Plain rice vs tomato rice: calories and protein compared
Short answer: for fat loss pick plain rice; for muscle gain tomato rice does more. The numbers are per usual serving, so check the serving sizes in the table.
| Per serving | Plain rice | Tomato rice |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | 1 katori · 150 g | 1 katori · 180 g |
| Calories | 195 kcal | 259 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g | 5 g |
| Carbs | 42 g | 44 g |
| Fat | 0 g | 6 g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.3 g | 1.9 g |
| Calories from fat | 0% | 21% |
What the numbers say
- Tomato rice has 64 kcal more a serving than plain rice. One serving of tomato rice has the calories of about 1.3 servings of plain rice.
- Protein is about the same (5 vs 5 g).
- For protein per calorie, plain rice wins with 2.3 g per 100 kcal.
Which to pick
- Losing fat: Plain rice, because it gives more protein for each calorie, which keeps you full and protects muscle.
- Building muscle: Tomato rice, because it brings more protein a serving.
- Either way: the cooking fat moves both numbers most. Halving the oil or ghee is the easiest cut.