Rice flour is a nutritional alternative to all-purpose flour. Although it contains 548 calories per cup -- more than wheat flour -- most of these calories come from complex carbohydrates, such as starch and fiber. Rice flour is slightly higher in fiber than all-purpose flour, with 3.8 g per cup compared to 3.4 g. Rice flour is also higher in numerous vitamins and minerals than all-purpose flour.
Protein and Fat
Although most of the calories in rice flour come from carbohydrates, 1 cup contains 2.2 g of fat and 9.4 g of protein. This provides 20 percent of the daily value of protein for women and 17 percent for men. Like most flours, rice flour contains less than 1 g of saturated fat and no cholesterol.
Minerals
Rice flour is high in many of the nutrients contained in rice, such as copper and manganese. One cup supplies 23 percent of the daily value of copper and 82 percent of manganese. This is more than twice the manganese as that provided by 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Manganese helps your bones develop and your wounds heal. One cup of rice flour also supplies 22 percent of the daily value of phosphorus, 11 percent of zinc, 13 percent of magnesium and 43 percent of selenium.
Vitamins
Rice flour contains a significant amount of four water-soluble B vitamins. One cup contains more than twice as much pantothenic acid as a cup of all-purpose flour, and this amount provides 26 percent of the daily value. Pantothenic acid, like all B vitamins, is necessary to produce energy from your food. One cup of rice flour also provides 18 percent of the daily value of thiamine, 25 percent of niacin and more than 50 percent of B-6. Although all-purpose flour contains more thiamine and niacin than rice flour, rice flour contains more than 10 times as much B-6. B-6 helps you make the antibodies that fight diseases. It also helps you produce red blood cells and supports your nervous system.
Uses
Rice flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour in many recipes, including those for pancakes, muffins and cookies. However, because rice flour does not contain gluten, which helps baked goods bind together, it is important to add additional ingredients such as xanthan gum or potato starch when you bake with rice flour. Fortunately, because rice flour is wheat- and gluten-free, it can be used to make baked goods for people who are gluten-intolerant or allergic to wheat.
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