Pasta vs rice cakes: which is healthier?
They are about equally nutrient-dense: pasta scores 26/100 and rice cakes 27/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Pasta
158 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup cooked: 140 g
Rice cakes
387 kcal per 100 g. 2 cakes: 18 g
Which to pick for your goal
- Fewer caloriesPasta158 vs 387 kcal per 100 g
- More proteinRice cakes5.8 vs 8.2 g per 100 g
- More fiberRice cakes1.8 vs 4.2 g per 100 g
- Less sugarAbout even0.6 vs 0.9 g per 100 g
- More potassiumRice cakes44 vs 290 mg per 100 g
- Less saturated fatAbout even0.2 vs 0.6 g per 100 g
Nutrition side by side
| Nutrient | Pasta, 100 g | Rice cakes, 100 g | Pasta, 140 g | Rice cakes, 18 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 158 kcal | 387 kcal | 221 kcal | 70 kcal |
| Protein | 5.8 g | 8.2 g | 8.1 g | 1.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g | 82 g | 43 g | 15 g |
| Sugars | 0.6 g | 0.9 g | 0.8 g | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 1.8 g | 4.2 g | 2.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Fat | 0.9 g | 2.8 g | 1.3 g | 0.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g | 0.6 g | 0.2 g | 0.1 g |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg |
| Potassium | 44 mg | 290 mg | 62 mg | 52 mg |
| Iron | 1.3 mg | 1.5 mg | 1.8 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Calcium | 7 mg | 11 mg | 9.8 mg | 2 mg |
| Magnesium | 18 mg | 131 mg | 25 mg | 24 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 26 mg | 1.4 mg | 4.7 mg |
Last updated . Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.