Is Rice Fattening? Understanding If Rice Makes You Gain Weight

Rice is a cereal that is rich in carbohydrates, a nutrient essential for maintaining vital body functions like breathing and heartbeats. It is important to consume carbohydrates to fuel your daily activities such as working and exercising.

Eating rice in moderation does not make you gain weight. However, consuming large amounts of rice can lead to weight gain, since extra calories from your diet are stored as fat.

To maintain weight or help with weight loss, rice should be part of a healthy, balanced diet, along with regular physical activity.

Does rice make you gain weight?

Rice, when eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet and combined with regular exercise, does not cause weight gain or interfere with weight loss.

However, rice can make you gain weight if eaten in large quantities, or if it is part of an unbalanced diet and paired with a sedentary lifestyle.

Does brown rice make you gain weight?

Eating brown rice in moderation, as part of a healthy diet and with regular exercise, does not lead to weight gain. Every 100 grams of brown rice contains about 124 calories, which is almost the same as white rice.

Brown rice can even help with weight loss, since it is high in fiber, which helps you feel full longer and control food intake throughout the day.

How to eat rice without gaining weight

To enjoy rice without gaining weight, it can be eaten with legumes like beans or lentils at lunch or dinner. The proteins and fibers in rice and legumes lower the glycemic load of meals, helping to control appetite and prevent weight gain.

Maintaining a healthy and varied diet, along with regular physical activity such as weight training, walking, calisthenics, or dancing, is also important for eating rice without gaining weight.

Common questions about rice

1. Does rice flour make you gain weight?

Rice flour can lead to weight gain if eaten in large amounts, as it is high in carbohydrates. However, rice flour is also rich in fiber, which helps keep you full. Eating rice flour in moderation, as part of a healthy diet and with regular exercise, can support weight loss.

2. Do rice and beans make you gain weight?

Rice and beans do not cause weight gain when eaten in moderation, as this combination is high in fiber and protein, which help control hunger. It is a good option for weight loss diets. However, eating large portions of rice and beans can lead to weight gain, since both are high in carbohydrates. High-calorie recipes, such as beans with bacon or sausage, or rice cooked with a lot of oil, can also cause weight gain.

3. Does parboiled rice make you gain weight?

Like other types of rice, 100 grams of parboiled rice has about 123 calories and does not cause weight gain when eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet. Parboiled rice contains resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that is not digested and acts as a prebiotic fiber, feeding beneficial gut bacteria. This helps regulate blood sugar, increase satiety, fight constipation, and lower cholesterol.

4. Which causes more weight gain: rice or pasta?

Each 100 grams of cooked white or whole wheat pasta has about 159 calories, while 100 grams of rice has between 123 and 124 calories. The calorie content of both foods can change depending on how much fat or sauce is used in preparation. Since pasta has only slightly more calories than rice, both can contribute to weight gain if eaten in large amounts.

Benefits of rice

Rice is high in carbohydrates, which are the main source of energy for vital body functions like breathing and heartbeats, as well as daily activities such as working and exercising.

In addition, rice—especially brown, wild, and black varieties—is a good source of fiber, manganese, selenium, antioxidants, and B vitamins. These nutrients help prevent conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.