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Cauliflower rice is a great substitute for people following keto [3] or Whole30 [4], or those just want to cut back on carbs. And while cauliflower rice is certainly a great way to cut back on calories and bulk up your meals with more veggies, it's not necessarily healthier than opting for white rice.
As Amanda Meixner (@meowmeix [5] on Instagram) showed in a post, both cauliflower rice [6] and white rice are healthy options — it all just depends on your health and fitness goals. A meal made with wild salmon, cherry tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, red onion, kimchi, and one cup of cauliflower rice is just 367 calories. The same meal with one cup of white rice instead is 585 calories. Although the meal with white rice has more than 200 additional calories, it is also a healthy option.
"Cauliflower rice is an easy swap if you're looking to lose weight without counting calories and add more fibre to your day," Amanda wrote in her caption. "White rice is great if you need the added carbs, calories, or [are] looking to refuel post-workout [8]. Also, white rice would be great if the rest of your day doesn't have much other carbs involved or loads of fruit."
Turns out, both cauliflower rice and white rice have their place in a healthy eating plan. If you want the best of both worlds, you could even mix one-half cup of white rice with one-half cup of cauliflower rice. And if you're trying to lose weight, it's totally possible to eat carbs and still lose fat [9]. "Eat a balance of healthy carbs along with lean protein and healthy fat," Beachbody Super Trainer Autumn Calabrese [10] said. Also, stick to natural, whole grain carbs instead of refined carbs (sugar, sweets, white flour, etc.).