Do Raw Vegans Eat White Rice?

In this article, we will talk about raw veganism and white rice and why raw vegans don’t eat white rice and what they eat instead, and some more tips.

As you may know, raw vegans only eat raw food and since they are vegan at the same time, they have to eat raw plants, vegetables, fruits, etc.
Because raw veganism is a mix of raw foodism and veganism.

Raw vegans don’t eat white rice but they can eat brown rice and black rice.

We will continue this article by discussing how to consume rice in a raw vegan diet, and we will introduce excellent substitutes for white rice for raw vegans. As a raw vegan, I’m going to incorporate my own experience into this article so that everything is on point.

Raw Vegans and White Rice

Raw veganism is all about eating foods in their most natural state, Raw foods are known for being organic and unprocessed.
Raw vegans like me avoid meat and animal products at all costs just like normal vegans but our diet is pretty different from a normal vegan diet because we eat our food uncooked and raw. We can also cook our food but only heated up to 48ºC (118ºF).

Raw vegans rely on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains. But can white rice fit into this lifestyle? Let’s explore

As I said, Raw vegan diets are mostly made of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. With that being said, raw vegans try to get all of their necessary macro and micronutrients from these foods so that they can stay healthy.

But flash back to the topic, why do raw vegans avoid white rice?
You might ask isn’t white rice vegan?
The answer is No, white rice is completely vegan but raw vegans can’t eat it, because white rice requires cooking, making it unsuitable for raw vegans.

Why Raw Vegans Don’t Eat White Rice

Since I’m a raw vegan I only eat raw food, and I don’t eat foods that must be cooked like white rice and potatoes.

White rice must be cooked because raw or uncooked rice isn’t safe to eat and it will also cause serious health problems because it messes up your gut and digestion.

Rice is a great source of carbohydrates and it can work as fuel for your body but raw vegans tend to avoid white rice because they think that processing takes away all of its nutrients.

Other raw vegans have also talked about this on social media apps like YouTube and you can easily watch them explain why they don’t eat rice.

This is what the MedicineNet website says:

“Raw or uncooked rice is not safe to eat for two specific reasons. The first is that rice can harbor bacteria that can cause food poisoning. The other is that it contains a protein that your body can’t digest, and this protein can cause several problems for your body.”

The MedicineNet website continues:

“Raw rice, as well as other plants and whole grains, contain lectins. Lectins are a type of protein that bind to carbohydrates. In nature, they’re meant to protect a plant from predators. When eaten by humans, they can cause negative side effects and gastrointestinal distress.”

The process of refining white rice strips away the bran and germ, which are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals Moreover, The refined nature of white rice can make it difficult to digest especially when consumed raw. This can lead to digestive discomfort, bloating, and constipation. Unlike other grains that can be soaked and sprouted to increase nutrient availability and improve digestibility, white rice often remains resistant to these methods.

So, as you can see, raw vegans don’t eat white rice at all because it can’t be sprouted and it can’t be eaten uncooked, but the good news is that there are some great alternatives for white rice including other types of rice like brown rice, etc.
Research shows that the nutritional value of white rice is lower than brown rice

What Kind of Rice Do Raw Vegans Eat?

Raw vegans typically tend to eat grains that can be sprouted and because of that, we are going to talk about the white rice alternatives and some quick and healthy raw vegan recipes.

Speaking of other types of rice, raw vegans eat brown rice and black rice because they can be sprouted.

Brown rice is also better than white rice because it is way more nutrient-dense and your body can digest brown rice easier than white rice.

When compared to brown rice, a whole grain option that is often incorporated into raw vegan diets, white rice falls short in terms of nutritional content. Brown rice is packed with fiber, B vitamins, and minerals, making it a much healthier choice for us.

Even famous health magazines have talked about the fact that brown rice is better.

Caitlin Carr, the dietitian of the realsimple.com says:

“Brown rice contains more vitamins and minerals than white rice. Additionally, “brown rice has more essential minerals like manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and magnesium, along with B-vitamins such as niacin and folate when compared, per cup, to white rice.”

The way raw vegans eat brown rice and black rice is pretty simple, they soak their rice in water and salt and let it soak for more than 16 hours so they can be digested way better.

Personally, I usually put my rice in tomato water overnight.
Preparing tomato water isn’t very complicated, the only thing that I have to do is blend!
I just put some tomatoes and one glass of water in the blender and I blend them until smooth.

You can also use other vegetables instead of tomato and the process is the same, you just have to blend your favorite vegetable(let’s say dill) with some water and then put your rice in it and let it soak for 16 hours.

Rice must be hydrated so that it becomes soft and edible.
Brown rice and black rice can be sprouted and eaten raw, unlike white rice because white rice can’t be germinated.

