Is rice milk safe for toddlers to drink daily?
No. Daily rice milk exposes a small child to more arsenic than any health authority recommends.
What's actually in it
Rice milk is made from rice plus water. Because rice absorbs more inorganic arsenic than other grains, rice milk concentrates that arsenic at a level a small body shouldn't be getting daily.
The U.K. Food Standards Agency has specifically advised against rice milk for kids under 5 for this reason.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Food Chem Toxicol measured arsenic and other metals across rice-based foods given to kids. Daily rice milk served to a toddler pushed estimated arsenic intake above international tolerable daily intake limits.
For a milk alternative at this age, oat milk, pea milk, or soy milk (if no allergy) all have much less arsenic. Talk to your pediatrician about the right fit for your child.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| The content of metallic trace elements in rice-containing products. | Food Chem Toxicol | 2025 |
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