Is Rice Paleo?
Rice is an optional item in Paleo, however it is not recommended. Not just any rice, either, but specific grains that contain the macronutrients that we aim to reach on a regular basis. The reason why it is “optional”, however, has more to do with the actual practice of the diet than in the content of the food.
“Can you eat rice on Paleo?”
The final answer to the question is that it depends on what kind of Paleo practitioner you are.
Practice-based Paleo practitioners favor the Stone Age dietary behaviors, and want to follow them verbatim. They will likely dismiss rice because it is a grain produced from farming. Since our Paleolithic ancestors were not farmers, but hunters and gatherers, they would have obviously not consumed rice or any other seed that is grown to produce food.
Nutrient-based Paleo practitioners are more focused on the diet’s macronutrient content, so they may accept rice as a food group, as long as it abides by a specific dietary content that will ultimate benefit the body’s overall performance.
Which rice is the right rice?
There is no answer to this. White rice, brown rice, wild rice, parboiled rice, and just about any type of rice contains a certain substance called phytate,
or phytin. This is a natural substance found in rice that tends to stick to minerals, so they never reach us, as nutrients. This makes rice quite useless. Moreover, brown rice tends to contain more phytin than white!
Paleo-substitutes for rice
Still want rice, but are thinking about it?
Cauliflower, cooked properly, obtains the exact same consistence of rice and can be used as a substitute for less than 5 net grams of carbohydrates, a high amount of nutrients, and only 25 calories per cup. Do not boil the cauliflower. Grind it when it is dry, or steam it and then shred and grind it into granules. It will soak in any flavor, and its texture and taste is the same as rice.
Is Rice Paleo? It depends…
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Non-Paleo substitutes for rice
Quinoa- Quinoa is not Paleo, however you may choose to keep it as a part of your diet if you are not a strict paleo eater. It is a much healthier choice than white or brown rice. Quinoa is still grain-based but has a great amount of nutrients that will certainly add up to your daily quotas.
Final answer:
Paleo is not a carb-restricting diet like Atkins. It is a lifestyle based on the dietary habits of our ancestors. Therefore, rice is not “forbidden”; it simply is not necessary.
Rice neither adds nor takes away from the typical diet. It just adds calories and carbs. There are worse foods than rice out there, so eating it is not the worst thing in the world.
For very traditional Paleo practitioners, rice is an unnecessary food, since it could have not formed part of the typical Stone Age diet. Therefore, it would have been a non-item.
For nutrient-based Paleo practitioners, rice can be eaten, but it does not contribute any macronutrients to the daily sum we all wish to reach.
Ultimately, you are in charge of what Paleo experience you desire to practice. Based on that, your rice consumption will be your decision.
