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Confused about rice....

jazzie_red
jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
On the package it says 170 calories for 1/4 cup. But is that cooked or uncooked?? That seems awful high for that little of cooked rice. It does not specify.

Replies

  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    My guess is uncooked.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,941 Member
    That is uncooked.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    It has to be cooked. Who the hell eats half a cup of uncooked rice? I'm not even sure how that would digest properly.

    I don't know, though. I just always assumed it was for cooked.

    Most packages have a phone number you can call to ask about that stuff. :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    It's for uncooked. You weigh it uncooked.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    It's for uncooked. They put the calorie count for how it's packaged. Usually it will say something in parentheses for how many calories it is prepared. If not, I think the rule of thumb is that rice doubles when cooked. So for 1/4 cup uncooked, you could eat 1/2 cup prepared.
  • squishycatmew
    squishycatmew Posts: 151 Member
    Uncooked. That translates to quite a bit more volume when cooked.
  • jazzie_red
    jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
    I don't have a scale so I am measuring. I ate 1/2 cup, not tightly packed. I need both a food and weight scale.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • MaryACoffey
    MaryACoffey Posts: 6
    I checked in my pantry - 1/4 cup of uncooked (3/4 cups when cooked) of Carolina enriched long grain white rice is 150 calories. The same amount of Uncle Bens Brown rice is 170 calories. In a side by side the white rice actually has a higher protein content and a lower fat content. There goes my daughter's theory that brown rice is better.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    It has to be cooked. Who the hell eats half a cup of uncooked rice?
    And, this is an example of how one can underestimate calories consumed. :bigsmile:

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5722/2

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5812/2
  • alereck
    alereck Posts: 343 Member
    I checked in my pantry - 1/4 cup of uncooked (3/4 cups when cooked) of Carolina enriched long grain white rice is 150 calories. The same amount of Uncle Bens Brown rice is 170 calories. In a side by side the white rice actually has a higher protein content and a lower fat content. There goes my daughter's theory that brown rice is better.

    Agreed, I've had different brands of rice and all of them were 1/4 uncooked = 3/4 cooked. Some of them list the actual grams which I don't remember what it is right now, but weight is always a better measurement for solids.
  • alereck
    alereck Posts: 343 Member
    It HAS to be cooked.

    :laugh: :noway:
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    It has to be cooked. Who the hell eats half a cup of uncooked rice?
    And, this is an example of how one can underestimate calories consumed. :bigsmile:

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5722/2

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5812/2
    No, it's an example of overestimating calories.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    Yeah sorry rice is fairly calorie dense. I know it sucks its so nice with the casserole and stuffs.
  • just4nessa
    just4nessa Posts: 459 Member
    The package specifies the portion size as an uncooked weight (usually stated as 1/4 cup 'dry'). Since it may absorb different volumes of the cooking water each time, I weigh the cooked batch, then divide by the number of portions cooked to determine the appropriate weight per serving.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Well it's a good thing I'm blonde! I've always figured 1/4 c. uncooked = 1/2 c. cooked as you put two parts water to 1 part rice. Guess I was underestimating rice calories as well.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Well it's a good thing I'm blonde! I've always figured 1/4 c. uncooked = 1/2 c. cooked as you put two parts water to 1 part rice.

    2 parts + 1 part -> 3 parts
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Well it's a good thing I'm blonde! I've always figured 1/4 c. uncooked = 1/2 c. cooked as you put two parts water to 1 part rice. Guess I was underestimating rice calories as well.
    at least you didn't measure wet, lol. It does make sense, in a way, to do it dry. It's neater, if you're measuring. :)

    It's confusing!

    Almost never over my calories, so I don't worry much...but when I count, I want to get close. If you aren't close, what's the point?

    I also don't know...if you start in a size 14 and go down to, say, SIZE 4 (yay!), have you lost five sizes or ten? I went 24 to 14, so Enquiring Minds want to know!

    So many things to learn. :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    It has to be cooked. Who the hell eats half a cup of uncooked rice?
    And, this is an example of how one can underestimate calories consumed. :bigsmile:

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5722/2

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5812/2
    No, it's an example of overestimating calories.
    Good catch, and that is what I meant in the first place. :smile:
  • jazzie_red
    jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
    I would much rather overestimate than underestimate. I made curry and I love rice. I would never give it up.... It was a short grained sushi, so pearl??? It said 170 per 1/4 cup.

    I also forgot to mention, I use a rice cooker, so the measurements are different than if I did it in a pot.... I can cook rice in a pot, I just don't wanna...


    It was yummy.... chicken, red bell, onions, and bamboo shoots I mixed green and yellow curry..... Mmmmmmm
  • kingjabou
    kingjabou Posts: 48 Member
    The serving size refers to 1/4 dry (uncooked) product, this is the equivalent of 3/4 cup (+/-) cooked rice.
    The calories will be the same with a variants of the ingredients you're using to cook the rice.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    I would much rather overestimate than underestimate. I made curry and I love rice. I would never give it up.... It was a short grained sushi, so pearl??? It said 170 per 1/4 cup.

    I also forgot to mention, I use a rice cooker, so the measurements are different than if I did it in a pot.... I can cook rice in a pot, I just don't wanna...


    It was yummy.... chicken, red bell, onions, and bamboo shoots I mixed green and yellow curry..... Mmmmmmm

    Why would the measurement for rice differ if you cooked it in a pot vs rice cooker? More stuff sticking to the container or something? Glad you enjoyed your dinner. I encourage you to follow up on your plan to get the food scale :)
  • PurrlyGirl
    PurrlyGirl Posts: 59 Member
    Maybe it's my inner blonde but I totally had this same thought in my head the other day and ended up just saying f-it and made quinoa instead because I figured at least those calories also had some nutrition! :laugh: Glad to know I'm not alone.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Uncooked, but use a scale.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Why would the measurement for rice differ if you cooked it in a pot vs rice cooker?

    Variation in the amount of water absorbed by the rice. Which is why weighing *before* cooking is so important.
  • hh121
    hh121 Posts: 6 Member
    Who the hell eats half a cup of uncooked rice? I'm not even sure how that would digest properly.

    Me! At the start of my diet I would eat a whole cup! LOL But then as I lost weight I halved it (to half a cup) and added vegetables to it.
    Plus I measure using a drinks cup which is probably a bigger portion (1/2 a cup of that being 125g dry according to my scale) so it's perfectly possible to eat that much
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Who the hell eats half a cup of uncooked rice? I'm not even sure how that would digest properly.

    Me! At the start of my diet I would eat a whole cup! LOL But then as I lost weight I halved it (to half a cup) and added vegetables to it.
    Plus I measure using a drinks cup which is probably a bigger portion (1/2 a cup of that being 125g dry according to my scale) so it's perfectly possible to eat that much
    Why don't you cook your rice?

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