Rice

Rice may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.

Rice was domesticated in Asia thousands of years ago, and today it is a beloved staple food for nearly half of the world’s population. While “brown rice” and “white rice” are common ingredients across cultures, rice is actually incredibly diverse in flavor and origin. Arborio rice, basmati rice, bomba rice, sticky rice—there are more than 100,000 varieties in this diverse family of grasses, and each has distinct tastes and culinary applications. Cooking processes also change the way rice tastes and functions in a dish: more liquid can turn rice into a hearty congee or porridge, while other preparations can lead to a consistency that can be shaped into balls, blocks, or rolls.

Yes, as part of a varied diet. Rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates to provide quick energy, and enriched white rice offers great amounts of folate and a dash of iron.v Generally speaking, brown rice and other whole-grain varieties of rice contain more protein, vitamins, and minerals than white rice. Note, however, that rice and, particularly, processed rice products like infant rice cereal can contain varying amounts of arsenic, a heavy metal the grain soaks up from polluted environments that can cause negative neurodevelopmental effects when consumed in great excess. Soaking and rinsing rice before cooking can help remove some of the arsenic. In general, you need not be concerned with baby consuming rice as long as it is part of an overall varied diet. 

★ Tip: Research suggests that a varied diet with nutrients like folate and vitamins B12, C, and E can help the body combat arsenic’s effects.

It’s complicated. While rice is named as a choking hazard for babies younger than 12 months old by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (United States), it is not included in the US Department of Agriculture Food & Nutrition Service list of choking hazards among young children. For rice in its whole form, aspiration (when something is breathed into the airway, but does not block it) is more likely than true choking. This is particularly of concern with loose rice grains, which can be challenging for babies to manage in the mouth and can scatter as baby tries to swallow. Single, loose grains of rice are small enough to be aspirated in the event of an uncoordinated swallow. Rice products like mochi and other steamed rice cakes are a common cause of choking and aspiration in some regions, due to their chewy, dense, and sticky consistency. To reduce the risk of aspiration and choking, mix loose grains of rice into sauce or a soft, scoopable food and wait until at least age 3 to serve steamed rice cakes. As always, create a safe eating environment and stay within reach of baby during meals. For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.

No. Rice is not a common IgE-mediated food allergen. However, rice is a known trigger for FPIES—food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, an increasingly recognized non-IgE mediated food allergy in children that can be severe and life-threatening. Unlike most food allergy reactions that occur within minutes of contact with a specific food trigger, FPIES allergic reactions occur within hours after consuming a particular food. For this reason, FPIES is sometimes known as a delayed food allergy. Symptoms include delayed vomiting (typically 1 to 4 hours after ingesting the food trigger) and/or experiencing diarrhea 5 to 10 hours after ingestion. Other symptoms include low blood pressure, low body temperature, extreme pallor, repetitive vomiting, and significant dehydration. Thankfully, most cases of FPIES will completely resolve during toddlerhood. Children who have been diagnosed with FPIES must be followed closely by an allergist or pediatric gastroenterologist. If baby has pre-existing FPIES to another food, talk to your allergist about how best to introduce other solid foods that may have a higher risk for inducing FPIES.

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity of rice for the first few servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the serving size over future meals.

Yes, rice and a number of common foods can contain varying amounts of arsenic. The biggest potential sources of arsenic in the diet generally come from arsenic-contaminated well water, processed fruit juices (especially apple and grape juice), and highly-processed forms of rice such as infant rice cereal.

Arsenic is a heavy metal that is present in the environment and, as a result, also in many foods that absorb the metal from the soil or water in which they are grown. Inorganic arsenic (one of the two types of arsenic) is of greater concern because it is recognized as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization, and it can have negative neurodevelopmental effects for children. Both inorganic and organic arsenic occur naturally in the environment—the fundamental difference between the two is in their chemical structures, which is why our bodies interact with them differently.

Rice (along with many fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants) has trace amounts of arsenic due to arsenic present in the water and soil in which the plant grows. Arsenic gets into the soil and water through the use of arsenic-based pesticides, animal feeds, fertilizers, and other contaminants, and once there, the arsenic is absorbed by the plants growing in that area. The amount of contamination varies by location, and as a result, the amount of arsenic in rice depends on where it grew and how it was processed.

Generally, white or polished rice tends to be lower in arsenic compared to brown rice. This is because arsenic is more concentrated in the grain’s outer layer, which is stripped off to make white rice. Varieties like white basmati rice and white sushi rice generally tend to be lower in arsenic, although it varies by region.

Yes, the arsenic in rice can be reduced in a variety of ways. First, to minimize arsenic exposure, purchase white rice (also called “polished” rice). You can also follow these steps to reduce the arsenic in any variety of rice:

The 2-part cooking method can work with a rice cooker: simply boil rice in a large pot of water, drain and rinse, and then proceed with using the rice cooker. It also works with an Instant Pot or pressure cooker: use the “sauté” function to boil rice in water, drain, and proceed with a recipe’s instructions.

If you do not have time to take these steps, try not to stress. Know that by simply avoiding arsenic-contaminated well water, fruit juices, and highly processed forms of rice such as infant rice cereal and puffed rice cakes, you are already avoiding the biggest sources of dietary arsenic.

Not necessarily. Organically-grown rice absorbs arsenic in the same way as conventionally-grown rice. Arsenic levels depend on where the rice was grown, and even organic rice can be exposed to environmental arsenic.

Both white and brown rice can be a part of a balanced and healthy diet for babies. Generally, brown rice tends to have more arsenic than white rice, but also offers more vitamins and minerals, while white rice commonly has less arsenic but fewer nutrients. Keep in mind that rice can be prepared in a number of ways to help reduce the overall arsenic content.

Many grain varieties are low in arsenic, like amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, farro, millet, polenta, quinoa, and teff. Generally, these alternatives are lower in arsenic than rice, although quantities vary depending on where the plants grew. Including these grains in your rotation of foods is a helpful way to incorporate more variety, help expose baby to new foods, and reduce baby’s arsenic exposure. 

Store-bought rice cereals are a condensed form of rice, meaning that they can be higher in arsenic. When possible, choose fortified cereals that use multiple grains, including oats. Alternatively, consider making rice cereal from scratch at home and use a variety of rice that tends to have lower levels of arsenic, such as white basmati or white sushi rice. You can also serve warm cereals made with alternative grains that tend to have less arsenic, including amaranth seed, barley, bulgur (wheat), corn, farro (wheat), or millet, which have been shown to contain the lowest levels of heavy metals compared to other grains. Store-bought fortified infant rice cereal is a common first food in some regions, but there’s no developmental or nutritional need to start solids with baby cereal, since there are lots of age-appropriate, iron-rich first foods to help baby meet their early nutritional needs.

In general, we look for thin, soft multi-grain “rice” cakes or teething rusks that soften easily on contact with saliva and do not rely solely on rice as an ingredient. Examples include Suzie’s spelt cakes, Suzie’s corn and quinoa cakes, or Lundberg’s whole grain cakes. This information is not sponsored—we simply want to give you examples as a starting point in your research. Avoid rice crackers, thick puffed rice cakes, and steamed rice cakes such as mochi, all of which pose a higher choking risk.

It depends on the variety. Brown rice and other whole-grain varieties offer soluble and insoluble fibers that help support healthy gut bacteria, bulk up poop, and hydrate the intestines for healthy digestion and bowel movements. On the other hand, white rice contains little to no fiber, which can slow down the processes of digestion and pooping. Remember that pooping patterns can vary significantly from baby to baby. If you have concerns about baby’s pooping and digestive function, talk to your pediatric healthcare provider.