pulse for 1 minute until it's a 'rice like' consistency.
-
Alternatively, use a grater to grate the cauliflower.
-
Heat oil in a pan.
-
Add cauliflower and fry up until it’s browned and cooked through, stirring it occasionally throughout the cooking process.
-
Serve it as a bed for your favorite dishes, it’s as easy as that!
Recipe NotesOPTIONS
Storage - will keep in the fridge for 2 days so you can cook a bigger batch for a few meals.
Additions - Add some finely diced onion for a slightly different flavor, cook the onion first for a few minutes before adding the cauliflower to the pan.
Nutrition FactsCauliflower Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g
15%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Sodium 60mg
3%
Potassium 606mg
17%
Total Carbohydrates 11g
4%
Dietary Fiber 5g
20%
Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
8%
Vitamin C
154%
Calcium
4%
Iron
4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
| Prep Time | 3 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
person |
- 1/4 cauliflower - approx. 200 g per person
- 2 teaspoon olive oil - or butter or coconut oil
Total Carbs:11gNet Carbs:6 g
Fiber:5gCalories:137kcal
Ingredients
|
- Roughly chop the cauliflower, place it into a food processor and pulse for 1 minute until it's a 'rice like' consistency.
- Alternatively, use a grater to grate the cauliflower.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Add cauliflower and fry up until it’s browned and cooked through, stirring it occasionally throughout the cooking process.
- Serve it as a bed for your favorite dishes, it’s as easy as that!
OPTIONS
Storage - will keep in the fridge for 2 days so you can cook a bigger batch for a few meals.
Additions - Add some finely diced onion for a slightly different flavor, cook the onion first for a few minutes before adding the cauliflower to the pan.
Nutrition Facts Cauliflower Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g
15%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Sodium 60mg
3%
Potassium 606mg
17%
Total Carbohydrates 11g
4%
Dietary Fiber 5g
20%
Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
8%
Vitamin C
154%
Calcium
4%
Iron
4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. |
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Overall
We recently talked about whole grains and discovered that there isn't really any evidence to say they help diabetes treatment.
The reality is that rice is a high carb food and most people won't gain really good control when they eat it.
If you are going to eat it, choose only black or brown rice and eat it in small portions.
And why not give these rice alternatives a try? They really are awesome options.
Please share, pin, or tweet this info to help others. Thanks. 🙂
Is quinoa a good substitute for rice?
It does have some additional nutrition properties over rice but it is still a high carb food. Here is some info about it.
Thank you, What about Bulgar?
Same. Any grain has a high amount of carbs. We encourage people to avoid all grain-based foods for best results.
My 42-year old autistic son was diagnosed 6 months ago with Type 2. His glucose was 588, but after signing up for DMP, and using your wonderful recipes and suggestions, he has lost 15 pounds and most recent A1c was 5.2! We follow your links to purchase items, hoping it helps you so you can keep up the great work you are doing! Thanks so very much!!!
Linda
That’s so wonderful to hear Linda – thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Jedha . I’ve bought my cauliflower and I’m doing the rice today ?
I sauted garlic and onions, then added the cauliflower and sauted everything a bit more. I then added some pine nuts and and it was killer. Who needs rice anyway?
Thank you for your amazing receipes.love love every single ones.now my sugar level down to 6 .I am proud of me.thank you again!!
FANTASTIC to hear Sonia – you should be proud of you. You can have diabetes and still enjoy life. Congrats!!
Thank you jedha!!!
I love cauliflower rice! Wegman’s (local grocery store) has it pre-riced in the fresh food section. And your website is fantastic – I’m learning so much! Thank you for the amazing tips and recipes!
I have tried the cauliflower mash and it is a great alternative. Will give the cauliflower rice a try. Your website is excellent. I have been reading up on a lot of the things that you have researched and have been following a lot of this advice. You are really bringing great information to the larger community of diabetics. Thanks
Thanks for your kind words Christine and glad you’re enjoying our site.
