Tag: Japanese rice cakes

Japanese rice cakes vary significantly in their calorie content, with one piece of traditional mochi containing around 188 calories, while a baked senbei cracker may have as few as 40. The final nutritional value is dependent on the type of rice used and the cooking method, which can involve deep-frying, baking, or boiling.

According to the Tokyo Fire Department, choking on highly viscous mochi rice cakes is an annual cause for hospitalizations and, in some tragic cases, death. This alarming fact prompts the question: are Japanese rice cakes good for you, or do the risks and nutritional drawbacks outweigh the benefits?