Most of Southwestern America is fond of Spanish rice, which is an inseparable part of modern-day Mexican cuisine. This rice is an interesting combination of Spanish, Latin American and Tex-Mex culinary styles, and as a result, this rich side dish is prepared with numerous variations across Hispanic nations. Typically, Spanish rice is made of white rice, sofrito (tomatoes, onions and garlic), various vegetables, and meat, with various condiments. When it comes to the nutritional value, it is important to understand that it mainly depends on the type of rice and the kind of ingredients that are used to make that particular dish. In case you are not aware, Spanish rice is cooked in both sweet and spicy versions. While the spicy version contains various ingredients like beef, chicken, lamb, and seafood, the sweet version contains milk, eggs, rice, various flavorings, and sweetening agents.
Nutritional Information
As has been mentioned, there is more than one way to make Spanish rice. You can make it with vegetables, with meat and shellfish (like
Paella) and sweet Spanish rice pudding with milk and eggs. Naturally, the calorie content of all these types of rice are different from each other. However, in the following section of the article, we will discuss the nutritional values of Spanish rice with black beans (
arroz con frijoles negros) and Spanish rice pudding (
arroz con leche).
Calories with Black Beans
Given below is a chart that presents the nutritional information of
1 serving or 460g of Spanish rice with black beans. As you can see,
1 serving of Spanish rice contains around 700 calories. Along with loads of calories, this recipe contains high amounts of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, iron, manganese, magnesium, and selenium. It also contains vitamins, antioxidants, tocopherol, and essential fatty acids. Hence, one can say that this recipe is pretty rich. You may consume 1 serving to get maximum nutrients from a single dish. However, the biggest cause of concern is the amount of sodium which is present in it. 1 serving of any average Spanish rice dish contains more than 1900 mg of sodium, which is highly dangerous for people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Although the amount of fats in Spanish rice are not very high, the calories and sodium levels of this particular Spanish rice recipe may be a cause for concern for you. (All the nutritional values that are mentioned in this article are according to the USDA Nutritional Data Laboratory.)
| Nutrition |
Amount |
| Calories |
696 |
| Protein |
21.39g |
| Total fats |
17.55g |
| Carbohydrate |
112.4g |
| Fiber |
15.7g |
| Sugar |
3.96g |
| Calcium |
171mg |
| Copper |
0.74mg |
| Iron |
7.24mg |
| Magnesium |
120mg |
| Manganese |
2.04mg |
| Phosphorous |
401mg |
| Potassium |
1033mg |
| Sodium |
1936mg |
| Zinc |
3.41mg |
| Selenium |
22.1mcg |
Calories in Spanish Rice Pudding
Spanish rice pudding is pretty easy to make and extremely delicious to taste. This is one of the most popular types of dessert as well as dinner recipes in Spain and Latin American region. Go through the chart below, that contains nutrition values of
1 serving or 280g of rice pudding.
| Nutrition |
Amount |
| Calories |
413 |
| Protein |
9.6g |
| Total fats |
10.44g |
| Carbohydrate |
70.52g |
| Fiber |
1.4g |
| Sugar |
43.19g |
| Calcium |
255mg |
| Copper |
0.88mg |
| Iron |
0.65mg |
| Magnesium |
31mg |
| Manganese |
0.365mg |
| Phosphorous |
235mg |
| Potassium |
402mg |
| Sodium |
300mg |
| Zinc |
1.42mg |
| Selenium |
10.5mcg |
The chart above shows that
1 serving of this pudding contains around 400 calories. It also contains a higher amount of sugar and carbohydrates. As a result, people who are suffering from diabetes, and those who are trying to control their weight should consume this dish in moderation. As I mentioned earlier, The calories mainly depend on the type of recipes that are prepared and consumed. Although Spanish rice is delicious to taste, consuming it in moderation is the ideal thing to do.
