Skip to content
NutriPedia
Menu

Rice dishes · 5 varieties featured

Rice dishes

Plain steamed rice and one-pot rice dishes such as jeera rice, lemon rice, curd rice, pulao and khichdi. Rice is the staple of most Indian meals, so the size of the serving matters most. Compare each variety's weight-management rating, calories per serving and where to find it

The short answer

Across the 5 varieties of rice dishes we compare, a serving has about 228 to 410 kcal: Lemon rice is the lightest (about 228 kcal for 1 plate, about 140 g) and Khichdi the heaviest (about 410 kcal for 1 bowl, about 400 g). For weight management, Curd rice, Khichdi and Lemon rice rate highest (3.0/5, moderate fit), judged on calories per gram, protein and fibre for the calories, and the size of a regular serving.

Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review

Rice dishes

Average weight-management rating

3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management

Average of the 5 varieties, rounded to the nearest half star. Varieties range from 2.5 to 3.0.

Find Rice dishes near you

Opens Google Maps. NutriPedia does not see your location.

Calories per serving
228 to 410 kcal
Best for weight management
Curd rice, Khichdi and Lemon rice · 3.0/5
Lightest
Lemon rice · 228 kcal
Varieties compared
5

How many calories are in rice dishes?

Calories per serving, lowest first
VarietyCaloriesFor weight management
Lemon rice1 plate (about 140 g)228 kcal3.0/5Moderate fit
Jeera rice1 plate (about 180 g)241 kcal2.5/5Moderate fit
Cooked white rice1 plate (about 200 g)255 kcal2.5/5Moderate fit
Curd rice1 bowl (about 340 g)296 kcal3.0/5Moderate fit
Khichdi1 bowl (about 400 g)410 kcal3.0/5Moderate fit

Which rice dish is best for weight management?

  • Curd rice

    Curd rice

    South India

    3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
    How this is worked out
    Calories per gram (35%)
    0.87 kcal · 92/100
    Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
    3.3 g · 33/100
    Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
    0.7 g · 23/100
    Portion (20%)
    296 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 96/100
    Per 100 g
    87.1 kcal · P 2.9 g · C 13.2 g · F 2.5 g

    Score 64.4 of 100 = 3.0 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Swasthi's Recipes, Curd Rice (Thayir Sadam), 2017.

    296 kcal

    1 bowl (about 340 g)

    About 55 min of brisk walking uses similar energy

    Find near you
  • Khichdi

    Khichdi

    Across India

    Also in:Dal dishes

    3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
    How this is worked out
    Calories per gram (35%)
    1.02 kcal · 88/100
    Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
    3.5 g · 35/100
    Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
    1.6 g · 52/100
    Portion (20%)
    410 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 76/100
    Per 100 g
    102.4 kcal · P 3.6 g · C 14.9 g · F 3 g

    Score 64.9 of 100 = 3.0 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Swasthi's Recipes, Khichdi Recipe (Moong Dal Khichdi), 2017.

    410 kcal

    1 bowl (about 400 g)

    About 1 hr 20 min of brisk walking uses similar energy

    Find near you
  • Lemon rice

    Lemon rice

    South India

    3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
    How this is worked out
    Calories per gram (35%)
    1.62 kcal · 70/100
    Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
    2.3 g · 23/100
    Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
    0.9 g · 31/100
    Portion (20%)
    228 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 100/100
    Per 100 g
    162.5 kcal · P 3.7 g · C 25.8 g · F 4.7 g

    Score 56.3 of 100 = 3.0 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Swasthi's Recipes, Lemon Rice (Chitranna), 2017.

    228 kcal

    1 plate (about 140 g)

    About 45 min of brisk walking uses similar energy

    Find near you
  • Cooked white rice

    Cooked white rice

    Across India

    2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
    How this is worked out
    Calories per gram (35%)
    1.27 kcal · 80/100
    Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
    2.2 g · 22/100
    Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
    0.8 g · 26/100
    Portion (20%)
    255 of 250 kcal (bread or rice) · 48/100
    Per 100 g
    127.3 kcal · P 2.8 g · C 27.9 g · F 0.2 g

    Score 48.4 of 100 = 2.5 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) values. Source: Recipe: Tarla Dalal, How To Cook Rice Perfectly.

    255 kcal

    1 plate (about 200 g)

    About 50 min of brisk walking uses similar energy

    Find near you
  • Jeera rice

    Jeera rice

    North India

    2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
    How this is worked out
    Calories per gram (35%)
    1.34 kcal · 78/100
    Protein per 100 kcal (25%)
    1.8 g · 18/100
    Fibre per 100 kcal (20%)
    0.7 g · 22/100
    Portion (20%)
    241 of 250 kcal (bread or rice) · 54/100
    Per 100 g
    133.7 kcal · P 2.4 g · C 24 g · F 2.9 g

    Score 47.1 of 100 = 2.5 stars. Calculated from a standard recipe using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values. Source: Recipe: Swasthi's Recipes, Jeera Rice, 2017.

    241 kcal

    1 plate (about 180 g)

    About 45 min of brisk walking uses similar energy

    Find near you

Walking times are for a 70 kg adult at a brisk pace (about 5.6 km/h). Enter your weight in How much should I eat? to make them yours.

Walking energy: Compendium of Physical Activities, 2011. Calories are estimates; restaurant portions vary. Ratings scored on 2026-11-03.

Are rice dishes good for weight management?

On average, the 5 varieties of rice dishes we compare rate 3.0/5 (moderate fit) for weight management, but they differ a lot. Curd rice, Khichdi and Lemon rice are the better everyday choices; Jeera rice (2.5/5, moderate fit) is better kept to a smaller portion or an occasional meal. Adding vegetables, dal or curd on the side and keeping to one serving matters as much as which variety you pick.

Common questions about rice dishes

How many calories are in rice dishes?

About 228 to 410 kcal per serving, depending on the variety. Lemon rice is the lightest and Khichdi the heaviest.

Which rice dish has the fewest calories?

Lemon rice, with about 228 kcal for 1 plate, about 140 g.

Which rice dish is best for weight management?

Curd rice, Khichdi and Lemon rice rate highest at 3.0/5, moderate fit. Ratings combine calories per gram, protein and fibre per 100 kcal, and the size of a regular serving, each scored against fixed limits.

How much walking uses the energy in a serving of rice dish?

For a 70 kg adult walking briskly, about 45 min for Lemon rice and 1 hr 20 min for Khichdi.

Is rice bad for weight management?

No. Rice is fine in a weight-management diet when the serving is a regular one and the plate also has dal, vegetables and curd or another protein.

Is brown rice better than white rice?

Brown rice has more fibre, which helps you feel full, but its calories per bowl are similar. The amount on the plate matters more.

About these ratings

Each rating combines four things, each scored from 0 to 100 against fixed limits: calories per gram (35%), protein per 100 kcal (25%), fibre per 100 kcal (20%), and the size of a regular serving compared with what that kind of dish should provide in a meal (20%). More than 15 g of added sugar in a serving caps the rating at 2 stars. A higher rating does not mean a dish causes weight loss. See the methodology for the formula.