Rice is a truly global food item. Eaten all over the world, rice is also a major staple food in parts of Asia, parts of Africa and South America. Furthermore there are many different kinds of rice products being sold online and in physical stores. One such product that you may have heard of is Shirataki Rice. This particular rice product is growing in popularity due to its health benefits. Curious to know what those health benefits are? Let us explore them together.
What is Shirataki Rice?
To begin with, let us address the question of what Shirataki Rice is. Shirataki Rice is made from Glucomannan Flour derived from the corm of the Konjac/Konnyaku plant. With regards to what Glucomannan is, it is a water soluble dietary fibre. Furthermore the name of this food item comes from the Japanese language and means ‘white waterfall’ the name Shirataki is also used for Shirataki Noodles that resemble a white waterfall.
The Miracle Rice
Besides the name Shirataki Rice, this food item is also known as a ‘Miracle Rice’. This term for this product is linked to its health benefits due to it having a low amount of carbohydrates alongside being calorie free. These attributes make it potentially useful for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, this rice is also gluten free and soy free, making it an appealing product for people who have such food allergies. With it being calorie free alongside being suitable for those who are allergic to gluten and soy, it is not hard to see why this product has gained such a name for itself.
Shirataki Rice vs other kinds of Rice Products
Let us now move on to discuss how Shirataki Rice compares with other kinds of rice products in terms of its calories and carbohydrates. We will illustrate this with the help of a table and compare Shirataki Rice with Jasmine Rice and Basmati Rice.
| Type of Rice | 100g/3.5 ounces of Shirataki Rice/Miracle Rice | 100g/3.5 ounces of Jasmine Rice | 100g/3.5 ounces of Basmati Rice |
| Carbohydrates | 1.18g | 80g | 77.78g |
| Energy (kcal/kilocalories) | 0 kcal | 360 kcal | 356 kcal |
As can be seen from the table above, Shirataki Rice has a significantly lower amount of carbohydrates and kilocalories as compared to Jasmine Rice and Basmati Rice. This is noteworthy in many ways as it emphasises how Shirataki Rice is known for having a low amount of carbohydrates alongside being calorie free.
Everything in moderation
Building on what we have discussed thus far, it is very important to stress that moderation is vital in the maintenance of your health and well-being. As such having a balanced intake of carbohydrates from sources that include other rice products alongside Shirataki Rice is important because carbohydrates supply your body with energy while also helping to metabolise your body’s cholesterol and triglycerides. Furthermore it must be emphasised that before you add Shirataki Rice to your diet, please make sure that you consult your doctor first.
Time for a Recap
Let us now recap what we have discussed.
| What we have learnt |
| .We were introduced to what Shirataki Rice is. .We got to know why it is also called a ‘Miracle Rice’. .We saw how Shirataki Rice differed from other kinds of Rice products such as Jasmine Rice and Basmati Rice in terms of the amount of carbohydrates and kilocalories it contained. .The importance of having a balanced diet that incorporates a healthy intake of Shirataki Rice and carbohydrates from other sources of food that include other rice products was emphasised. .Furthermore, the importance of consulting your doctor before you add Shirataki Rice to your diet was also highlighted. |
An enlightening journey
Over the course of this journey we have discovered quite a few things about Shirataki Rice as well as the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. In essence, Shirataki Rice is a great food product in many ways and when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle it can benefit your overall health and well-being. With that said, until our next journey together, take care of your health, enjoy your meal, stay safe and live your life to the fullest.