Although it does not have the same nutritional values as wheat flour, rice flour is a great alternative to wheat flour for people who are allergic to wheat. Replacing wheat flour with rice flour can allow those who need a gluten-free diet to still enjoy things like bread, muffins, and many desserts.
White Rice Flour
White rice flour can be used as a substitute for regular white flour. It is often used in Thai foods as a thickener or in sweets and baked goods. There are two types of white rice flour. Regular rice flour is dry and a little bit gritty. Sticky rice flour, or sweet rice flour, is creamier and may be added to regular rice flour for texture.
Brown Rice Flour
Brown rice flour has more nutritional value than white rice flour. It has a nutty, deeper, slightly sweet flavor. Brown rice flour can be a bit gritty, but you can buy super-fine brown rice flour which is very smooth.
Protein
Although one cup of white rice flour only has 9.4 grams of protein, brown rice has 11.42 grams of protein. This is comparable to the 12.91 grams of protein in white flour, and little lower than the 16.44 grams of protein in wheat flour.
Carbohydrates
Both white and brown rice flour are high in carbohydrates. White rice flour has 126.61 grams and brown rice flour has 120.84 grams per cup. Whole wheat flour has the least amount of carbs at 87.08 grams, while regular white flour has 95.39 grams.
Fiber
Whole wheat flour is the highest in fiber with 14.6 grams, but brown rice flour comes in second at 7.3 grams. White rice flour and regular white flour are similar with white rice flour containing 3.8 grams and regular white flour containing 3.4 grams per cup.
Calories
The rice flours have a higher caloric content than the wheat flours. White rice flour has 578 calories per cup and brown rice close behind at 574 calories. Regular white flour has 455 calories, and whole wheat flour has 407 calories.
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