From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash
Can Babies Eat Riceberry? How to Cook and Serve
Riceberry is a deep purple Thai whole grain rice bred from jasmine and purple rice, rich in fiber and antioxidants. Babies can have it from around 6 months cooked very soft, but as a whole grain rice it carries more arsenic, so serve it occasionally and vary your grains.
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- When to introduce
- 6 months+
- Common allergen?
- Not a common allergen
- Texture
- Cooked very soft and sticky, mashed for a new eater
- Key nutrients
- Carbs, fiber, iron, antioxidants
Riceberry is a striking dark purple rice from Thailand with a soft, slightly chewy bite and a fragrance close to jasmine rice. Its color comes from anthocyanins, the same antioxidants in blueberries. Because it keeps its bran, it is more nourishing than white rice, and for the same reason it holds more arsenic, so it belongs in the rotation rather than on the plate every day.
Prep School: how to prepare riceberry for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées
🍴 Baby-led weaning
🥄 Purées
Is riceberry safe? Choking & prep
Rice is not an allergen and is fine from around 6 months, cooked very soft so it clumps instead of scattering.3 Its bran keeps the cooked grains firmer than white rice, so for a baby just starting solids, mash or pulse it so most grains are broken, as the USDA advises for cooked whole grain kernels.4 The main consideration is arsenic: rice absorbs more of it than other grains, babies are more vulnerable because of their size and rapid growth, and whole grain rices like riceberry retain more arsenic in the bran than white rice.1 Riceberry is a lovely food to include, just not as your baby's daily grain, and it helps to alternate with oats, millet, barley, and other grains.2 Cooking it like pasta, in 6 to 10 parts water to 1 part rice and then draining off the extra, can cut the inorganic arsenic by 40 to 60 percent, depending on the rice.2 Rinsing first is fine, but it does little for arsenic on its own.2 Serve it soft and sticky, and stay nearby while your baby eats.
Trying riceberry today? Log the first taste and whether it was a hit, a hard maybe, or launched across the room, dated and ready for the pediatrician.
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Nutrition
Riceberry offers carbohydrate energy plus fiber, some plant iron and magnesium, and a good dose of anthocyanin antioxidants from its purple bran. As a filling whole grain, keep servings modest for a baby and pair it with iron rich and vitamin C rich foods through the day for balance.
Goes well with
Mashed banana · Soft cooked chicken · Steamed broccoli · Mashed avocado · Plain yogurt
Storage & freezing
Store dry riceberry in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Cool cooked rice quickly, refrigerate within an hour, use within a day, and reheat only once until piping hot before cooling to serve. Do not leave cooked rice sitting at room temperature, as that can allow bacteria that upset little tummies.
More grains to explore
Related reading
- Grains for babies: first cereals & whole grains →
- How to cut food to prevent choking →
- Signs your baby is ready for solids →
- Baby-led weaning vs. purées →
Common questions
Is riceberry rice safe for babies?
Yes, in moderation. It is a whole grain rice, so it holds more arsenic than white rice. Serve it occasionally, cook it in plenty of water and drain it, and rotate in other grains rather than serving rice every day.
Why is riceberry purple, and is the color safe?
The deep color comes from anthocyanins, natural antioxidants also found in blueberries and purple cabbage. It is completely safe, and it may temporarily tint your baby's food or diaper, which is harmless.
How should I cook it for my baby?
Cook it longer and wetter than usual until it is very soft and sticky, then mash it for a baby just starting solids, or serve it in sticky clumps from about 9 months. Cooking it like pasta, in about 6 to 10 parts water to 1 part rice, then draining off the extra water, cuts the inorganic arsenic by 40 to 60 percent, depending on the rice. Rinsing before cooking does very little for arsenic by itself.2
Sources
- FDA: Action level for inorganic arsenic in rice cereals for infants
- FDA: What You Can Do to Limit Exposure to Arsenic
- CDC: When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods
- USDA WIC: Infant Nutrition and Feeding guide (grind up or finely mash cooked whole grain kernels, such as rice, for infants)
Further reading
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting Solid Foods
- CDC: Infant and Toddler Nutrition
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Start tracking for freeLast updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.
This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.
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