You love these light, plain rice cakes for afternoon tea or breakfast with jam or even cheese.

They are presented as a tasty and healthy food.

But who are they really  ? Are they effective in keeping our line  ?

Here are the answers to your questions.

1. How are these rice cakes made?  

Cereal cakes are made from grains  : rice, brown rice, sunflower, flax, quinoa… Then they are cleaned, peeled, moistened then left to rest. They are then closed, and increased in pressure, heated to more than 250 degrees, so that the grains burst.

2.  Nutritional benefits 

Rice cakes have the same nutritional characteristics as rice (before cooking)  : same number of calories, proteins, lipids ...

It is a puffed food therefore more voluminous for a minimal weight so if we reason by portion (30 kcal per pancake against 60 kcal per slice of bread), we save calories.

The patties are low in salt (see table below) and they are  also low in fat.

They are highlighted by certain weight loss diets, by organic or diet stores for their appetite suppressant effect.

3. Are they valid when following a nutritional diet?  

Although its weight is light (between 7 and 10 grams), these pancakes are not ideal for our line but also for our health.

** Its calorie intake is also high  : compared to bread for example, since it contains water and the pancakes do not contain any at all

**  They hide an important glycemic index  : see table below

To compare  : table sugar, which is far from being recommended for health, has a lower glycemic index than rice cakes.

** The consequences of consuming such glycemic foods should not be overlooked.

Repeated high blood sugar levels are toxic to the body  : cause damage to the circulatory system (veins and arteries), with negative effects on cholesterol levels.

In terms of hunger, these foods (with high hyperglycemia) are not satiating in the long term. And give you cravings a few hours later, with symptoms of difficulty concentrating, dizziness, followed by muscle weakness ... and a desire to eat sugar more often.

Finally, when our body is in a situation of significant hyperglycemia, it no longer uses its fat reserves.  and therefore weight gain (if it becomes too frequent).

4. My advice  :

* If you like this food, eat it from time to time  ; above all, never get frustrated  !

* Combine these pancakes with other foods to lower their glycemic index, spread them with cream cheese or with a little almond puree  for example.

* Opt for organic pancakes made from whole rice (richer in fiber)

* If you are hungry: You can replace these famous rice cakes by  more satiating foods with a much lower blood sugar index  :

* a handful of almonds

* dried fruits,

* nuts  (oilseeds  : always unroasted and unsalted)

* a fruit (low in calories and rich in water, fiber, etc.)

* a dairy,

* or simply a piece of wholemeal or half-wholemeal bread

Conclusion  :

Don't ban these patties from your diet but don't consider them either  as a diet and health ally  and do not overconsume them  !