​Which Is Healthier: Soy Milk or Rice Milk?

The dairy aisle is a slippery slope when it comes to your health. Cow's milk isn't the bees knees we always thought it was, especially when the cows are fed growth hormones and antibiotics, which find their way into the milk and then into our bodies, where they get up to all kinds of no good. Luckily, cows aren't the only organisms that can provide us with milk for our coffee or cereal or to drink ice cold with warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies. Soy milk and rice milk can provide a nutritional punch without the scary chemicals.

Benefits of Soy Milk

Soy is a great source of plant-based protein. While most plant-based proteins don't contain all of the amino acids that make them a complete protein, soy milk is an exception, with seven grams of high-quality protein per cup.

Soy milk is also a great source of iron. Up to 20 percent of women are iron deficient, a condition which can wreak havoc with your organs. One cup of soy milk contains 1.1 milligrams of iron.

Who Should Avoid Soy Milk

Although soy milk is a fine choice for many, certain people should avoid it. Women with a history of breast cancer may want to avoid it due to its properties that mimic the hormone estrogen, and those with diabetes should avoid sugary varieties of soy milk, like chocolate and vanilla, which aren't all that healthy anyway.

Benefits of Rice Milk

Rice milk is great for people who have dairy allergies. Lactose intolerance makes drinking cow milk uncomfortable, and soy and almond milk can exacerbate nut allergies. Rice milk is also a good choice for those looking to improve their cardiovascular health, since it has no cholesterol and only 1 gram of fat per serving. Additionally, the niacin and vitamin C in rice milk combine with rice bran oil to effectively lower cholesterol. Rice milk is also high in magnesium and can therefore help lower your blood pressure.

Who Should Avoid Rice Milk

Rice milk isn't right for everyone. It's much lower in protein than soy milk, almond milk, and cow milk, so it may not taste as rich or make you feel as full as other types of milk. People with diabetes should avoid rice milk, since the starches in rice transfer to the milk, making it considerably more sugary than soy, almond, or cow milk.

Unless you have specific health considerations that need to guide your milk choices, you can't go wrong with either soy or rice milk, so choose whichever type makes your taste buds happy.

Bottoms up!