Consider one snack healthy, also suitable for those who follow diets to lose weight, rice cakes actually hide some side effects from which experts warn. Often garnished with various types of toppings – from fruit to honey – these snacks are for many the ‘light’ alternative in case of hunger pangs between meals. In fact, compared to bread, crackers and chips, rice cakes are low in calories and sodium but like any food it is better not to overdo the quantities.
According to nutrition experts, these seemingly harmless foods can have several negative effects on the body, starting from the increase in glycemic values. This happens because the biscuits, although raw with added sugars, are made up mostly of carbohydrates and only a small amount of fiber. So, in the absence of a source of protein or fat to slow down the digestive process, the risk is to quickly pick up the glycemia.
The second side effect is related, however, to the good functioning of the intestine which can lead to constipation. In fact, white rice cakes contain little fiber, so if eaten as an alternative to whole grains and in the absence of fruit and vegetables, they result in an unbalanced diet. On the other hand, among the beneficial effects there are the decrease in cholesterol in the blood and weight loss.
According to ‘The Nutrition Twins’, in fact, replace bread and crackers with a biscuit of brown rice allows you to satiate by introducing a lower amount of calories (about 35 compared to 120 for a slice of bread). However, the opposite effect was also found, i.e. weight gain as a result of eating biscuits. Precisely the belief of introducing few calories is likely to overdo it quantity, ending up eating even more than necessary and thus increasing the daily calorie intake. The result will be a heavier waistline.