Rice cakes, often perceived as a healthy, low-calorie snack, have earned a place in many pantries. But are they truly compatible with a ketogenic lifestyle? This article delves into the composition of rice cakes, their impact on the body, and explores keto-friendly alternatives for satisfying those crunchy cravings.
What are Rice Cakes?
Rice cakes are created by applying high heat and pressure to puffed rice or rice flour. The result is a light, airy snack that's often consumed plain or with various toppings.
The Nutritional Profile of Rice Cakes
A plain rice cake contains around seven grams of total carbohydrates and roughly 6.9 grams of net carbs. They are almost entirely processed carbohydrates. While they are low in calories, their high carbohydrate content and minimal fat and protein make them a less-than-ideal choice for those adhering to a ketogenic diet.
Why Rice Cakes Aren't Keto-Friendly
The ketogenic diet is characterized by a very low carbohydrate intake, typically between 20 and 50 grams per day. This restriction forces the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Rice cakes, with their high carbohydrate content, can easily disrupt ketosis.
Glycemic Index and Blood Sugar
Low carb and keto diets rely on the glycemic index to determine which foods are appropriate. Foods high on the glycemic index rapidly increase blood sugar levels. Those lower on the glycemic index give a slow and steady release of energy.
Read also: Keto Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe
The glycemic index (GI) is a score estimating how quickly a food is turned into glucose and used by the body for energy. Food not used as energy is quickly stored as fat.
Rice crackers are almost solely carbohydrates, meaning they are high on the glycemic index. With a GI ranging from 70 to 90, rice cakes can cause rapid blood sugar spikes. This can lead to increased insulin release, which promotes fat storage and can contribute to insulin resistance over time.
The Downside of Rice Cakes
Despite being made from whole grains, rice cakes are highly processed, stripping them of many essential nutrients during production.
Cravings
This quick drop in blood glucose often leads to some of the strongest cravings, particularly for more refined carbs or sugar. According to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, food cravings are common and often involve sweet or high-fat foods. These cravings may be linked to brain chemistry and emotional states, particularly in conditions such as binge-eating or eating disorders. Over time, relying on rice cakes as a snack can hinder weight loss and disrupt balanced eating habits.
Rice Crackers: A Close Relative
Rice crackers are similar to rice cakes, typically made with white rice and salt. Some brands may include sesame seeds or claim to be "whole grain" by using brown rice. However, the rice is often ground so finely that the fiber's integrity is mostly destroyed. Some rice crackers come flavored with cheddar cheese, sour cream and onions, and barbecue.
Read also: Chicken and Brown Rice: A Healthy Choice
Blue Diamond Nut Thins are rice crackers that contain nuts. Upon closer examination of the snacks, you’ll notice they are mostly rice with a very small amount of nuts added. This is done for marketing purposes and these snacks have very little nutrition.
Are Rice Crackers Low Carb?
Rice crackers are high in carbohydrates, with a low fiber, fat and protein content. 20 crackers contain 32 grams of carbs, with only 1.5 grams of fiber. The net carbs of a serving of rice crackers is about 30 grams, meaning they are not a low carb food.
Like rice cakes, rice crackers are high on the glycemic index, making them unsuitable for a keto diet.
Keto-Friendly Alternatives to Rice Cakes and Crackers
Fortunately, there are many delicious and satisfying keto-friendly alternatives to rice cakes and crackers. These options are typically high in healthy fats, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates, making them ideal for maintaining ketosis.
Nuts and Seeds
Rich in beneficial fats, protein, and fiber, nuts and seeds provide a satiating and nourishing indulgence that keeps you full longer. Roasted nuts, especially almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans, are great for low carb dieters. Roast your own at home in olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil, and avoid options roasted in seed oils like peanut, sunflower oil, and canola oil. A few of the best options include almonds, Brazilian nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Salted Pistachios are a higher carb nut, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place in a low carb diet. The high B6 content in pistachios helps with blood glucose regulation. A 1 ounce serving has 5 grams of net carbs (8 grams total carbs - 3 grams fiber), so limit your intake to 1-2 servings a day, and include them in your carb tracking.
Read also: Everything You Need to Know About the Rice Diet
Vegetables with Dips
- Celery and Peanut Butter (or Almond Butter!) Opt for a sugar free nut butter, and spread it on crunchy celery! Feel free to add a sprinkle of salt or use a nut butter than contains salt.
- Sliced Cucumbers with Balsamic Vinegar and Salt When the weather warms up, I crave watery foods. Sliced cucumbers are a refreshing option, and adding a little vinegar and salt gives them great flavor.
- Veggies with Hummus Try this Keto Hummus recipe and dip a few veggies in! To make a snack faster, just mix together tahini and lemon juice for a flavorful veggie dip.
Other Savory Options
- Organic Nitrite Free Turkey Pepperoni I love the Applegate brand. It has 80 calories, 0 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein in 17 slices. It’s a great option when you feel like something salty!
- Olives Don’t relegate olives to simply salad toppers! They are a delicious snack, especially on a plate combined with veggies, cheese, and nuts. Find olives stuffed with garlic, jalapeno, or almonds, for a fun (low-carb) twist!
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus These take minutes to make and the bacon crisps up in the air fryer! A delicious snack that’s also healthy!
- Biltong Jerky Most jerky has a ton of added sugar, meaning it’s best to avoid it, especially on a low carb diet. Biltong is a style of jerky from South Africa. It’s simply air dried, salted meat! Even Costco now carries Biltong, as well as health food and gourmet grocers.
- Seaweed Snacks High in Iodine, seaweed supports thyroid health. A package of crisp, salty seaweed has about 30 calories. If you’re looking to mindlessly munch, without damaging your results, you’ll get minimal calories with quite a few essential nutrients!
- Pork rinds Another crunchy keto-approved treat, pork rinds, goes well with dips or can be substituted for breadcrumbs in recipes. They’re also the best sources of protein and contain zero carbs, making them a perfect savory delight.
- Cottage Cheese this high protein snack is having a moment! Whip it into a dip to use for veggies or spread it on one of the keto cracker recipes listed below.
Keto Cracker Recipes
- Keto Almond Flour Crackers These Keto Almond Flour Crackers are made with almond flour and coconut oil for added flavor. These are one of my favorite snacks! They take minutes to put together and roll out, and make beautiful crisp crackers! Add your favorite seasonings. They can be enjoyed on their own or topped with your favorite spread, such as almond butter, avocado, or cream cheese.
- Keto Cheese Crackers If you’re craving a salty, cheesy snack, these keto “cheez its” are just the trick! I make these with a sharp white cheddar cheese, but use swiss, parmesan, or pepperjack to customize the flavor.
- Keto Chia Seed Crackers Made with chia seeds, almond flour, and herbs, these Keto Chia Seed Crackers are high in fiber and healthy fats. Crackers made completely from seeds, these will blow you away! Full of fiber, healthy fats, and protein, use these seed crackers to scoop up keto hummus, or as the base for cheese and deli meats. Enjoy them as an after-dinner treat, or pair them with your preferred dip, such as nut butters, sour cream, and guacamole.
- Keto Zucchini Fries Instead of traditional potato French fries, try these Keto Zucchini Fries. Simply coat sliced zucchini with a mixture of almond flour, parmesan cheese, and spices, then bake until crispy.
- Kale Chips This craze continues for good reason! Kale becomes crisp with a deep green flavor after baking it for a short time. Try this easy Kale Chip recipe.
Since they are made fresh with wholesome ingredients, they aren’t as shelf stable as store-bought, wheat flour crackers. To keep low carb crackers on hand for quick snacks, simply package them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge.