Is rice bad for weight loss? How much you can eat
Rice is not bad for weight loss. Millions of people in India, Japan and South-East Asia eat rice every day and stay slim. What decides your weight is the total amount you eat in a day, and how much rice is on the plate compared with dal, sabzi and protein.
How many calories are in rice?
| Portion | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Rice, 30 g dry (½ katori cooked) | 110 kcal | 2.1 g |
| Rice, 50 g dry (1 katori cooked) | 185 kcal | 3.6 g |
| Rice, 100 g dry (2 katoris cooked) | 365 kcal | 7.1 g |
| 1 roti (30 g atta) | 100 kcal | 4 g |
A katori of cooked rice has about the same calories as two rotis. The problem is rarely the rice itself; it is the second and third helping, and the oil in what goes with it.
How do you eat rice and still lose weight?
- Measure it dry: 40 to 55 g per meal is a good portion for a weight-loss day.
- Always pair it with protein: dal, rajma, chole, curd, paneer, fish or chicken.
- Add a full katori of sabzi or a plate of salad, so the plate is full.
- Have rice at one meal and roti at the other, if you like both.
- Serve once. Put the rice on your plate in the kitchen rather than keeping the pot on the table.
Rice meals from a weight-loss plan
Chole with rice, curd and salad
Rice 45 g dry; Chole 45 g dry; Hung curd (thick curd) 150 g; Salad 100 g; Cooking oil 5 g
Rice with rajma, curd and salad
Rice 50 g dry; Rajma 50 g dry; Hung curd (thick curd) 125 g; Salad 100 g; Cooking oil 5 g
Rice with paneer bhurji, gobi and curd
Rice 45 g dry; Low-fat paneer 95 g; Gobi sabzi 105 g before cooking; Hung curd (thick curd) 100 g; Cooking oil 5 g
Rice with sambar, baingan sabzi and curd
Rice 55 g dry; Toor dal 35 g dry; Hung curd (thick curd) 125 g; Baingan sabzi 105 g before cooking; Salad 100 g; Cooking oil 5 g
Questions people ask
How much rice can I eat in a day to lose weight?
For many women on about 1,400 kcal a day, one meal with 40 to 55 g of dry rice (roughly one katori cooked) fits well, alongside dal or rajma and sabzi.
Is brown rice better than white rice for weight loss?
Brown rice has more fibre and is a little more filling, but the calories are almost the same. Choose what you enjoy and measure the portion.
Is rice at night bad?
No. The time does not change the calories. A small katori of rice with dal and sabzi at dinner is fine.
Does draining the water from rice reduce calories?
Very slightly at most. It is not worth relying on; measuring the dry rice makes a far bigger difference.
Sources
- NHS: Starchy foods and carbohydrates
- ICMR-NIN: Indian Food Composition Tables (2017)
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Healthy Eating Plate
BodyQuest is a home weight-loss programme for Indian women, made by ASANAR STUDIOS in Mohali, Punjab. The calories, protein and portions in our articles come from the same food data and method the BodyQuest app uses to build each member's daily plan, and our advice follows the public guidance listed under Sources. We are not doctors: for a health condition, check with yours.
BodyQuest gives general fitness and food guidance for healthy adults. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or managing a health condition such as diabetes, thyroid or PCOS, check with your doctor before changing your diet or exercise.
