The landscape of the health food and supplement industry is always evolving and never stationary. Over the past couple of years, especially in the UK and Europe, there’s been a growing number of brands releasing something called ‘Cream of Rice’.

But what exactly is it? Is it healthy and how do you make it? We’ll cover all that and more in this complete guide to Cream of Rice supplements.

WHAT IS CREAM OF RICE?

Stating with the most common question, Cream of Rice is a type of cereal that’s a brilliant source of complex carbohydrates. It’s produced from finely ground white rice and often comes in packets for you to mix with water or milk when you’d like to enjoy a serving.

Cream of Rice has actually been a staple for many Asian cuisines and cultures over decades with the popular dish being enjoyed by thousands daily across the region. We’d describe the product as somewhat of a blend between oat-based porridge and rice pudding.

It has a taste and texture similar to that of rice pudding but far superior nutritional content; a little like porridge - this helps keep you energised throughout the day utilising slow-releasing energy.

It's more effective because rice contains higher levels of protein and fibre but lower sugar levels than your average cereals, baked goods and pastries. Brands large and small have jumped on the Cream of Rice trend including Trained By JP, Warrior Supplements, Efectiv, Chaos Crew, and Complete Strength.

IS CREAM OF RICE HEALTHY?

Yes, Cream of Rice is a very healthy way to increase your carbohydrate intake and boost energy levels with a sustainable, natural product. For example, Warrior’s Cream of Rice formula comes in servings of 50-grams and has the following nutritional profile:

• 40.5-grams of carbohydrates
• 2.8-grams of protein
• Under 1-gram of fat
• 178 calories
• No sugars

Produced in the UK, the Warrior Cream of Rice comes in three variants: Unflavoured, Cinnamon Swirl and Millionaire’s Shortcake, the latter being already pre-infused with yummy flavours and spices. We get it, the unflavoured version might sound a little bland, however, there are a large number of additions you can easily make to mix things up with every serving. Some popular additions include strawberries, cinnamon, banana, low-calorie syrups and even protein powder.

Ideal for anyone looking to add quality calories to their diet and initially popularised by bodybuilders, it’s proven to be very beneficial to endurance athletes and those who might struggle to keep energy levels steady throughout the day.

Cream of Rice supplements are vegan, gluten-free and wheat-free so it is easily digestible and suitable for almost all dietary requirements. Naturally high in b-vitamins, minerals, iron and magnesium - they offer a fully comprehensive nutritional profile.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CREAM OF RICE?

When you purchase a pre-packed Cream of Rice, it’s best to follow the cooking instructions on the back but, normally, they have similar guidelines:

Ingredients:

• x1 50-gram serving of Cream of Rice
• x4 cups of water, milk or milk alternative

Instructions:

1. Add the Cream of Rice into a microwaveable bowl and the liquid of choice.
2. Stir together, cover and put in the microwave for 30-second intervals, repeat until you get your desired consistency.
3. Serve with your favourite toppings, low-calorie syrups or protein spreads.

RICE, RICE, BABY

Cream of Rice can be mistaken for different foods but it’s certainly in a category of its own offering superb nutritional values, a yummy texture and a wholesome taste.

It's unbeatable if you monitor macronutrient levels and need to quickly increase your carbohydrate consumption in one simple, filling meal enjoyable morning or night.

What we love most about Cream of Rice is the wide variety of different customisation you can make to give it your own personal touch from mixing it with protein powders, drizzling it with honey or adding in chopped up protein bars. Best of all, if you’re on a tight budget, Cream of Rice is also very reasonably priced (around £0.45) for the number of servings you get per pack.