My easy anti-inflammatory rice milk is a great milk alternative, especially if you are intolerant to coconut and almond milk.

Here’s an interesting conversation I have all the time with clients that goes something like this:

Client: “I see you’ve added white rice to my protocol, isn’t white rice ‘bad’ for you?”

Me: “Actually, white rice is anti-inflammatory and depending on the strain, a low GI food when cooked properly and prepared within the right meal context.”

Client: “Hmmm, then why have we always been told that brown rice is better?”

Me: “Because we fail to recognize the fact that traditional cultures always polish the rice grain to remove anti-nutrients (phytin (phytate), trypsin inhibitor, oryzacystatin and haemagglutinin-lectin) that are responsible for poor mineral balance, which can lead to not-so-great health issues.”

This is always an interesting conversation to have. And trust me, I totally get it. When something is ingrained in your brain from time immemorial you just go with the flow. We all experience it and until we know better, we don’t know how to do better.

Yes, white rice is a starch, but it’s definitely not “bad”, and as I mentioned above, the strain, preparation, and meal context makes all the difference in the world.

The goal here is to reduce inflammation with starches that do not retain toxins after cooking like legumes and cereal grains do.

Here’s why:

• As a rule, gentle cooking then cooling leads to a lower glycemic index, while high cooking temperatures lead to a higher glycemic index.
• GI is calculated by eating a single food and only that food. This means that eating a real meal that includes high-quality protein, fat, and starch, significantly decreases the overall GI of that food. Basmati rice has a GI of 58, but when paired with protein and fat, it is significantly lower (around 37).
• Peak blood glucose levels post-meal are what we want to focus on, not glycemic index, which again, is easily kept in balance with meals that include protein, fat, and a safe starch.

Now on to my recipe.

For Anti-Inflammatory Rice Milk You’ll Need the Following:

• Blender (preferably a high speed one such as a VitaMix or BlendTec)
• 4 cups purified/filtered water
• 1 cup cooked and cooled (overnight for 12 hours) organic white sushi rice
• Pinch ground vanilla beans (optional)
• Stevia to taste (organic ground powder from whole leaves or liquid drops, I like Sweet Leaf brand)

Add water then rice to your blender and blend until milky. Then add spices and blend again for a few seconds. No straining required like nut milks! Will last up to 5 days in the fridge.

This is an excellent dairy and nut alternative (nuts are high in copper and over 85% of women are overloaded in copper and don’t even know it). It also makes a great base for protein smoothies and desserts. And unlike coconut milk, it is not high in salicylates, which can be troublesome for many folks. Not to mention you’re leaving behind all the preservatives and junk in carton options.

Here’s a challenge for you: switch out your traditional milk with my anti-inflammatory rice milk for 30 days and see how you feel. Be sure to let me know how it works out for you in the comments below!