Zero Carb Rice To The Rescue

If you are diabetic or are on a Keto or Low Carb or Gluten Free diet, you may have thought that you can never eat rice or pasta again.

I’m diabetic and used to do everything I could to resist pasta … then one day I would break down and have a huge plate of spaghetti and meatballs, driving my blood sugar levels through the roof. It would take days to get normalized again.

I also love Asian food … Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean, Indian you name and I can find hundreds of recipes in my files.

Though I don’t “crave” rice the same way I crave pasta, I definitely miss it when making my favorite Asian recipes — especially recipes with any kind of sauce.

I first found out about Konjac noodles years ago, when most brands packaged their noodles in a smelly brine. Then a few years ago I ordered a Konjac variety pack that included two packages of Konjac rice. I was blown away because now I could not only eat pasta but I could also eat rice.

Similar to Konjac Pasta, Konjac Rice Contains:

ZERO net carbs (the rice does have some carbs, but they are offset by the fact that the carbs are all fiber, resulting in the net effect of zero carbs)

LOW, LOW calories most brands have 10 or under calories per serving)

NO sugar

NO gluten

NO effect on your blood sugar levels

How perfect can that be!

What Is Konjac or Shirataki Rice?

Konjac rice is a healthy alternative made from the Konjac plant. The Konjac plant is native to warm, tropical parts of Asia. It’s popular in East Asian cuisine and known for it’s health benefits, which include normalizing blood sugar levels, lowering cholesterol levels and lowering high blood pressure.

In Japan, the Konjac tuber is used to make dozens of food products, including Shiratake rice and Shirataki noodles which are found in most Asian markets.

This rice alternative is a godsend to anyone with Diabetes and to anyone on low carb diets. Compare a one cup serving of regular rice containing a whopping 45 net grams of carbs, to a similar size serving of Konjac rice with ZERO carbs. NO contest … ONE cup of regular rice contains more carbs than most Keto diets allow you in a full DAY!

While most people LOVE both the rice and noodles, some people have problems with the smell of the brine the products are preserved in AND with the texture. When reading the reviews, I figured out that many of the complaints were because people simply did not read and follow the instructions.

Konjac rice is easy to cook with. All you have to do is follow the easy instructions on the package. The “rice” readily absorbs liquids and the flavor of any sauce you put it in. NOTE: DO NOT FREEZE. Store on a room temperature shelf. Some people report that the shipping instructions say to freeze … ignore that and follow the instructions on the package.

Where Can You Get Konjac Rice?

Some (not all) health food or organic food markets carry them. Look both in the refrigerated units, and in the regular food aisles where rice is shelved. MOST brands of Konjac rice does not have to be refrigerated, can be stored in a kitchen cupboard and has a shelf life of a year or more.

If there are Japanese food markets in your area, check there. Ask for Shirtaki rice and be sure to read the ingredients (Konjac) and the calorie and carb numbers to make sure you have the right rice.

Many online vendors that sell low carb foods will carry both Konjac noodles and Konjac rice. My favorite site is Amazon. I have an Amazon Prime membership so I get free shipping … and I order a couple dozen packs at a time.

Here are two of my favorites. I think both of them taste great. Just to let you know … I am an Amazon affiliate and make a few cents when you make a purchase using my links. This is what keeps this site going.

Miracle Noodle Zero Carb, Gluten Free Shirataki Pasta and Rice, 6 bag Variety Pack, 44 ounces

This variety pack is how I discovered Konjac rice. You’ll get 6 Bags: (2) Angel Hair, (2) Rice, (2) Fettuccini I like the Angel Hair noodles the best and love the rice! This is a best seller with over 4000 reviews.