Rice plant and seeds

Rice is a cereal, so it doesn’t have lactose or cholesterol. Unlike oat and spelt, it´s also glutenfree.

If it is whole-grain rice, it provides more nutrients and fibre than the white one (because of this helps to avoid constipation). Whole-grain rice is rich in vitamins, mineralsand oligoelementsthat are lost in the white one.

Whole-grain rice germ is rich in B vitamins, specially Thiamin or vitamin B1, riboflavin or B2 (necessary to create red corpuscles and for a proper growth) and Niacin or vitamin B3 (to decrease cholesterol level in blood).

Rice milk has half the calories of the other vegetal drinks, which makes it advisable in a diet to loose weight (it supplies approximately the same calories as skimmed milk).

It has a low amount of Sodium, but a high amount of Potassium, so it is considered a hypotensive drink that reduces high blood pressure, regulating pulse frequency. Moreover, its fatty acids are essential (polyunsaturated).

Very refreshing, and easy to digest, is ideal for children, the elders, people allergic to cow’s milk and, specially, for all those who have heavy or difficult digestion, gastritis or ulcer.

Specially recommended for diabetics (if no sweeteners are added) because its carbohydrates are digested slowly and they supply energy without changing the glucose level in blood.

Due to its tryptophan and B group vitamins content, rice is known among some people as “serenity seed”, because these are fundamental ingredients in energy production and in the balance of the nervous system.

It can be drunk as a soft drink, with cocoa or cereals, at anytime of the day.

From a gastronomic point of view, it may be used, as other milks such as almond milk, as an ingredient in the preparation of different dishes (sauce, purée, cream, desserts, ice cream, etc).

It is important to know that, if we want to replace cow’s milk with rice milk, we must add Calcium and Iron, because rice milk does not contain these minerals. Add sesame seeds o some nuts, for example, are healthy and tasty options. You can see some recipes in this link.