Is cauliflower ‘rice’ more nutritious than regular rice?

With the news that Chipotle will now offer cauliflower rice on the menu in addition to the traditional brown and white options, you may be wondering how the vegetarian dish stacks up nutritionally. It’s lower in calories and carbohydrates to begin with.

Here’s the full breakdown, using Chipotle’s nutrition information. One serving of cilantro-lime cauliflower rice has:

• 40 calories per serving
• 1 gram of fat
• 3 grams of protein
• 7 grams of carbohydrates
• 3 grams of fiber

Compare that with their regular rice:

• 210 calories per serving
• 4 grams of fat (6 in brown rice)
• 4 grams of protein
• 40 grams of carbohydrates (36 in brown rice)
• 1 gram of fiber (2 grams of brown rice)

Is cauliflower rice the better option?

It depends what you are looking for in your burrito. If you want an easy way to cut the calories or carbs, cauliflower rice will do the trick while still providing you with some rice-like filling. The amount of fiber is roughly the same with all rice options: one gram versus two or three.

I haven’t tasted the new offering, but overall, cauliflower rice tastes similar to its grain-based counterpart, albeit a little less satisfying. The biggest tradeoff may be a small one: a low-calorie, low-carb option just isn’t that much food, and you can get hungry later on. It’s also worth noting that large amounts of cauliflower rice won’t suit everyone’s digestive health, although a single serving in a burrito probably isn’t going to have a huge effect.

In short, it’s a great option if you want to eat more vegetables and fewer carbohydrates. Chipotle’s new side costs extra, but there are other places to fit cauliflower rice into your life. Trader Joe’s has one Stir fry of cauliflower in rice which I love, and it is often available in supermarket freezer as well. You can also make it yourself by pulsing fresh cauliflower in a food processor, so give it a try if you’re looking for a new vegetarian side.