Rice Milk Vs Soy Milk

Milk and milk products are a good source of essential vitamins, calcium and proteins. However, there are certain people who develop intolerance against dairy milk and related products, while others turn vegan and hence search for alternatives for dairy milk. It is important for a person allergic to dairy products to search for a good alternative in order to complete his/her diet. Although alternatives to milk that possess the same texture are limited, three names come forward, i.e., almond milk, rice milk and soy milk that quite suit this category. Almond milk is a quality substitute for milk, but is pretty expensive and might not be affordable by average man. This leaves us with two other substitute, soy milk and rice milk. Now the question that arises is which amongst the two is a better substitute for milk? This article brings forth the difference between rice milk and soy milk and tries to throw some light on the common queries on these possible milk substitutes.

Difference Between Rice Milk And Soy Milk

• The most important of all the differences between rice milk and soy milk is the ingredient they are made out of. Rice milk is made out of rice, whereas soy milk is made from soybeans. Brown rice or rice flour is generally put to use to make rice milk, while soybeans are used to make soy milk.
• Another difference between rice milk and soy milk is that rice milk is not usually sweetened or flavoured; on the other hand soy milk gets flavoured with chocolate or essences like vanilla. Both rice and soy milk can be bought in sanitized cans or tins.
• There is also difference in the way both rice milk and soy milk are prepared. Rice milk gets prepared through a special process in which the rice goes through a mill stream. This diffusing process makes the milk strain out of the grains. Rice milk can also be obtained by boiling or blending and straining rice. Whereas, soybean is soaked in water and then grounded to a paste in order to prepare soy milk. The paste form of soy bean is then strained out and the milk is collected.
• Both, rice milk and soy milk are different even when it comes to their nutritional values. Soy milk is high in quality proteins, B vitamins and is also lactose free. Soy milk is also rich in phosphorous, riboflavin, vitamin A, saturated fat and fatty acids.It is also cholesterol free and helps in preventing prostate cancer. On the other hand, rice milk is famous among vegetarians and can be used as a substitute for dairy milk. Rice milk is rich in carbohydrates and is also armed with B vitamins, calcium, minerals and irons. Rice milk is also lactose free and cholesterol free, similar to soy milk.
• Soy milk contains more grams of protein than rice milk and rice milk contains almost no protein or calcium. To be specific, soy milk contains 8 grams of protein per serving while rice milk contains less than 1 gram per equal serving size. Soy milk is also rich in B vitamins that help strengthen many muscle functions.
• When it comes to the health benefits, rice milk does not seem to provide much health benefit when compared to soy milk. Rice milk lack in essential vitamins and minerals and calcium and iron is the only mineral other than limited amount of health fats and protein provided by rice milk.
• Soy is common food allergens and there are people who develop allergies. But, rice milk does not contain any such allergen which makes it a healthy non-dairy option even for individuals who are allergic to soybean.
• Rice milk, as mentioned earlier, is high in carbohydrates and therefore if you happen to be on a low-carbohydrate diet, you will have to avoid rice milk. In such a situation, soy milk which is low in carbohydrates becomes a better option than rice milk.