Rice milk: is it good for you?

What is rice milk? 

Rice milk is made by blending cooked or soaked rice with water and straining the mixture to produce a light, naturally sweet liquid.

It is the sweetest tasing of all the plant-based milks. 

Most rice milks are fortified with calcium and vitamin B12, and may contain added oils, salt, stabilisers or emulsifiers to improve texture.

Rice milk is naturally dairy‑free and lactose‑free, making it suitable for people avoiding dairy milk. 

Like all plant‑based dairy alternatives, it cannot legally be called ‘milk’ in the UK – only animal milks can. This is why you will see it labelled as ‘rice drink’, even though it is widely known as rice milk. 

Most rice-based drinks are classed as ultra‑processed foods (UPFs), because of added ingredients.

This does not automatically make them unhealthy. They can still fit into a balanced diet, but it does mean the ingredients list matters. 

Is rice milk healthy?

Rice milk is naturally low in saturated fat and very low in protein, usually less than 1g per 100ml compared to 4g in dairy milk, because rice itself contains very little of either.  

It is lower in calories than whole cow’s milk, although sweetened versions can be higher. 

A key difference with rice milk is its free sugar content.

During production, the starch in rice is broken down into simple sugars, which means that even unsweetened rice milks contain naturally occurring free sugars.  

These are the type we are advised to limit because they are easily absorbed into the bloodstream and can contribute to tooth decay and excess calorie intake. 

Rice milk has an additional restriction. While other plant-based drinks such as soya, oat or almond can be given to children from 1 year old, rice milk should not be given to children under 5 years. 

This is because rice plants naturally absorb small amounts of inorganic arsenic from the soil, and this becomes more concentrated in drinks made from rice.

Cooked rice is safe for young children, as part of a balanced diet, however. 

The UK’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommends choosing sugar‑free, fortified plant-based drinks with added calcium, vitamin B12 and iodine to match the key nutrients in cow’s milk. 

When choosing a rice milk, look for unsweetened, fortified versions and check the label for added oils or sugars. 

How cow’s milk and plant alternatives compare nutritionally

The below table shows the nutritional values in 100mls of 6 plant-based milk alternatives compared with full-fat cow's milk.

The numbers are averages – rounded up 1 decimal point – taken from Nutritics and milk.co.uk. They are for unsweetened products. Data on sweetened products is shown in brackets where they differ.

Source: A Nutritional and Environmental Impact Comparison of Skim Dairy Milk and Plant Beverages: A Review

*added ingredient

Is rice milk good for cholesterol? 

Rice milk is low in saturated fat, so it can be a helpful swap if you are replacing whole or semi‑skimmed milk as part of a heart‑healthy diet. 

However, unlike oat milk (beta-glucans) or soya milk (soy protein), rice milk does not contain any specific cholesterol‑lowering compounds such as beta‑glucans or soy protein. 

Can I cook with rice milk? 

Rice milk can be used in many everyday foods and drinks such as smoothies, porridge, light baking, tea and coffee.  

Its naturally sweet flavour works well in desserts and breakfast dishes. 

However, because it is very low in protein, it does not thicken or set in the same way as dairy milk. This means it is not ideal for recipes that rely on milk proteins, such as custards, creamy sauces, set puddings or ice cream.   

For these, a higher protein milk alternative such as soya milk is a better choice. 

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