What is Rice Flour?

What is Rice Flour and why should we use them in our baking?

Rice flour is made from finely milled rice. It is different from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a particularly good substitute for wheat flour, which some people believe irritates their digestive system. It is also used as a thickening agent in recipes that are refrigerated or frozen since it inhibits liquid separation.

How it's made

Rice flour may be made from either long-grain to medium-grain white rice or brown rice. To make the flour, the husk of rice or paddy is removed and raw rice is obtained, which is then ground to flour. For brown rice flour, the bran is not removed but for white rice it is.

White and Brown Rice Flour

But what's the difference between white and brown rice flour? Rice flour has a slight chewy texture. For baking, both white and brown rice flour are interchangeable. Brown rice has a more nutty flavour and a shorter lifespan compared to its white counterpart. Generally, brown rice flour has a healthier kick to it but do note that both are gluten-free!

Compared to the white rice flour, brown rice flour has a denser taste but you can always balance this out with lighter flours such as almond flour. Our almond flour is low in carbs, keto friendly and is perfect for gluten-free cooking. Woohoo! Healthy baking alternatives made easy for every occasion. Click here to find out more.

Aside from usage in baking, white rice flour is a staple ingredient in most cuisines such as in rice noodles, pancakes, and Korean rice cakes.

What's the difference between Rice Flour and Glutinous Rice Flour?

Although both are made from rice, glutinous rice flour is ground from long-grain or short-grain sweet or sticky white rice. Both flour types are neutral in taste before and after cooking. In comparison to rice flour, glutinous rice has a more sticky and chewy texture like mochi.

If you’re looking to substitute rice flour with glutinous rice flour and vice versa, this might not be the best option because of the difference in texture.

Which one is more suitable?

Rice flour is more versatile due to its light texture and feel making them perfect for light batters and gluten-free baking. On the other hand, glutinous rice flour is better used as a thickening agent in soups for its chewy texture after cooking.

Storage options

To make the most out of any ingredient, we have to store them right! Although flour has a longer lifespan than other fresh ingredients, they still have a shelf life of around 3-4 months. To increase the shelf life of brown and white rice flour, the best way is to:

• Put the flour in an airtight container or sealable bag
• Place in the pantry at room temperature
• Better option: put in the freezer

When putting the rice flour in the freezer, this will keep the flour in good condition for up to 12 months. Now, that is a lot better than having to throw your rice flour out after a few months!

As a rule of thumb, always put flour in the freezer to maximise its lifespan! This works because without much moisture, the formation of mould is slowed down or prevented.

Where does our Rice Flour come from?

We proudly use SunRice - Australian Rice Flour grown and produced in the Riverina region.

Rice Flour is our highest carb ingredient, and is only included in small amounts because it balances well with all our other Low Carb Ingredients in helping to achieve the same functions as wheat flour & gluten. We want our products to be delicious as well as contain no added sugars. We don’t want being healthy to mean bland boring food!

All our products contain less than 10g Total Carbs per serve.

Sunrice Company History

“Our proud history dates back to the establishment of a single rice mill in the Riverina region of New South Wales in 1950. Today they have operations – including state-of-the-art processing, packing and value added food plants - across Australia, the USA, the Middle East, the Pacific and Papua New Guinea”

What are the benefits of Rice Flour?

• High in Beneficial Fibre - Our bodies need insoluble fiber to help rid themselves of waste, so if constipation is a problem, rice flour may help, along with nuts, beans and vegetables. Choosing a high-fibre diet not only helps the body by eliminating waste, but it may help lower cholesterol and keep blood sugar levels in check. It may even help minimize the risk of diverticular disease, colon diseases, type-2 diabetes and hypertension.
• Helps to Maintain Healthy Liver Function - Rice flour contains choline, which helps transport cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to where they’re needed within the body. Therefore, choline may help you maintain a healthy liver.
• Great Gluten-Free Option - Rice flour is made from a gluten-free grain. This may make it the better choice when it comes to anyone suffering from gluten intolerance and Celiac disease. Gluten is a protein found is grain products, such as wheat and rye. Anyone with Celiac disease suffers from a digestive condition that disrupts the immune system when coming in contact with gluten. For those with an intolerance, albeit mild, it still aids in the digestive process if avoided. Rice flour can help by offering an alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace the brown rice flour mix with white rice flour?

Yes! You can definitely swap out the white and brown rice flour and use them interchangeably. Just remember that the brown one has a denser and nuttier taste than the white alternative but overall, both are great options for gluten-free baking.

If you want your baked goods to come out light but still use brown rice flour, you can add almond flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, and potato starch (all gluten-free).

Will it make a difference if I add tapioca flour, corn starch and potato starch to the mix?

Absolutely! But in a good way of course.

• Tapioca flour: gives the baked goods a smoother and lighter texture
• Corn starch: adds structure as it contains thickening agent
• Potato starch: creates a delicate crumbly feel

Can I grind my own rice flour?

Yes but it is more difficult to grind brown rice to get the fine texture by removing the grit. But first, you’ll need to have a grain mill. Generally for white rice flour, you can use a blender and ground the rice but the texture won’t be as smooth as the industrial made ones. Also, blenders will tend to heat up after consecutive usage for its high speed performance.

Where can I get rice flour from?

Rice flour can be obtained from pretty much any local supermarket. They’re easily accessible anywhere (literally) even at the Asian grocery stores.

Nutritional information

Rice flour is high in carbs and calories but is high in fibre. Brown rice flour contains slightly less calories than white rice flour. Let’s look closely at the nutritional value for rice flour at 100g serving size. For white rice flour, there is approximately 366 calories, 80g of carbs and 0 mg of sodium. For brown rice flour, 363 calories, 76g carbs and 8mg sodium.

Rice flour is the perfect option for those who are looking for a gluten-free substitute for all-purpose flour. Rice flour and all-purpose flour can be used interchangeably since it yields the same texture and consistency when baking. Almond flour on the other hand is considered to contain the least carbs and is more commonly used in low carb mixes.

That’s all for rice flour folks! If you’re keen to get your hands on them and try them out on your next baking journey, you can also visit our website. Our products are low in carbs so we don’t use as much rice flour but we include the right amount to get the right balance.

Information provided by:

https://www.sunrice.com.au

https://draxe.com/rice-flour

https://www.myrecipes.com/ingredients/alternative-flour-guide

Click here to see our delicious products that use these great ingredients!