Rice milk and cow milk: far apart on protein, close on calcium only when fortified

The best comparison of plant drinks with cow milk, a network meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials in 543 people lasting at least 3 weeks, found few differences in cardiometabolic markers. Oat drink may lower total cholesterol slightly against rice drink, by 8.9 mg/dL (95% CI 1.9 to 15; metric: 0.23 mmol/L, 0.05 to 0.40), and the authors rate that evidence very uncertain, with rice drink in only a few of the trials. The difference you can count on is in the carton. Per US survey cup of 244 g, rice milk gives 0.7 g of protein against 8.0 g in whole cow milk, and 22.4 g of carbohydrate against 11.3 g. Calcium is close, 288 against 300 mg, only because the rice milk in that record is fortified, so that figure holds for fortified drinks alone. Two small trials in older men found no measurable effect of the protein gap on the outcomes they tested. In 26 sarcopenic men doing resistance training, fat-free mass rose in every group with no difference between milk, soy and a protein-free rice milk control. In 9 such men, cow milk after exercise did not change later energy intake compared with rice milk or water.

How much is actually in it

• The NASPGHAN position paper states that an 8 oz serving of rice milk gives only about 8% of the protein in the same serving of cow milk. — Infants and young children fed plant-based milks Evidence E source
  Rice milk protein about 8% of cow milk per 8 oz serving

What a real portion looks like

• Per US survey cup (244 g), rice milk has 0.7 g protein and 22.4 g carbohydrate versus 8.0 g and 11.3 g in whole cow milk, with similar calcium when fortified (288 vs 300 mg). — Rice milk (FNDDS 11360000) and whole milk (FDC 2705385), 1 cup = 244 g Evidence C source
  Protein 0.7 vs 8.0 g; carbohydrate 22.4 vs 11.3 g; calcium 287.9 vs 300.1 mg per cup

What cooking and storage change

• In 106 matched raw and cooked rice samples from Bangladesh, cooking lowered selenium, molybdenum and nickel and raised barium and strontium. — 106 matched raw rice, cooked rice and urine triplets, Araihazar, Bangladesh (n = 106) Evidence C source
  Molybdenum -202 ng/g, nickel -125 ng/g, selenium -19 ng/g; barium +241 ng/g, strontium +679 ng/g after cooking

What it does to your health

• A network meta-analysis of 14 RCTs (543 people) found few cardiometabolic differences between plant drinks and cow milk, and oat drink may slightly lower total cholesterol by 8.9 mg/dL (0.23 mmol/L) versus rice drink, on very uncertain evidence. — 543 participants in 14 RCTs of at least 3 weeks comparing soy, rice, oat drinks and cow milk (n = 543) Evidence A source
  Oat vs rice drink total cholesterol MD -8.9 mg/dL (-15 to -1.9; metric: -0.23 mmol/L, -0.40 to -0.05), very uncertain; soy vs cow milk LDL MD -18 mg/dL (-0.47 mmol/L), low certainty
• In an RCT of 26 sarcopenic older men doing resistance training, milk or soy protein gave no more muscle or strength gain than a rice milk control. — 26 sarcopenic elderly men, resistance training with milk (n 8), soy (n 8) or rice milk (n 10) (n = 26) Evidence B source
  Fat-free mass rose in all groups; no between-group differences in mass or strength
• In a crossover RCT of 9 sarcopenic older men, a post-exercise cow's milk drink (13 g protein) did not reduce later energy intake compared with isocaloric rice milk or water. — 9 sarcopenic older men aged 64 +/- 3, three single-day conditions (n = 9) Evidence B source
  No difference in appetite, satiety or energy intake; daily fat intake lower after cow's milk (p <= 0.05)

Safety, limits and interactions

• All 25 rice drinks tested on the Italian market met the EU inorganic arsenic limit, yet regular use in early childhood gave a small margin of exposure. — 25 rice-based beverages sold in Italy, exposure modeled by age (n = 25 products) Evidence C source
  All compliant with EU maximum level; small margin of exposure for regular consumers in early childhood
• In a US national survey, 58.2% of infants aged 6-11.9 months ate rice or rice-containing foods on the survey day. — 2635 US infants and toddlers aged 0-24 months (FITS 2016) (n = 2635) Evidence C source
  58.2% of 6-11.9-month-olds consumed rice; mean 11.9 g/d among consumers
• A Dutch total diet study of 1- and 2-year-olds found low margins of exposure for inorganic arsenic at high intake, with rice among the main contributors. — 1- and 2-year-old children in the Netherlands, total diet study 2017 Evidence C source
  P95 inorganic arsenic intake gave low margins of exposure; rice and concentrated fruit juices main sources

Who this works differently for

• A systematic review of 6 studies (15,815 children) linked plant-based milk drinking with lower BMI, height and vitamin D than cow milk, based mostly on observational data. — Children and adolescents aged 1-18 years, 6 studies (n = 15815) Evidence C source
  Lower BMI, height and serum vitamin D with plant-based milk vs cow milk in observational studies