What Do Raw Vegans Eat Instead of White Rice?

I explained why raw vegans don’t eat white rice and later on, I also talked about other types of rice that they can eat but for now, I’m going to talk about other alternatives.

Raw vegans typically eat everything that can be sprouted like all kinds of quinoa including red quinoa, black quinoa, white quinoa, and other things like bulgur wheat, cauliflower, barley, cabbage, and couscous.

Raw quinoa is a great addition to a complete raw vegan diet mainly because it contains protein and fiber also, you can incorporate raw quinoa in your meals and you can make raw quinoa salad with them.
Later in the article, we will bring out the best raw quinoa salad recipe.

How To Stop Eating Rice?

The best advice that I can give you is to start cutting down rice and then work your way up to no rice.

For example, if you have been eating two bowls of rice every day, try to cut it down to one bowl so that you can adapt to it and gradually over time you can completely remove rice from your diet.

Many Asian people have talked about this on social media, especially on forums and they all stated that because they have been eating rice a lot for a long time they can’t give up on rice easily.
Plus, we have to showcase the fact that most Asian foods contain rice.

Apart from the habit of eating rice less and less every day, we can firmly say that the process of fully removing rice from your diet isn’t very hard and many people have stopped eating rice by just putting in effort.

The next advice that I can give you is to find your favorite rice substitutes.

We brought the list of rice alternatives for you in the previous heading.

However, based on personal experience I can tell you that the best rice substitute for those who are addicted to white rice is cauliflower rice.

The last advice that I would give you, is to try to build the habit of eating other healthy raw vegan dishes so that you can have them in your diet more often and also forget about rice.

Raw Vegan Gain Weight

How To Gain Weight on a Vegan Diet?

Many people assume that white rice is the best food to eat for weight gain or even bulking in the case of bodybuilders and athletes but they forget that there are some other great sources of carbohydrates for weight gain that raw vegans can also eat.

There are many different approaches to weight gain on a raw vegan diet and we can start with the alternatives that we mentioned above.

The Sentientmedia.org :

“In fact, you can actually gain weight while eating vegan and raw. When your diet skews toward high-fat and high-sugar foods, you might pack on the pounds. Eating too many avocados, nuts, seeds, and similar foods can result in too much fat intake. The same goes for sugary fruits, such as bananas and pineapples.”

Keep in mind that it’s way better to have a meal plan designed by nutritionists so that you can eat properly and stay on track.
Because some people choose the wrong way when they are either trying to gain weight or lose weight and that makes them disappointed because they don’t receive the outcome that they wanted.

However, I’m going to mention the best foods that you can eat as a raw vegan to gain weight.

• Dried fruit: dried fruit is a great option for those who want to have a quick and healthy snack.
• Avocados: avocados are probably the best source of healthy fats in the world and the best thing about them is that they are also high in calories and they can help you gain more weight.
• Nuts and seeds: you can literally have nuts and seeds at any time of the day and they are a great go-to option for those who want to have a snack that is high in protein and healthy fats.

Best Raw Vegan Recipe

Now, it’s time to bring the most delicious and of course, quick recipe that doesn’t contain white rice.

This is the raw vegan quinoa salad that we talked about earlier in the article.

The ingredients are 3 cups of your favorite diced vegetables (such as red bell peppers or carrots, etc.), 1 cup of sprouted quinoa, 1 tablespoon of parsley, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and your favorite raw vegan sauce.

All you have to do is to put your favorite sauce on the veggies and let it sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator and then right after you take them out, add the sprouted quinoa and all the other ingredients and stir well.

• How To Make Vegan Turkish Kisir Salad
• How to Make a Raw Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Salad
• How To Make Raw Vegan Cheeseburger

Final Words

In this article, I talked about white rice and the reason why raw vegans don’t eat white rice.

I also brought in authentic research from different health websites and I even implemented my own experience as a raw vegan who doesn’t eat white rice.

With the help of this article and the alternatives that we talked about, you can gradually remove rice from your diet.

This article can be the blueprint of your new raw vegan journey that will change your lifestyle.

Please share your experience and thoughts with us in the comment section.

sara

Hi, I’m Sara, a vegan mom of two. My family and I have been living a vegan lifestyle for over 8 years now. I’m excited to share tips and insights about veganism and plant-based living through my posts. I love exploring new ideas, reading, and finding ways to grow. My passion for learning drives me to share what I discover, hoping to inspire and inform others along the way. As a content writer and screenwriter, I’m passionate about creating impactful stories around veganism, animal rights, and social justice. I’ve written several short films that explore the connection between veganism and social justice, with my work featured in various publications. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop them in the comments section or shoot me an email through the contact form on the website—I usually respond within 24 hours.