What Is Cream of Rice and Why Do Bodybuilders Eat It?

What Is Cream of Rice and Why Do Bodybuilders Eat It?

If you’ve spent any time around bodybuilders, physique competitors, or serious athletes, you’ve probably seen cream of rice on their meal plans. It’s been a staple in performance nutrition for decades — and with the rise of flavored options like Elev8 Foods Creamy Rice, it’s more popular than ever.

But if you’re new to the world of performance nutrition, you might be wondering: what exactly is cream of rice, and why do so many athletes swear by it? Here’s the complete guide.

What Is Cream of Rice?

Cream of rice is finely ground white rice that’s been milled into a powder or very fine grain. When cooked with hot water or milk, it dissolves into a smooth, creamy porridge with a mild flavor and a texture similar to grits or polenta — but lighter and more neutral.

Unlike whole grain rice, cream of rice has had the bran and germ removed during milling, which significantly reduces its fiber content. This is actually a feature, not a bug, for athletes — and we’ll explain exactly why in a moment.

Traditional cream of rice (like the Cream of Rice brand you’d find at a grocery store) is plain and unflavored. Modern performance versions like Elev8 Foods Creamy Rice come in 14 flavors — Chocolate Cake, Cinnamon Roll, Strawberry Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Cup, and more — that make it genuinely enjoyable to eat every day.

The Nutritional Profile: Why Athletes Love It

Here’s what a serving of Elev8 Foods Creamy Rice delivers:

• 27g Complex Carbohydrates — a precise, meaningful carb dose for fueling and recovery
• 0g Sugar — clean carbs without the blood sugar spike
• 122 Calories — easy to track and stack with protein and other supplements
• Less than 1g Fat — virtually fat-free, which matters for digestion timing
• Less than 1g Fiber — low fiber is intentional and performance-critical
• All-Natural Ingredients

The combination of high carbs, low fat, low fiber, and minimal sugar is exactly what makes cream of rice so valuable in performance nutrition — and it’s a combination that’s very difficult to find in whole foods.

Why Do Bodybuilders Eat Cream of Rice? The 6 Key Reasons

1. Fast Digestion — Carbs When You Need Them

This is the #1 reason cream of rice is a bodybuilding staple. Because it’s low in fiber and fat, cream of rice digests rapidly — much faster than oatmeal, brown rice, or other whole grain carb sources. This means the carbohydrates reach your bloodstream and your muscles quickly, which is critical in two specific windows:

• Pre-workout: Fast-digesting carbs top off your glycogen stores before training without sitting heavy in your stomach. You get the energy without the GI discomfort.
• Post-workout: After training, your muscles are depleted of glycogen and primed to absorb carbohydrates. Fast-digesting carbs replenish glycogen stores quickly, accelerating recovery and reducing muscle breakdown.

2. Easy on the Stomach

GI discomfort during training is a real performance killer. High-fiber foods like oatmeal, beans, or vegetables can cause bloating, gas, and cramping when eaten too close to a workout. Cream of rice is one of the most GI-friendly carb sources available — its smooth texture and low fiber content make it easy to digest even when eaten 45-60 minutes before training.

This is why cream of rice is especially popular among athletes who train early in the morning and need a carb source that won’t cause problems mid-session.

3. Precise, Trackable Macros

Bodybuilding nutrition is built on precision. Every gram of carbohydrate, protein, and fat is accounted for — and cream of rice makes that precision easy. A single serving of Elev8 Creamy Rice delivers exactly 27g of carbohydrates, 0g of sugar, and 122 calories, every single time. No variability, no guesswork, no hidden ingredients.

Compare that to whole foods like sweet potatoes or oatmeal, where the macro content varies by size, preparation method, and brand. Cream of rice is the most consistent, trackable carb source available.

4. Glycogen Replenishment for Recovery

Glycogen — the stored form of carbohydrates in your muscles and liver — is your body’s primary fuel source during resistance training. Every set you perform depletes glycogen. The faster you replenish it after training, the faster you recover and the better you perform in your next session.