What is still unknown

• The 2025 US Dietary Guidelines evidence review found only one non-randomized trial on milk alternatives and child growth among 43 studies. — Children and adolescents, 43 articles on dairy milk and milk alternatives (n = 43 articles) Evidence C source
  Milk alternatives: 1 NRCT; total milk: 5 RCTs, 1 NRCT, 28 cohorts

The bottom line

Children are where the choice matters most. The North American pediatric gastroenterology society NASPGHAN notes that an 8 oz serving of rice milk gives about 8 percent of the protein in the same serving of cow milk. This page carries no card on plant drinks as a replacement for breast milk or infant formula, and nothing here supports using rice milk that way. A review of 6 studies with 15,815 children aged 1 to 18 linked plant-based milk with lower BMI, height and vitamin D than cow milk. Those were mostly observational studies that lumped all plant drinks together, so they show an association and do not measure an effect of rice milk. The evidence review behind the 2025 US Dietary Guidelines found one non-randomized trial on milk alternatives and growth among 43 studies. Rice drinks also carry inorganic arsenic. All 25 rice drinks tested in Italy met the EU limit, and the authors still modeled a small margin of exposure for young children who drink them regularly, in an estimate from one country. In a Dutch total diet study of 1- and 2-year-olds, rice was among the main sources of inorganic arsenic. In the US, 58.2 percent of infants aged 6 to 11.9 months ate some rice or rice food on the day surveyed, with rice drinks not counted separately. Cooking rice changes its minerals as well. In 106 matched samples from Bangladesh, cooking lowered selenium, molybdenum and nickel and raised barium and strontium, partly from the cooking water.

Sources

1. mkrc-daily-r6-04 · consensus statement
   For almond or rice milk, an 8 oz serving provides only about 2% or 8%, respectively, of the protein equivalent found in a serving of CM.
   J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 2020 · checked 2026-09-29
2. mkrc-daily-r6-07 · food composition data
   Rice milk 1 cup 244 g: Protein 0.7 G; Calcium 287.9 MG; Carbohydrate 22.4 G ... Milk, whole 1 cup 244 g: Protein 8.0 G; Calcium 300.1 MG; Carbohydrate 11.3 G
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, rice milk (FDC 2705411) and whole milk (FDC 2705385) · checked 2026-09-29
3. mkrc-daily-r6-09 · biomonitoring study
   Barium and strontium significantly increased after cooking (mean differences of 241 ng/g and 679 ng/g, respectively), while cesium, selenium, molybdenum, and nickel significantly decreased (mean differences of -12 ng/g, -19 ng/g, -202 ng/g, and -125 ng/g, respectively).
   Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
4. mkrc-daily-r6-01 · network meta-analysis
   Overall, few differences were observed comparing plant-based drinks with another or with cow milk on cardiometabolic outcomes. ... Oat drink may slightly reduce total cholesterol compared with cow milk and rice drink [MD: -0.12 mmol/L (-0.24; -0.01); MD: -0.23 mmol/L (-0.40; -0.05)], but the evidence is very uncertain.
   Adv Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
5. mkrc-daily-r6-02 · randomized controlled trial
   Twenty-six participants were randomized in 3 groups in a double-blind control study. ... The results indicated a significant increase in fat-free mass in all groups and changes in muscle strength, with no differences between groups.
   J Strength Cond Res, 2016 · checked 2026-09-29
6. mkrc-daily-r6-03 · randomized crossover trial
   Appetite, feeling of hunger and satiety and subsequent energy intake were not significantly different between the three experimental conditions.
   Aging Clin Exp Res, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
7. mkrc-daily-r6-08 · exposure assessment
   All samples complied with the European maximum level for iAs in non-alcoholic rice-based beverages. ... Although rice drinks contribute marginally to overall population exposure, estimated intakes for regular consumers in early childhood are associated with a small margin of exposure, raising potential concern for vulnerable subgroups.
   Foods (Basel), 2026, Inorganic Arsenic in Rice-Based Beverages · checked 2026-09-29
8. mkrc-daily-r6-10 · cross-sectional study
   Percentage consuming rice or rice-containing foods was highest for infants aged 6-11.9 months (58.2%), including snacks (32.1%), infant cereal (27.9%), baby food purees (11.1%), and cooked rice (7.7%).
   J Acad Nutr Diet, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
9. mkrc-daily-r6-11 · risk assessment
   Food subgroups contributing most to the intake were "potatoes" for cadmium, "milk and milk-based beverages" for zinc, "concentrated fruit juices" and "rice" for inorganic arsenic, and "candies" for lead.
   Food Chem Toxicol, 2022 · checked 2026-09-29
10. mkrc-daily-r6-05 · systematic review
    Observational studies found that consumption of plant-based milk was associated with lower childhood body mass index (BMI), height, and serum vitamin D concentrations compared with cow milk.
    J Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
11. mkrc-daily-r6-06 · systematic review
    The interventions and exposures assessing intake of dairy milk or milk alternatives in children and adolescents fell into four categories: total milk (5 RCTs, 1 NRCT, 28 PCS), milk stratified by fat content (11 PCS), milk stratified by sweetener content (3 PCS), and milk alternatives (1 NRCT).
    USDA NESR, Dairy Milk and Milk Alternatives and Growth, Body Composition, and Risk of Obesity: A Systematic Review, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29