Nutrition Analysis Of Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are a low calorie, no fat snack with a crisp texture. You can layer healthy proteins, such as peanut butter, on top for a tasty addition to any diet. Plain rice cakes offer little in the way of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients but you can boost nutritional value by topping the cake with other foods.

Calories and Fat

One plain rice cake contains 35 calories and no fat. If you follow a 2,000 calorie diet, the amount of calories in this snack food equates to 1.7 percent of your total allowable calories. Beware that not all rice cakes are created equal -- you can find flavored rice cakes, such as caramel, that have more flavor but also have more calories and fat. The kindest option for your meal plan remains plain rice cakes; top them with avocado, low fat cream cheese or apples to increase nutrition while keeping calories and fat to a minimum.

Carbohydrates and Protein

Plain rice cakes are a low level source of carbohydrates, although they provide a very small amount of protein. A rice cake has 7 grams of carbs, little of the 130 grams you need each day. One of these cakes introduces 1 gram of protein in your diet, although you need 46 to 56 grams per day. The carbohydrates and protein available in rice cakes supplement your energy levels.

Magnesium

Eat a rice cake, and you take in 4 percent of the magnesium you need each day. Your teeth and bones rely on the magnesium in rice cakes and other foods to maintain their strength. Not getting enough magnesium may influence anxiety levels. A study carried out in animal models and published in the August 2011 issue of "Neuropharmacology" indicates that a magnesium deficiency enhances anxiety, although more research is needed to determine if this finding correlates to humans. Top your rice cake with nut butters or bananas to boost magnesium intake.

Phosphorus

A serving of one rice cake contains 3 percent of the daily recommended intake of phosphorus.This makes rice cakes a good choice for bones and teeth, as phosphorus also benefits them. The phosphorus in rice cakes also influences energy and DNA production. Serving a rice cake topped with tuna fish or roasted garlic to get more phosphorus in your diet.