Is cauliflower ‘rice’ more nutritious than regular rice?

With the news that Chipotle will now offer cauliflower rice on the menu, along with the traditional brown and white options, you may be wondering how nutritious the vegetable-based dish is. It’s lower in calories and carbohydrates, to begin with.

Here’s the full explanation using Chipotle’s nutrition information. A serving of coriander 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 this to 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 on what you are looking for in your burrito. If you want an easy way to lower the calories or carbs, cauliflower rice will do the thing while giving you another rice-like filler. The amount of fiber is about the same in all the rice options: one versus two or three grams.

I did not taste the new offering, but in general cauliflower rice tastes similar to the peer-based cereal, if it is a little less satisfying. The biggest consideration is perhaps inferior: a lower-carb-lower-carb option is just not as much food, and you will get hungry later. It is also noteworthy that large amounts of cauliflower rice do not match everyone’s digestive system, although a single serving in a burrito is unlikely to have a major effect.

In short, it is an excellent option if you want to eat more vegetables and less carbohydrates. Chipotle’s new side costs extra, but there are other places to fit cauliflower rice into your life. Merchant Joe’s has a roasted cauliflower which I like, and it is also regularly available in the freezer section in grocery stores. You can also make your own by pulverizing fresh cauliflower in a food processor, feel free to try it if you are looking for a new vegetable side.