Label Lesson: Flavored Rice Mixes
Put plain rice on the menu, and your family make just turn up its nose. Instead, try one of the many flavored rice mixes now on the market. Although the mixes are relatively low in fat, they can be high in sodium.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for rice mixes:
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Some mixes contain more than 1,000 mg. of sodium per serving. Look for those that contain lower amounts.
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A surprise ingredient in some mixes is sugar. To avoid it, look on the nutritional and ingredient labels to see if sugar or a similar product, such as molasses, is listed.
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Mixes with cheese sauce usually are higher in calories, fat and sodium.
Getting specific
Here's a comparison of the calories, fat and sodium in 20 popular rice mixes. These figures are based on the prepared product, not the dry rice and mix. All are based on a one-cup serving
Chef's Originals Sonoran Mexican
Cals.: 150
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 6
Sodium (mg.): 770
Konriko Hot'N Spicy Rice Pilaf
Cals.: 160
Fat (gm.): 0
% Cals. from fat: 0
Sodium (mg.): 270
Tony Chachere's Louisiana Dirty Rice Mix
Cals.: 160
Fat (gm.): 0
% Cals. from fat: 0
Sodium (mg.): 720
Chef's Originals French Quarter Tomato Rice
Cals.: 180
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 5
Sodium (mg.): 390
Vigo Risotto con Broccoli
Cals.: 190
Fat (gm.): 1.5
% Cals. from fat: 7
Sodium (mg.): 900
Casbah Nutted Pilaf
Cals.: 190
Fat (gm.): 2
% Cals. from fat: 9
Sodium (mg.): 500
Uncle Ben's Country Inn Chicken & Broccoli Rice Mix
Cals.: 200
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 5
Sodium (mg.): 780
Uncle Ben's Red Beans & Rice
Cals.: 210
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 4
Sodium (mg.): 740
Zatarain's New Orleans Style Yellow Rice
Cals.: 220
Fat (gm.): 0
% Cals. from fat: 0
Sodium (mg.): 960
10 Minute Success Rice Brown & Wild Mix
Cals.: 230
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 4
Sodium (mg.): 830
Rice-A-Roni Fast Cook Chicken Flavor
Cals.: 240
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 4
Sodium (mg.): 870
Lawry's Santa Fe Rice
Cals.: 250
Fat (gm.): 1.5
% Cals. from fat: 5
Sodium (mg.): 800
10 Minute Success Rice Broccoli & Cheese
Cals.: 250
Fat (gm.): 4.5
% Cals. from fat: 16
Sodium (mg.): 840
Knorr Italian Rices Risotto Milanese
Cals.: 260
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 3
Sodium (mg.): 880
Lipton Rice & Sauce Southwestern Chicken
Cals.: 260
Fat (gm.): 1.5
% Cals. from fat: 5
Sodium (mg.): 770
Knorr Pilaf Rices Lemon Herb with Jasmine Rice
Cals.: 260
Fat (gm.): 2
% Cals. from fat: 7
Sodium (mg.): 790
Lipton Rice & Sauce Cheddar Broccoli
Cals.: 280
Fat (gm.): 3
% Cals. from fat: 10
Sodium (mg.): 940
Near East Spanish Rice
Cals.: 290
Fat (gm.): 0.5
% Cals. from fat: 2
Sodium (mg.): 990
Rice-A-Roni Red Beans & Rice
Cals.: 290
Fat (gm.): 1
% Cals. from fat: 3
Sodium (mg.): 1,120
Minute Four Cheese Rice
Cals.: 420
Fat (gm.): 2.5
% Cals. from fat: 5
Sodium (mg.): 800