Cashew Milk vs Rice Milk: What’s The Difference?

In this article, we are going to compare cashew milk and rice milk to see how they compare in many aspects including calories, nutritional content, taste, usage, effects on weight loss, and environment.

To make this comparison as fair as possible and get a realistic picture of how cashew and rice milk compare, we’ve used USDA’s date on products that are unsweetened and that aren’t fortified or that are minimally fortified if the completely unfortified product isn’t available.

Both cashew and rice milk are dairy-free, and therefore suitable for vegans and people that stick to a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons, but there are also many differences between these plant-based drinks.

Let’s see what cashew and rice drinks are, how they are produced, and finally how they compare in various ways.

What is Cashew Milk and How It’s Made?

The market for substitute milk is growing day by day. This sector, which was formerly dominated by almond, oat, and soy products, now has a range of plant-based milk, which each offers a different taste and unique nutritional advantages.

Cashew milk seems to be an ideal compromise, offering a low-calorie alternative with a creamier texture than most nut milk. It also is packed with minerals, healthy fats, vitamins, and other plant-based elements.

Cashew milk, which is available in sweetened and unsweetened variants, may substitute for cow’s milk in the majority of recipes.

Cashew milk has a range of beneficial lipids, proteins, minerals, and vitamins, including cashews themselves.

This incredibly nutritious beverage gets the majority of its content from unsaturated fatty acids, which are known to improve heart health and give a variety of other advantages.

In comparison to handmade cashew milk, commercial varieties are often enriched with additional minerals and vitamins and they contain greater quantities of certain components overall.

What is Rice Milk and How It’s Made?

Rice milk is a beverage that is frequently used as a plant-based substitute for milk made from dairy animals.

In spite of the fact that it is widely referred to as “rice milk,” the name “milk” may technically only be utilized to refer to a dairy beverage that originates from cows, in accordance with the requirements set by the FDA.

In the event that you go to the grocery in search of rice milk, you will most likely come across packets that are labeled as “rice non-dairy beverage” or “rice drink”.

Thanks to its composition, rice milk is not only a good option for vegans and lactose intolerant but also provides a rich mineral and nutritional supplement, while at the same time it has low fat and energy value.

Rice, either brown or white, combined with water may be used to manufacture one’s own rice milk.

Brown rice, sweeteners, brown rice syrup, plant-based oils, or flavorings like vanilla are often included in industrial ones. Brown rice may also be the primary ingredient.

The vast majority of varieties of rice milk are supplemented with additional minerals. Rice milk often has increased quantities of B vitamins, calcium, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin A in order to make it nearly similar to cow’s milk.

Cashew vs Rice Milk Nutrition and Calories

In this section, we’ll analyze the similarities and differences between cashew milk and rice milk based on nutritional information provided by USDA.

Macronutrients

Plant-based milks mostly consist of water, and cashew and rice milks are no exceptions.

3.5 oz or 100 g of cashew milk contains 54 calories, and consists mostly of fat (4.17 g), followed by carbs (2.92 g) and protein (1.67 g).

Speaking of rice milk, the same amount contains 47 calories, and consists mostly of carbs (9.17 g), followed by fat (0.97 g) and protein (0.28 g).

The table below compares the nutrition of a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) portion of cashew milk to the same amount of rice milk.

Fiber

Fiber is important for our health as it keeps us feeling full, prevents constipation, lowers sugar spikes and regulates sugar levels, lowers total and LDL cholesterol, and provides many other benefits.

When it comes to dietary fiber, rice milk is a better choice. It contains 0.3 g per 3.5oz (100g), while cashew milk is lower in dietary fiber with 0 g.

Micronutrients

What about micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in cashew and rice milk?

The table below shows the most important vitamins and minerals in unfortified or minimally fortified plant-based drinks available in the market. Some of these nutrients are hard to get on a vegan diet.

Weight Loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, you probably want to know whether cashew or rice milk is better for you.

Cashew and cashew are very similar in calories.

Cashew milk has 54 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g), while rice milk has 47 calories, so speaking strictly about calories, there’s no much difference.

Cashew vs Rice Milk Taste and Uses

Cashew milk is a nut-based milk alternative similar to almond milk. Cashew milk is a little creamier than almond milk.

Most people prefer cashew milk to almond milk because of its thick consistency and mild taste. It has a subtle nutty flavor that may complement your baked items.

Cashew milk can be used to make creamy smoothies, soups, and pasta sauces. You can use it as a cream alternative with oat milk in a cream-based sauce.

You can add cashew milk to puddings and even use it to make vegan ice cream. Cashew milk with less water can give a cheesy consistency. You can use it for your vegan mac and cheese.

It can be also used as a salad dressing as well. You can add cashew milk to your breakfast cereals and oatmeal.

Rice milk has a subtle rice-y and sweet aftertaste with a watery consistency.

The slightly sweet taste of rice milk is because of the fermentation process. Rice milk complements many sweet and savory dishes without overpowering them.

It is an excellent choice for baking, working with thickening agents like cornstarch. Its watery consistency makes it easier to mix it with cornstarch without lumping.

You can use rice milk to make light sauces and soups. You can also use it in fruit and vegetable smoothies.

Rice milk can be also used to make vegan ice-creams. You can also add it to coffee and oatmeal. Sweet and fruity flavors go well with rice milk.

Conclusion

Cashew milk and rice milk are both plant-based, non-dairy beverages, suitable for vegans.

Cashew milk and rice milk have their similarities and differences, but both are nutritious and a healthful addition to your diet. When available, always choose unsweetened, fortified products or try making them at home.

Plant milks, including cashew and rice milks are easy to add to a diet, and can be used in varieties of recipes and dishes.

Fortified products will help get different nutrients, including micronutrients that are usually hard to get on a plant-based diet, such as vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium and others.

If you’re willing to learn more about these non-dairy milks, read our articles about them: Cashew Milk and Rice Milk.

In case you’v liked this article, we’ve got a tool that lets you compare the most popular plant-based milks.

Other Cashew Milk Comparisons

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Other Rice Milk Comparisons

• Almond Milk vs Rice Milk
• Barley Milk vs Rice Milk
• Coconut Milk vs Rice Milk
• Macadamia Milk vs Rice Milk
• Oat Milk vs Rice Milk
• Pea Milk vs Rice Milk
• Rice Milk vs Soy Milk