Guilt-free ice cream from brown rice and gatas ng kalabaw coming soon

A luscious healthy ice cream sandwich made of brown rice and Pinoy's favorite gatas ng kalabaw will soon hit the Philippine market, aimed at addressing the issues of malnutrition and poverty among the country's farming communities.

The Brown Rice Cracker-Ice Cream Sandwich (BRICS), developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), is expected to be out in the market before the year ends.

According to its developers, brown rice flour was used as the main ingredient for the crackers because of its health benefits.

It is packed with high amounts of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

On the other hand, the velvety ice cream filling is made out of fresh buffalo's milk.

Buffalo's milk was chosen over cow's milk because it has 79 percent less cholesterol and richer calcium content. This milk also makes better ice cream body and texture, PhilRice said.

Health buffs need not worry over the price because the healthy snack will come at a reasonable projected price of P30 each.

Aside from providing the consumers a healthy alternative to commercial desserts, BRICS also targets to economically uplift rice-producing farm households.

“In providing additional sources of income through BRICS, we address poverty because there will be continuous transactions of money in the community. BRICS also addresses malnutrition because it is healthy and convenient at the same time," Josefina F. Ballesteros, one of its developers, said.

PhilRice is a government corporate entity attached to the Department of Agriculture. It targets to help develop high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies for farmers. —Dona Magsino/ LDF, GMA News