Rice milk: is the rice drink the best milk alternative?

If you live vegan or suffer from a lactose intolerance, rice milk is a substitute for cow's milk. We will tell you whether this is actually a healthy and ecological alternative.

Rice milk: is the rice drink the best milk alternative?

In addition to soy milk and almond milk, rice milk is a popular alternative to conventional milk. Rice milk is free of lactose, gluten and milk protein. Since it is not real milk, rice milk is often sold commercially as a rice drink.

• Whole grain rice is cooked, mashed, diluted with water, filtered and then fermented. Fermentation with the help of bacteria maintains the consistency.
• Filtering means that most of the nutrients are lost during production. Some manufacturers therefore add proteins and minerals such as calcium afterwards. A little sugar is often added to the taste.
• The end product does not contain much of the original whole grain rice. The fat content is low, the carbohydrate content is comparatively high at around 10 percent. With 49 calories per 100 ml, rice milk provides quite a lot of energy.
• Rice milk is not really healthy, but it is also not unhealthy. Rice milk cannot replace cow's milk as a source of protein. Infants should also not be switched from cow's milk to rice milk, as this can lead to malnutrition. Rice milk, on the other hand, is an acceptable alternative for allergy sufferers.

In the next practical tip, we will show you the best alternatives to milk.