Does rice pudding make you gain weight?

Rice pudding is a sweet childhood memory. Can this simple dessert be eaten regularly when taking care of your figure? How to cook it healthily? At what time of day is it best to enjoy it?

Is rice pudding high in calories?

A 100 g serving of rice pudding provides 126 calories on average. It also provides a little more than 3 g of proteins and lipids and 21 g of carbohydrates including 14 g of sugar. But not only ! “Rice pudding also provides calcium and phosphorus good for bones, magnesium for the nervous system, potassium which helps regulate blood pressure, and vitamins A and group B,” lists Aurore Lavergnat , dietician-nutritionist.

Does homemade rice pudding make you gain weight?

It all depends on how you cook it! You can make healthy rice pudding by choosing the right ingredients! Here is what Aurore Lavergnat, dietician-nutritionist, advises:

Opt for skimmed milk  : it contains less than 0.5% fat compared to 3.5% for whole milk and 1.5% for semi-skimmed milk. As for vegetable juices , those which contain the least lipids are almond drink with 1.5 g and only 0.12 g of saturated fatty acids, rice juice with 1 g of lipids and 0.11 g of saturated fatty acids.

For a texture as smooth as cow's milk, opt for vegetable soy milk, for those who can. Aurore Lavergnat, dietician-nutritionist.

Please note: only with whole milk can you obtain a very soft and creamy rice pudding!

Prefer whole or semi-whole rice  : although these two rices are slightly more caloric than white rice (157 calories per 100 g compared to 144), they are more nutritionally interesting on several levels: they provide more fiber ( 2 .3 g per 100 g for whole grain rice compared to 0.8 g for white rice), more vitamins and minerals and they have a lower glycemic index : 50 for whole grain rice compared to 70 for white rice . This makes semi-whole rice and whole grain rice more filling than white rice, so there is less risk of snacking between meals and the lower glycemic index limits blood sugar peaks. Note: "the cooking of these rices takes longer, and the creamy texture will be a little less present due to the high fibers and the lower quantity of starch which gives this creamy side, but nutritionally speaking it is a very good solution ! », specifies Aurore Lavergnat.

Choosing the right sugar  : agave syrup or coconut blossom sugar have a lower glycemic index than white sugar : only 15 for the first and 50 for the second compared to 70 for white sugar. Their sweetening power is also up to 30% greater than that of white sugar. As a result, we use less! Another solution for less sweetness: use vanilla, cinnamon, orange blossom to flavor.

Let's not forget that the World Health Organization recommends not exceeding 50 g of free sugars per day. That is to say the sugars added to foods and those present in fruit juices. Aurore Lavergnat

Although made with healthier foods than white rice and white sugar, rice pudding is not a dessert to be consumed every day when you are watching your figure , it should remain an occasional pleasure!

“It is as high in calories as a crème caramel, a chocolate cream or a floating island,” warns Aurore Lavergnat . And it is much more than a natural yogurt which provides approximately 57 calories per 100 g, 4 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of lipids or a fresh fruit which provides, on average, 59 calories per 100 g, 11 g carbohydrates and no lipids. These last two desserts should therefore be favored on a daily basis. »

The recipe for rice pudding

Ingredients for 4 people: 75 g of whole or semi-whole round rice, 70 cl of skimmed milk, 35 g of coconut blossom sugar, 1 tbsp. to c. cinnamon, vanilla powder or orange blossom water.

The preparation

Rinse the rice. Cook it for 4 minutes in boiling water. Drain. Then, in the saucepan, pour the milk, coconut blossom sugar, cinnamon (or vanilla or orange blossom). Bring to a boil. When the milk boils, pour in the rice. Put the fire down.

Cooking time for rice pudding

Cook for 40 to 45 minutes over low heat, stirring regularly. Refrigerate before serving warm or cold.

Can you eat rice pudding for breakfast if you're watching your figure?

Rather than a pain au chocolat or a croissant for breakfast , if you like sweet treats, prefer rice pudding. “A small portion of 100 g is much less caloric than a pastry which provides between 300 and more than 400,” recalls the dietitian-nutritionist. It therefore provides more energy over time and fills you up more, which will prevent you from feeling peckish at 11 a.m.! »

Does rice pudding constipate?

“Rice pudding made with semi-whole or whole rice does not cause constipation, because the latter have a good fiber content. There is therefore no slowdown in intestinal transit, explains the dietician-nutritionist. On the other hand, white rice is low in fiber and can cause constipation in people who have slow intestinal transit which may be due to poor eating habits, stress, a lack of physical activity, a lack of 'hydration… »