Wellness Nutrition Are Rice Cakes Healthy? In general, rice cakes are a healthy snack, especially when paired with avocado, fruit, or peanut butter. By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor and counsels clients one-on-one through her virtual private practice. Cynthia is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics and has consulted for five professional sports teams, including five seasons with the New York Yankees. She is currently the nutrition consultant for UCLA's Executive Health program. Sass is also a three-time New York Times best-selling author and Certified Plant Based Professional Cook. Connect with her on Instagram and Facebook, or visit www.CynthiaSass.com. health's editorial guidelines Updated on November 23, 2022 Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, MS Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, MS Suzanne Fisher, RD, is the founding owner of Fisher Nutrition Systems. learn more Share this page on Facebook Share this page on Twitter Share this page on Pinterest Email this page Rice cakes are a popular snack—especially for those looking to maintain a healthy weight—because they can be low in calories and carbohydrates. Why? Because a rice cake is composed of puffed rice pressed together to form a patty. But are those crunchy snacks good for your health? Here's a primer on the nutritional content, benefits, and drawbacks of rice cakes and how to eat them healthfully. Nutrients in Rice Cakes The nutrient content will vary depending on the type of rice cake you buy. For example, you can find rice cakes in various flavors like chocolate, white cheddar, apple cinnamon, and caramel corn. Those flavors contain additional ingredients that bump up their sugar or sodium content. Still, in many grocery stores, you can find brown rice cakes made with whole grains and without added ingredients. The Department of Agriculture lists the nutrients in one small, plain brown rice cake (which is about nine grams): Calories: 34.8Sodium: 2.3 mgFat: 0.3 grams (g)Protein: 0.7 gCarbohydrates: 7.3 gSugar: 0 gFiber: 0.4 gManganese: 17% daily value (DV)Niacin: 4% DVMagnesium: 3% DVZinc: 2% DV One of the standout nutrients in rice cakes is manganese. Manganese is a mineral that supports immune function, collagen production, and strong bones. Rice cakes also provide small amounts of niacin, a B vitamin. Niacin helps convert food into fuel for the body to use. Rice cakes also have trace amounts of other minerals, including magnesium and zinc. Because portion sizes vary, it's essential to check the nutrition facts label for the specific brand of rice cakes you purchase. For instance, one lightly salted brown rice cake may be about 18.5 grams. And its nutrient content is similar to that of a standard slice of bread. Potential Health Benefits of Rice Cakes Because there's so much variation in the composition and size of rice cakes, the best answer to whether they're healthy is: It depends. Generally, it's best to avoid flavored rice cakes containing high amounts of sugar, sodium, and other artificial ingredients. It would be best if you also skipped those made from white rice. White rice is a refined grain stripped of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. On the other hand, plain rice cakes, made simply from puffed brown rice, offer some health perks. Antioxidants Antioxidants are compounds in foods that protect healthy cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are harmful substances that promote premature aging and may increase the risk of chronic diseases. A 2018 review published in the journal Antioxidants found that brown rice contains various phenolic compounds, a group of antioxidants also found in tea and citrus fruits. Phenolic compounds protect cells from damage linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease. Blood Sugar Regulation A study published in 2020 in the journal Diabetes Care suggests that whole grains like brown rice may control post-meal blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Those whole grains may even help prevent type 2 diabetes. The reason? Whole grains contain high amounts of fiber. The body cannot break down and absorb fiber for energy. Therefore, fiber doesn't cause a spike in blood sugar like its refined counterparts. Plus, fiber from whole grains feeds the good bacteria in our gut, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Some good bacteria have been linked to diabetes and obesity prevention. Weight Management Rice cakes can help you maintain a healthy weight if you use them to replace high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods in your diet. For example, swapping one plain bagel with two organic brown rice cakes can cut out 130 calories and 21 grams of carbohydrates. Making that switch three times per week could result in nearly six pounds of weight loss over a year. Easy to Digest Rice, including plain brown rice cakes, is easy to digest as it's a low-FODMAP food. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols—all of which are sugars. The body absorbs FODMAPs poorly during digestion. And for some people, FODMAPS can result in bloating, pain, cramps, and gas, per one study published in 2017 in the journal Nutrients. Additionally, since brown rice is naturally gluten-free, plain brown rice cakes are an excellent option for people who cannot eat gluten. 7 Foods That Help Digestion - and 7 You May Want To Think Twice Rice Cake Snack Ideas A plain brown rice cake, such as one by the brand Lundberg, is available at major grocery stores. Plain brown rice cakes are typically healthier than flavored high-calorie rice cakes. Plain brown rice cakes don't have a strong flavor. But you may find a slightly nutty taste that lends itself to both savory and sweet accompaniments like: Mashed avocado sprinkled with sprouted pumpkin seeds Hummus topped with veggies, like baby spinach, sliced tomato, and cucumber Olive tapenade Vegan pesto Nut-based cheese, like vegan ricotta, garnished with pepper, sliced tomatoes, and basil Chocolate hummus topped with sliced berries Almond or cashew butter topped with banana slices and dusted with cinnamon Melted dark chocolate topped with pomegranate arils, or sliced figs Peanut butter or sunflower seed butter dotted with raspberry preserves Coconut butter topped with chopped walnuts and dark chocolate shavings A Quick Review So, are rice cakes healthy? Well, it depends. There are wide varieties of rice cakes available at your local grocery store. And a lot of them contain added sugars and high amounts of carbohydrates. But if you opt for a plain brown rice cake, you may find several health benefits. Those rice cakes pack antioxidants that protect against free radical damage, regulate blood sugar, and are easy to digest. Plain brown rice cakes can also help manage weight and are great gluten-free options for delicious snacks. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 7 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, plain, salted. National Institutes of Health. Niacin. MedlinePlus. Vitamin C. Ravichanthiran K, Ma Z, Zhang H, et al. Phytochemical profile of brown rice and its nutrigenomic implications. Antioxidants. 2018;7(6):71. doi: 10.3390/antiox7060071 Åberg S, Mann J, Neumann S, Ross AB, Reynolds AN. Whole-grain processing and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover trial. Diabetes Care. 2020;43(8):1717-1723. doi:10.2337/dc20-0263 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fiber: The carb that helps you manage diabetes. Altobelli E, Del Negro V, Angeletti P, Latella G. Low-fodmap diet improves irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2017;9(9):940. doi:10.3390/nu9090940