5 Affordable RICE ALTERNATIVES to a healthier YOU

So 2 weeks ago I did a post on QUINOA- the health benefits and shared a few recipes on and around it. But Quinoa is not just a nutritional superfood, it is also a great substitute for RICE!

So, one of you raised a great point! And that’s why I value you guys so much- its always great to hear YOUR perspectives on things and what you guys would like to hear more about. So please, do comment down below with any suggestions or what you’d like to hear more of.

Anyways so today’s blog post answers the question to those who love their rice but are looking for alternatives; WHAT other HEALTHY RICE ALTERNATIVES are there, other than QUINOA, that are more affordable than QUINOA?

So here’s the thing, no alternative will be as affordable as white rice – BUT, don’t see it as an expense, see it as an investment in your health and prevention to paying the bills to disease treatment later.

Credits to google and all the mentioned websites for all the beautiful pictures 🙂

BUT FIRST- WHY IS WHITE RICE AN “ENEMY”?

White rice spikes sugar levels and “has almost the same effect as eating pure table sugar”.

Harvard Medical School and Insider.com

WHITE RICE is a refined carbohydrate – which we would want to avoid because these kinds of carbohydrates are associated with increased weight gain, a high risk of metabolic syndrome and may lead to diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Obviously, if you don’t eat too much of it, it may not lead to such, but because eating healthy an everyday thing in everyday meals, it’s advisable to look for healthier alternatives. So you feel better too. 🙂 So here goes.

PLEASE DON’T FORGET BROWN RICE!!!!

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Compared to white rice, it is much more nutritious so already, its a great swap!

Full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. White rice is more an “empty” carbohydrate with basically no nutrients. So if you don’t really want to swap to anything other than rice, swap to at least brown rice. 🙂

CAULIFLOWER /BROCOLLI RICE

Cauliflower and broccoli are not only great rice alternatives BUT, they’re also a SUPERFOOD! Firstly, compared to rice- they’re low calorie and low carb. So its a win! Broccoli and cauliflower are known as CRUCIFEROUS vegetables which DR Greger (the Dr. I aspire most to) says they have anti-cancer properties AND have shown to boost your liver detox enzymes AND have anti-inflammatory effects.

Buy them fresh and grate them to get the rice effect or better yet, buy the ready made and pre-packed version at your nearest supermarket and you’re good to go for a healthier rice alternative! Also, I think is probably a great way to incorporate it into

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CABBAGE

Surely I don’t need to put a picture of packaged coleslaw or grated cabbage! But also, it’s probably best to just to buy it fresh and steam it or light-fry in a pan. Red cabbage makes for great color on a plate-LOVE it!

Compared to ordinary rice, it’s low in carbs and calories of course.

Cabbage is also a CRUCIFEROUS vegetable so its laaaaaaark totally awesome just like broccoli. Super fun fact about CABBAGE LEAVES: A study showed that they reduce painful swelling of the knee in osteoarthritis by virtue of their anti-inflammatory properties. So if you’re not a fan of incorporating them into your cabbage meal, find someone who can use them as knee wraps lmao!

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COUS-COUS

Soft, tasty, and pasta-like. I’ve never made it at home myself, I always run to Woolworths food to buy it ready-made in a salad 🙂 Nonetheless, it is DELISH!

It’s a type of pasta that is made from pearls of flour. The whole-wheat one is your best bet because it’s high in both FIBRE and protein. Compared to quinoa though, quinoa wins because it is a complete protein, thus it contains MORE fiber and protein, AND many more micronutrients. But, if you’re counting calories and looking for a cheaper alternative, then its best to go with couscous. Also, cous-cous contains GLUTEN, so if you have a gluten allergy, stay away.

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BULGUR WHEAT

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So this one, I actually did not know much about until I did my research.

Probably not AS affordable as the above 4, but is a great rice alternative as well.

So this is a grain and is made from small cracked pieces of whole-wheat grain. According to Healthline, it has 25% fewer calories than an equal serving of white rice.

It has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on top of its benefits of containing many minerals and vitamins and being packed with fibre.

There are many more alternatives, some which you can find here – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/rice-substitutes#9.-Farro.

Hope this was helpful 🙂 Please leave any comments below 🙂