Rice
1,594 foods contain this ingredient
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About Rice
Rice is a cereal grain milled into whole, broken, or bran form and used across the pet food industry mainly as a digestible starch source.
Rice is a common carbohydrate source and binder in dog and cat foods, supplying readily digestible energy and often used in formulations for sensitive stomachs or hypoallergenic diets. White rice is gentle and easy to digest while brown rice provides more fiber and micronutrients, but rice is low in essential amino acids, has a relatively high glycemic index, and can accumulate trace arsenic, so it should not be relied on as a primary protein and portions should be considered for diabetic or weight‑management pets.
Related ingredients
- Derived from
- cereal grain (Oryza sativa)
- Primary role
- digestible carbohydrate and energy source
Why it's used
Rice starch breaks down efficiently into glucose during digestion, which is why boiled white rice is frequently recommended as part of bland, easy-to-digest meals for dogs with gastrointestinal upset. In extruded kibble, rice also functions as a binder that helps hold the kibble shape together.
Common concerns
- Trace arsenic accumulation Rice plants take up arsenic from flooded paddy soil more readily than most other grains, and rice-based pet foods have been measured containing trace arsenic levels, with brown rice generally testing higher than white rice because the arsenic concentrates in the outer bran layer.
- Glycemic response White rice produces a comparatively fast rise in blood glucose after a meal, which is a consideration some veterinarians raise for dogs and cats managing diabetes or weight.
- Incomplete amino acid profile Rice is a carbohydrate source rather than a protein source and does not supply a complete essential amino acid profile on its own, so it is formulated alongside animal or other protein ingredients rather than relied on in isolation.
Also relevant
White rice and brown rice differ mainly in fiber and micronutrient content, since brown rice retains the bran and germ that milling removes from white rice.
3 sources cited
- Boiled white rice is used in gastrointestinal diets because it is highly digestible and leaves less undigested residue in the intestine
- Rice-based pet foods can contain trace arsenic, with brown rice generally testing higher than white rice
- White rice has a comparatively high glycemic response versus other carbohydrate sources used in dog diets
Common Questions
What category is Rice?
Rice is categorized as a grain ingredient in the KibbleLab database.
Is Rice part of an allergen group?
Yes. Rice is grouped under the Grains allergen group in the KibbleLab database.
Which foods contain Rice?
1,594 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Rice, including Hill's Science Diet, Holistic Select, Iams.
Foods with Rice
Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.
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