Cream of rice’s fast-digesting carbohydrates make it one of the most effective post-workout glycogen replenishment tools available. Paired with a fast-digesting protein like whey, it creates the ideal post-workout meal for muscle recovery and growth.

5. Easy to Eat in Volume

During a bulk, athletes often need to consume large amounts of carbohydrates — sometimes 400-600g per day or more. Eating that many carbs from whole foods like rice, potatoes, and oatmeal requires enormous volume and can be genuinely difficult to get down.

Cream of rice is calorie-dense relative to its volume and goes down easily even when appetite is low. Two servings of Elev8 Creamy Rice delivers 54g of carbohydrates in a smooth, easy-to-eat bowl that takes minutes to prepare and consume. For athletes who struggle to hit their carb targets, cream of rice is one of the most practical solutions available.

6. Contest Prep Staple

Cream of rice has been a contest prep staple for competitive bodybuilders for decades — and for good reason. During a cut, every calorie counts, and athletes need carb sources that are:

• Precisely trackable (cream of rice ✓)
• Low in fat (cream of rice ✓)
• Zero sugar (Elev8 Creamy Rice ✓)
• Easy to digest (cream of rice ✓)
• Palatable enough to eat every day for weeks (Elev8’s 14 flavors ✓)

Plain white rice checks most of these boxes, but it’s harder to eat in large quantities and takes longer to digest. Cream of rice is the refined, performance-optimized version of white rice — and Elev8’s flavored versions make it sustainable to eat daily without food fatigue.

Cream of Rice vs. Other Common Bodybuilding Carb Sources

Carb Source	Digestion Speed	GI Friendly	Trackable	Flavor Variety	Best Timing
Elev8 Cream of Rice	Fast	✅ Yes	✅ Precise	✅ 14 flavors	Pre/post-workout
White Rice	Moderate-fast	✅ Yes	⚠️ Variable	❌ Plain	Any time
Oatmeal	Slow	⚠️ Can cause GI issues	⚠️ Variable	⚠️ Limited	2+ hrs pre-workout
Sweet Potato	Moderate	✅ Yes	⚠️ Variable by size	❌ Plain	Any time
Bread/Pasta	Moderate	⚠️ Varies	⚠️ Variable	❌ Limited	Any time
Fruit	Fast (fructose)	✅ Yes	⚠️ Variable	✅ Variety	Post-workout

Is Cream of Rice Right for You?

Cream of rice is an excellent choice if you:

• Train regularly and want to optimize pre- and post-workout nutrition
• Track macros and need a precise, consistent carb source
• Have a sensitive stomach and struggle with GI discomfort around training
• Are in a bulk and need to hit high carb targets without eating enormous volumes of food
• Are in contest prep and need a clean, zero-sugar carb source you can eat every day
• Want a carb source that actually tastes good (Elev8’s 14 flavors solve this completely)

It’s not the right choice if you’re primarily focused on fiber intake and long-term digestive health — in that case, oatmeal and whole grains are better options for meals away from your training window.

How to Get Started with Elev8 Creamy Rice

If you’ve never tried cream of rice before, here’s the simplest way to start:

1. Pick a flavor — Chocolate Cake and Cinnamon Roll are our top recommendations for first-timers
2. Mix one serving with 6-8oz of hot water or milk and stir for 60-90 seconds
3. Eat it 60-90 minutes before training or immediately after your session
4. Add a scoop of whey protein for a complete pre- or post-workout meal

That’s it. Simple, effective, and genuinely delicious.

Shop Elev8 Foods Creamy Rice at NF Supps

All 14 flavors of Elev8 Foods Creamy Rice are available now at NF Supps — Cleveland’s home for premium sports nutrition. $24.99 for 25 servings of the #1 cream of rice for athletes.

Shop Elev8 Foods Creamy Rice at NF Supps →

New to cream of rice? Stop by our Cleveland store and we’ll help you find the right flavor and show you how to build it into your nutrition plan. Chocolate Cake is the best place to start — we’ve never had a customer try it and not come back for more.