Is cauliflower “rice” more nutritious than regular rice?

With the news that Chipotle will now offer cauliflower rice on the menu, along with its traditional brown and white options, you may be wondering how vegetable-based food is nutritionally nourishing. It is lower in calories and carbohydrates for starters.

Here is the complete breakdown, using Chipotle’s nutritional information. A serving of cilantro-lime cauliflower rice has:

• 40 calories per serving
• 1 gram of fat
• 3 grams of protein
• 7 grams of carbohydrates
• 3 grams of fiber

Compare it with regular rice:

• 210 calories per serving
• 4 grams of fat (6 in brown rice)
• 4 grams of protein
• 40 grams of carbohydrates (36 in brown rice)
• 1 gram of fiber (2 grams of brown rice)

Is cauliflower rice the best option?

It depends on what you are looking for in a burrito. If you want an easy way to reduce calories or carbs, cauliflower rice will do the trick, while still giving you a rice-like filling. The amount of fiber is about the same in all rice options: one to two or three grams.

I didn’t like the new offer, but in general, cauliflower rice tastes similar to its cereal-based counterpart, even if it’s a little more satisfying. The biggest trade-off is probably a minor one: a low-calorie, low-carb option isn’t as much food and you may feel hungry later. It is also worth mentioning that large amounts of cauliflower rice do not agree with everyone’s digestive system, although a single serving in a burrito probably does not have a huge effect.

In short, it is an excellent option if you want to eat more vegetables and less carbohydrates. The new part of Chipotle costs extra, but there are other places to fit cauliflower rice in your life. Trader Joe has a cauliflower with cauliflower which I like and is also often available in the freezer section of grocery stores. You can too make your own pulsing fresh cauliflower in a food processor, so try if you are looking for a new portion of vegetables.