Aa jedha, Thanks for this rice alternatives, am definitely going to try the cabbage rice, who knows it may help cure my addiction of rice
hi have tried rice cauliflower.. i love it.. i have found green giant makes it ..its in the freezer part in the grocery store.. since I’m the only one that likes it It’s great for me.. i take out what i want and cook it in a frying pan with some butter or what u want.. its great..
Exactly. Just the way to do it Robin!
My diet has been jam-packed with rice and pasta, so being diagnosed with Type 2 and discovering the impacts these have on my blood sugar has been extremely difficult. Mashed potato replaced by pureed cauliflower has been one excellent discovery, but at the weekend I cooked a meal for friends, with rice and was horrified by my blood sugar when testing 2 hours later. Have now bought a spiraliser (not yet tried!) and will have to give this rice a go – can’t lose curries so will have to find an option as I can’t lose them!
Well it’s good you now know how it affects you Brian. Cauliflower rice makes a great option to rice so you can still enjoy your curries 🙂
I am married to a potatoes and rice man, but thanks to your awesome course I am converting him to appreciate the cauliflower rice and mash!! We both feel better already after only two weeks of eating a lower carb diet. Is it ok to have larger portions of the cauliflower than 1/2 cup?
Absolutely Gini, eat up a big portion to satisfy yourself. Great to hear you’re both feeling better, that’s awesome 🙂
Thanks for the information. I am slowly learning about this.
Made cauliflower rice and my husband and I like it.
Also made cauli mash and husband loved it.
Hard to get used to eating differently but I am trying.
Good for you Anna. You will adjust, so keep on going!
Surprisingly husbands adjust too. My husband used to think vegetables for breakfast was very strange. Now he asks for his veggie filled omelet!
I love the cauliflower rice! Thanks for the recipe.
Just want to know how much is 93 grams or 100 grams of rice? 1/2 CUP COOKED? It would just make life that much easier if I could actually compare serving sizes with carb content to see if I can implement
some into recipes. If I know I could make some traditional maki rolls with brown rice and extra veg, then I would certainly not give up one of my favorite treats.
Shar, brown rice is a high carb food that many diabetics can’t tolerate. If you are to use it, aim for no more than 1/2 cup. If you’re using cauliflower rice, the amount is less important because the carb count is low.
What about red rice ?is this the same as wild rice? Can a diabetic eat red rice?
Sorry Jaybee, no, red rice is just the same as all other rice. There are countless varieties of rice but rice is rice. Some people can eat small portions (max 1/2 cup per serve), most can’t tolerate any of it because it’s too high in carbs. You’d be better off having brown rice because it’s lower in carbs than red rice. For example, 100 g brown rice – approximately 23 g total carbs, red rice approximately 74 g total carbs.
Hello, which has more carbs, rice or wheat bread? can I substitute rice with wheat bread? Currently I’m eating Black rice (polished). I was surprised that my blood sugar was in boundary. (6 with reference value of 4.5 to 6.2).
Both are high in carbs and generally aren’t good for good blood sugar control. See more info about breads here Dandy.
I was told wild rice was a good choice, as it technically is a grass not a rice. Is it ok once in a while?
Sorry no Kim, Wild Rice has lots of carbs 55 g per half cup. It sends most peoples blood sugar crazy. Does it effect yours? That’s the big test. Chances are you will find it does.
Can I use lentils as a rice substitute
I was eating way more brown rice than I should. I thought it did not matter and was better for me I am going to give the cauliflower rice a try. My daughter loves cauliflower so maybe we both can start eating it.
Brown rice is better for you but it is still high in carbs so if you’re having trouble maintaining good control then cutting back on the rice could help. One serve is only half a cup, which isn’t all that much but you could try cutting back and see how that goes, some people can eat small portions. Cauliflower rice is delicious though too and I’m sure your daughter will love it!
I’m going to try the cauliflower rice,,,I was eating way to much brown rice thinking it was better for me,,
Awesome Sharon. Brown rice is a better choice but as you can see it’s still got lots of carbs so best kept to small amounts.
Cauliflower rice is and if you mix choped Broccoli is even tasty. Add onions spices to your tast add butter and some chicken broth. Pretty good and eatable.
Going to give this a try.
Awesome Ydia, let us know how you go. 🙂