Nutritional Information for Rice
Rice is one of the world's most consumed staples, delivering around 130-165 kcal per 100g when cooked, with high carbohydrate content and very little fat. From a SpikeSaver perspective, the type of rice matters enormously — white long grain rice has a GI of ~73, brown rice drops to ~68, and basmati sits around ~58 due to its higher amylose starch content. Basmati rice is consistently the best choice for blood sugar management among standard rice varieties.
Nutrition per 100g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 144 kcal / 608 kJ | 259 kcal |
| Protein | 3g | 5.4g |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 54g |
| of which sugars | 0.1g | — |
| Fat | 1g | 1.8g |
| of which saturated | 0.1g | — |
| Fibre | 1.2g | — |
| Salt | 0.25g | — |
Serving size: 1 portion cooked rice (~180g) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
Glucose impact
Very Low
Glucose risk
Rice is a significant source of rapidly digestible starch. White long grain rice scores GI ~73, which is high. Brown rice is slightly better at ~68. Basmati rice is the standout at GI ~58 (medium) due to its higher proportion of amylose starch, which is digested more slowly. Jasmine rice is among the highest at GI ~80+. Cooling cooked rice increases resistant starch and lowers effective GI. Pairing rice with protein, vegetables, and healthy fats also blunts the glucose spike.
Processing level
Dry rice (white, brown, basmati, jasmine) is NOVA 1 — an unprocessed or minimally processed grain. Pre-cooked microwave rice pouches are typically NOVA 1-2 as they contain just cooked rice (sometimes with a small amount of oil). However, flavoured rice products, rice-based ready meals, and rice with sauces can climb to NOVA 3-4 depending on additives.
Rice at Tesco
Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.
What to watch for when shopping
Plain dry rice and simple microwave rice pouches are NOVA 1. The danger zone is flavoured rice products and rice-based ready meals — these often contain added sugar, modified starch, flavourings, and emulsifiers that push them to NOVA 3-4. For blood sugar, choose basmati (GI ~58) over jasmine (GI ~80+) or standard long grain (GI ~73). Cooling and reheating rice increases resistant starch. Budget tip: Tesco Microwave Rice pouches at £0.60 each are convenient, but dry Tesco Basmati Rice 1Kg at £1.79 gives far better value per portion.
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