Rice Cakes

Why rice cakes is rated low

Plain rice cakes come in low at about 4 cakes (30g), and fructans stay at a low level at that serve. With larger portions they move to moderate and with much larger portions they are high, as fructans build with a bigger stack. Rice cakes are light, so a few cakes can weigh less than you would guess and a stack eaten straight from the sleeve can climb past the low serve quickly. In practice the other variable that moves most for rice cakes is not the cake at all. It is the seasoning on the flavoured versions and the topping you spread across them, both of which can carry considerably more FODMAP weight than the base.

What changes your risk

• Serving size About 4 cakes (30g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. Cake sizes vary between brands, so weigh a serve of your usual brand once and count the cakes it takes.
• What goes on top The topping usually outweighs the cake. Peanut butter, cheddar, a sliced hard boiled egg, cucumber, strawberries or a firm just-yellow banana all keep the snack simple. Hummus, honey, cashew butter, cream cheese and ricotta do not.
• Flavoured and coated versions Cheese and onion, barbecue and sour cream style seasonings are where onion and garlic powder appear. Those coatings are a different product from plain rice cakes, so read the ingredient list rather than assuming the base carries the whole story.
• Stacking through the meal A low serving is per serving, not per meal. Rice cakes eaten alongside several other low servings in a single sitting add to the total FODMAP load of that meal, so spreading things across the day is kinder to the total.
• Savoury flavour without the load Garlic-infused oil carries garlic flavour without the troublesome part of the garlic, as long as no solid pieces are left in it. Salt, chives and a hard cheese such as parmesan do the same job as a seasoned coating.

What else works

Plain rice cakes are already a low option, so the comparison worth making is against the things people reach for instead. Ordinary wheat crackers, crispbreads and rye crispbread are not equivalent at ordinary servings, and rice cakes coated in cheese and onion or barbecue seasoning are a different product from the plain ones. For the same crunchy base, plain salted potato chips and toasted gluten free bread both work, and peanuts, walnuts, macadamias, pecans and pumpkin seeds cover the snack itch from a different direction. On top, stay with peanut butter, cheddar, parmesan, egg, plain tuna, cucumber, strawberries or blueberries, and leave the hummus, honey and cream cheese off the plate.

How to keep it low

Buy the plainest version on the shelf, meaning rice and salt with nothing else in the ingredient list, then add your own flavour. A brush of garlic-infused oil with salt and chopped chives gives you a savoury cake without the seasoning blends that bring onion and garlic powder. Count out a serve of about 4 cakes (30g) onto a plate and reseal the pack, because rice cakes are light enough that a stack disappears without registering as food. They go soft quickly once opened, so an airtight container or a clip on the sleeve keeps them crisp. If you are packing them for work, carry the topping separately so the cakes do not turn leathery by lunchtime.

Common questions

how many rice cakes are low fodmap

Plain rice cakes are low at about 4 cakes (30g). They are moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions, so weigh your usual brand once to see how many cakes make up the low serve.

can i eat rice cakes on the elimination phase

Yes. Plain rice cakes at about 4 cakes (30g) are low and fit the elimination phase. Tolerance still varies between people, and reintroduction is done with a dietitian.

what can i put on rice cakes on a low fodmap diet

Peanut butter, cheddar or parmesan, a sliced hard boiled egg, plain tuna, cucumber, strawberries or a firm just-yellow banana all work. For a savoury version, garlic-infused oil with salt and chives gives you the flavour without garlic pieces.

are flavoured rice cakes the same as plain ones

No, they are a different product. The seasoning is where onion and garlic powder can appear, so check the ingredient list on any coated or flavoured version.