Is Rice Paper Healthy? Find Out How and Why

Hi there! Are you wondering is rice paper healthy? Find out the fantastic health benefits in this post!

Rice Magic

We know that rice has amazing uses and benefits. Rice is practically famous all over the world. It is so far one of the most flexible grains ever existed.

One of its great uses is the rice paper wrappers we often see on spring rolls, dumplings, and other Asian cuisines. Perhaps, fresh rice paper rolls can be one of the healthiest rice recipes.

Rice papers can be anything from appetizers down to desserts. Vietnam is among the world’s rice producers and it is not surprising to know that they have a lot of rice recipes to show off.

There are so many ways on how to eat rice paper depending on the recipe you would like.  The most popular so far is the fresh spring roll wherein we can add fruits and vegetables for healthier options.

Today, we will discover the health benefits of rice papers as well as other great recipes we can try!

How Rice Paper is made?

Rice paper is primarily made of rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and water. Using these basic ingredients, rice papers are then formed and dried.

They are thinly formed in different patterns, shapes, and sizes and dried. This is why if you notice the ones we buy at the groceries are sold in cute dried sheets and comes in different patterns.

This wrapper comes from the Vietnamese cuisine and they call it Banh Trang. Originally, rice paper rolls are served chilled with fresh fillings of any or a combination of the following:

• Shrimps
• Cooked chicken, pork or beef
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Fresh herbs
• Glass noodles
• Bean sprouts
• Nuts

Because of its popularity, spring rolls have a lot of versions at different restaurants, and even home-made dishes.

Is Rice Paper Healthy?

Because it comes from rice, there are also great health benefits that we can get from eating rice papers as long as we add it with healthy ingredients. Everything can be good as long as we understand its pros and cons.

Rice itself has astounding benefit as long as consuming it at a recommended amount. There are types of rice that can help in bodybuilding and weight loss. You just simply need to find which variety is best for you.

Eating rice paper rolls can help us lose weight. Yes, so if you are trying to lose some extra pounds better start making awesome rice paper dishes!

Find out below the nutritional values of rice paper for more health benefits.

Nutritional Values

Each rice paper brand has its own sets of nutritional benefits. This is because the size and thickness vary. Generally speaking, rice paper wrappers and dishes are actually healthy.

Checkout the health scores of fresh spring rolls:

Calories

First we will take for example the calorie intake. Calories in a standard 8 ½ size of Banh Trang brand has about 34  which is lower compared to a single slice white bread with 80 calories. Now you know what to eat for lunch!

Proteins

Rice paper rolls are often mixed with protein-filled meat such as pork, beef, and shrimps. You still get the same protein amount needed by our bodies.

For healthier choice, use shrimps for a low-calorie, high protein serving. Take note that a 3-ounce shrimp has 71 calories lesser than lean steak.

Fiber

Because fresh spring rolls contain fruits and vegetables, it is notable for its high fiber content. High fiber diet can help you feel fuller with lesser calorie intake.

It is also great in stomach digestion and bowel movements.

Reduce Heart Risks

Using vegetable fillings for spring rolls helps reduce the risk of certain heart diseases because of the low-fat and low-calorie diet.

According to the AHA (American Heart Association) adding fruits and vegetables to spring rolls reduces overall impurities in the body which can lead to healthier blood flow and heart conditions.

Good for Diabetics

Eating fresh spring rolls is also good for diabetics. It contains almost the recommended 2-3 cups of fruits and vegetables’ daily allowance.

The fruits and vegetable fillings are high in fiber which reduces the blood sugar levels.

However…

Although rice paper has tremendous health benefits, it can also be quite harmful depending on the cooking process we make. DO NOT fry the wrappers if you opt for a weight-loss diet.

Deep frying the rolls can lead to high-fat intake which cannot help in losing weight. In fact, you don’t have to cook the rice paper rolls, you only need to soak them in hot water and it will be ready to eat!

But frying isn’t all bad. If you consider being adventurous with your rice paper wrappers, then you can explore any kinds of cooking. Just be sure to use healthy ingredients!

Why Eat Rice Paper?

Including rice paper dishes on your diet is a good and healthy choice. There are so many ways to eat rice paper. You can serve it for lunch, snacks or anytime you wish to. Rice paper wrappers are actually light and tasty.

Apart from that, rice papers are actually cheap, stays a lifetime (almost) and very flexible when it comes to cooking. You can definitely cook anything with rice papers. It only needs a little bit of imagination and creativity.

Convinced already? Here are 4 different rice paper recipes you can try at home!

Summary

So there you go, rice paper is actually healthy if we eat it with nutritious fillings such as fruits and vegetables. You can substitute it with your sandwiches for lunch. All you need to do is to play along with the fillings as long as you keep its nutritional values.

Rice paper is versatile and budget-friendly so stocking on it won’t harm your wallets! We hope you have learned so many things about rice papers and its benefits.

Have you tried fresh Vietnamese rolls already? It is the best thing you can try on summer! Share us your thoughts in the comment section below!