Rice Milk: Nutrition, Arsenic Advice and Is It Healthy?

Rice milk is a plant drink made from rice and water, usually with a little oil, salt and added nutrients. It is thin and naturally sweet, and rice is not one of the nine major food allergens, which is why it appeals to people with milk, soy or nut allergies. The tradeoffs are real, though: USDA data show almost no protein and a fair amount of sugar even in an unsweetened carton, and food safety agencies have a specific message about rice drinks and young children because of inorganic arsenic. This guide covers rice milk nutrition per cup, how it compares with other milks, what the UK and US agencies say about arsenic, and an honest answer to whether rice milk is healthy.

Peptide Labs does not sell rice milk or rice drinks. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

Rice milk nutrition: what USDA lists per cup

The USDA SR Legacy database has one rice milk entry, labeled unsweetened (FDC 171942). The values below are for one 8-ounce serving of 240 grams. Percent Daily Values use the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels.

Two things stand out. First, nearly all the calories come from carbohydrate, and USDA counts 12.7 grams of total sugars even though the entry is labeled unsweetened. Second, the calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A and B12 reflect a fortified product. The USDA entry for plain raw white rice (FDC 169756) lists no vitamin B12 and no vitamin D at all, so a carton without added nutrients will look very different. Check the Nutrition Facts panel of the carton you actually drink, including the added sugars line, which sweetened versions fill in.

How rice milk compares with other milks

The USDA entries below are all fortified products, one cup each. They show the pattern you will see on most shelves rather than any one brand.

Rice milk sits close to 2% dairy milk for calories and sugars but has about one tenth of a gram of protein for every gram in dairy milk. Fortified soy drinks are the only plant option in the table with protein in the same range as dairy; our soy milk guide covers them. If you are comparing cartons for other reasons, see our guides to oat drinks, coconut drinks and the sibling article on cashew milk. If rice milk is your main milk, protein has to come from elsewhere in the diet, and our high protein foods list is a place to start.

Rice milk and arsenic: what food agencies say

Rice plants absorb arsenic as they grow. The FDA says rice tends to absorb arsenic more readily than other crops, but that people can eat rice as part of a well-balanced diet. Inorganic arsenic is the form agencies focus on, and rice drinks are made from the grain itself. People searching for rice milk arsenic advice usually land on the UK guidance below.

The clearest advice on rice drinks comes from the UK Food Standards Agency. Its arsenic in rice guidance says children under five should not be given rice milk as a substitute for breast milk, infant formula or cow’s milk, because young children tend to drink more milk for their lower body weight. The same guidance says children over five and adults can drink rice milk as part of a balanced diet. The US FDA consumer page on limiting arsenic exposure does not address rice drinks; its infant advice is about rice cereal, saying iron-fortified rice cereal should not be a baby’s only source of nutrients and does not need to be the first, and noting oat, barley and multigrain cereals as other options. In August 2020 the FDA set an action level of 100 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic for infant rice cereals; that level applies to infant cereal, not to rice drinks.

• For adults and older children: the agencies quoted here do not advise against rice milk; variety across grains and drinks spreads out exposure from any single food.
• For children under five: follow the UK advice and ask your pediatrician which milk suits your child, especially with a milk or soy allergy.
• For rice itself: our brown rice guide explains the FDA cooking advice for the grain.

Is rice milk healthy? A fair answer

Whether rice milk is healthy depends on what it replaces and what else you eat. As a drink for an adult who eats protein foods and gets calcium elsewhere, a fortified carton can fit well, and it is one of the few milks free of milk, soy, tree nuts and peanuts in one product. As the main milk for a small child, it falls short on protein and raises the arsenic question above.

• Strengths: allergy-friendly for many people, lactose free, low in fat with no saturated fat listed by USDA, and often fortified with calcium, vitamin D and B12.
• Weak points: very little protein, high carbohydrate for a drink, and sugars even in unsweetened versions; people watching blood sugar may want our low glycemic foods guide.
• Lactose intolerance: rice milk has no lactose, but lactose-free dairy is another option; our lactase guide explains how that works.
• Additives: many cartons use oils and gums for texture; see our guides to xanthan gum and carrageenan for what the research shows.

Dietary Guidelines, babies and fortification

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 say plant drinks such as almond, rice, coconut, oat and hemp milks may supply calcium but are not part of the dairy group, because their overall nutrition is not similar to dairy milk and fortified soy beverages. Among plant milk alternatives, only fortified soy beverage counts as a dairy equivalent. The same guidelines say plant milks should not be used in the first year of life to replace human milk or infant formula. If you rely on rice milk, our guides to foods high in calcium, vitamin D foods and B12 foods show other ways to cover those nutrients.

Reading a rice milk label

• Fortification: look for calcium, vitamin D and B12 on the Nutrition Facts panel; organic or homemade drinks may have none.
• Added sugars: unsweetened and original versions can differ a lot; the added sugars line shows what was added beyond the rice.
• Protein: expect around one gram or less per cup unless the drink adds a protein source, which then needs an allergen check.
• Allergens: some blends add almonds, other nuts or soy, and the allergen statement must name them. If you are unsure what is causing symptoms, our elimination diet guide explains why testing should be supervised.
• Shelf-stable or chilled: follow the carton’s storage and use-by instructions once opened.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Cashew Milk: Nutrition, Allergy Facts and How It Compares, Oat Milk: Nutrition, Added Sugars, Gluten and How It Compares to Milk, Soy Milk: Nutrition, Fortification and Soy Milk vs Milk.