The Rice-and-Buckwheat Morning Drink Few People Know About: One Glass Before Breakfast for a Lighter Start to Your Day

Twenty minutes before breakfast. One glass. Four ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. That is all this morning ritual asks of you – and the people who swear by it say they notice their digestion feels lighter from the very first morning. It sounds almost too simple to matter, yet this humble mix of rice and buckwheat has quietly been part of home kitchens for generations, long before anyone talked about the gut microbiome.

A celebrity chef who starts the day the same warm way

If you think buckwheat in the morning sounds old-fashioned, consider Italian-American chef and TV host Giada De Laurentiis. When she gave her followers a glimpse into her morning routine, fans were surprised to see that she starts the day with a warm buckwheat cereal, which she seasons with a little salt, olive oil and almonds, as reported by Parade. She explained that she simply loves a nice warm breakfast – and her comment section quickly filled with people asking for the recipe. Our drink follows the same idea: something warm, plain and nourishing to wake the digestive system up gently, rather than shocking it with a sugary pastry and a strong coffee.

Why rice? More than just a side dish

Do you know how wholesome a simple rice pudding can be? Well-cooked rice is one of the gentlest foods for the digestive tract, which is why it has long been a staple of light, stomach-friendly diets. It is naturally gluten-free, provides energy in an easily digestible form, and is quite filling, which may help keep mid-morning cravings in check.

Rice also contributes B vitamins – especially niacin (vitamin B3) – along with minerals such as manganese and phosphorus, and smaller amounts of iron and calcium (you can check exact values for different rice varieties in the USDA FoodData Central database). Like other protein-containing foods, rice supplies essential amino acids – among them leucine, methionine and tryptophan – which the human body cannot produce on its own and must obtain from food. Combined with milk and buckwheat, it becomes part of a more complete morning protein mix.

There is also a smart, scientifically backed reason behind the traditional way of cooking rice in lots of water and pouring that water away. Rice tends to accumulate naturally occurring arsenic from the soil, and researchers at the University of Sheffield found that a specific way of cooking rice removes more than half of the naturally occurring arsenic in brown rice and around 74 percent in white rice while keeping its minerals. Their study, "Improved rice cooking approach to maximise arsenic removal while preserving nutrient elements", was published in Science of The Total Environment. Rinsing, soaking and cooking in plenty of water – exactly what our grandmothers did – are steps in the same direction.

Why buckwheat? The little seed with a big reputation

Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat at all and is completely gluten-free. It is a seed rich in fiber, magnesium, manganese and copper, and it is one of the few foods that naturally contain the plant compound rutin. A comprehensive review in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, "Buckwheat as a Functional Food and Its Effects on Health", summarizes research suggesting that buckwheat's bioactive compounds may support healthy cholesterol levels and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties – although much of this evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies. Another review in Nutrition Research Reviews, "Buckwheat phenolic metabolites in health and disease", concludes that buckwheat is safe to eat and may have a range of beneficial effects.

We have already written about how well buckwheat works first thing in the morning in A Spoonful of Buckwheat, a Glass of Yogurt: The Old Central European Morning Ritual Science Is Starting to Take Seriously – today's drink is its close cousin, with rice flour and milk instead of yogurt.

Step one: make your own natural rice flour

The rice flour is only the preparation – the real point of this recipe comes afterwards. But homemade rice flour is worth the effort, and one batch will last you for weeks.

1. Rinse and soak. Rinse the rice thoroughly, finishing under running water, then leave it to soak overnight in cold water.


2. Cook slowly in plenty of water. In the morning, rinse the rice again and put it in a pot with 2 liters of water. Cook it over moderate heat for at least an hour and a half, or until the grains start to fall apart. Stir often while it cooks and do not cover the pot with a lid, so that excess water can evaporate.


3. Rest and drain. When the grains start to break down, take the pot off the heat and let it stand for about half an hour, then drain off the water.


4. Optional pudding step. Traditionally, many cooks blend the softened rice at this point until smooth, add a little sugar and a pinch of salt for better flavor, plus a splash of water, and bring everything back to the boil. This gives you a lovely homemade rice pudding you can enjoy on its own.


5. Cool soak. For the flour, drain the cooked rice and place it in cold water for about 2 hours.


6. Dry. Strain the rice again and spread it in a thin layer on a baking tray. Place the tray in an oven heated to the lowest possible temperature and let the rice dry out completely. Do not be impatient – the rice must be fully dry before the next step.


7. Grind. Grind the dried rice into a fine, homemade, natural rice flour and store it in a clean, dry, airtight jar.

Short on time? Good-quality store-bought rice flour works too – the morning drink itself takes less than a minute.

Step two: the morning drink

If you want to give your body a gentle, nourishing start to the day, prepare the following drink about 20 minutes before your first meal:

Ingredients (1 glass):

• 1 glass of milk (it does not have to be cow's milk – coconut or almond milk work just as well)


• 1 tablespoon homemade rice flour


• 1 tablespoon freshly ground buckwheat groats


• a pinch of cinnamon


• 1 teaspoon honey, to taste

Preparation: Put everything into the glass, stir well and drink. If you prefer a smoother, warmer drink, gently warm the milk first (but not too hot, so the honey keeps its delicate aroma), or let the mixture stand for a few minutes so the flours soften.

Tip: if raw buckwheat feels heavy on your stomach, lightly toast the groats in a dry pan before grinding them. Producers such as Bob's Red Mill note that eating raw buckwheat is generally safe but may cause digestive discomfort in some people.

What can you expect?

People who drink this every morning often say they notice a lighter, more comfortable feeling in their stomach within the first few days. That makes sense: a warm, fiber-containing drink taken before breakfast can help get the digestive system moving, and swapping a rushed sugary snack for something plain and filling is already a step in the right direction. If you recognize yourself in any of the 4 Bad Breakfast Habits, this drink is an easy way to start breaking them.

Many also report that, after a week or two, their skin looks fresher and more even. Comfortable digestion, steady energy and good hydration all play a part in how we look and feel – but remember that skin depends just as much on sleep, water intake and your overall diet, so think of this drink as one helpful habit among many, not a miracle.

If you enjoy simple morning rituals like this one, you may also like The Two-Minute Fix That Might Just Be the Simplest Wellness Ritual You've Never Tried, and for a reminder of what is better left for later in the day, read What not to eat early in the morning (or late at night).

A few sensible precautions

• Cinnamon: a pinch is perfect. Common cassia cinnamon contains coumarin, and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends moderate consumption of cassia cinnamon. If you use cinnamon daily, choose Ceylon cinnamon, which is naturally low in coumarin.


• Honey: never give honey to babies under 12 months. As the Michigan State University Extension explains, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise against it because of the risk of infant botulism.


• Buckwheat allergy: although uncommon, buckwheat allergy does exist. If you have never eaten buckwheat before, start with a small amount.


• Blood sugar: rice flour and honey both add carbohydrates. If you are watching your blood sugar, keep the honey to a minimum and talk to your doctor or dietitian.