Rice Cake Nutrition

Rice cakes are a common staple of many dieters and those fighting against obesity. Because of their low calorie content, rice cakes are thought to be an excellent snack to prevent cravings of more high-in-fat or high-in-calorie foods and to prevent unhealthy snacking that may hinder a weight-loss-program. However, the nature of rice cakes as a diet food that are low in calories, means that rice cakes are also relatively low in nutritional value. Add this to my Recipe Box.

General Nutritional Information

A normal (non-jumbo) rice cake contains 392 calories. The same rice cake contains 4 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 71 milligrams of sodium, 81 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of sugar and 7 grams of protein. Therefore, while rice cakes can provide an excellent snack food for many dieters, the relatively high carbohydrate count may make them less appealing to those focusing on a low carb or Atkins diet.

Vitamins in Rice Cakes

Because they are designed as a diet food and intended to be very low in calories and fat, rice cakes do not have extensive nutritional value. The number of vitamins in rice cakes is very low and provides you with almost none of your recommended daily vitamin intake. There is 1.24 mg of vitamin E in a rice cake. There is also 1.9 mcg of Vitamin K, .06 mg of Thiamin, .16 mg of Riboflavin, 7.81 mg of niacin, .15 mg of Vitamin B6, 21 mcg of folate and 21 mcg of dietary folate equivalents.

Minerals in Rice Cakes

Rice cakes also do not contain minerals in any significant quantities. A rice cake has 11 mg of calcium, 1.49 mg of iron, 131 mg of magnesium, 360 mg of phosphorus, 428 mg of potassium, 71 mg of sodium, 3 mg of zinc, .445 mg of copper, and 24.6 mcgs of selenium. Although this is 32 percent of your recommended daily dose of magnesium and 36 percent of your recommended daily dose of phosphorus, rice cakes do not have a strong nutritional value when it comes to supplying the body with the minerals it needs.

Fats in Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are specifically designed to be both low in fat and calories. This is part of what makes them so attractive as a snack for those trying to lose weight. A rice cake only has 4.3 mg of fat and .875 mg of saturated fat. This is 6 percent of your total recommended daily fat intake.

Nutritional Value

Heart Care recommends rice cakes as a between meal or before bed snack. Rice cakes have very little nutritional value and can't form the cornerstone of a balanced diet. However, they are an excellent low calorie, low fat substitute, which are designed to curb appetite and serve as a snack for those who are cautious about their calorie and fat intake.