How Healthy Is Oat Milk? Here’s the Not-So-Simple Answer
Reading Time: 5 minutes 47 seconds
BY: ISSA
DATE: 2022-01-26
There are two basic types of milk: dairy milk and non-dairy milk. Dairy milk is milk that comes from animals, with cow milk being the most common. Nondairy milk is also commonly referred to as plant milk. Plant based milk can be made from nuts, coconuts, peas, rice, and more.
Another plant milk option is oat milk. But is oat milk healthy? Answering this requires understanding what this milk is, its nutritional content, how it compares to other milk, who may benefit from this drink, as well as who should avoid it.
What is Oat Milk?
As its name suggests, oat milk is made from oats. In some cases, it is made from steel cut oats. Other times, it is made from whole groats. Groats are whole grain oats, meaning that they include the grain’s germ, bran, and endosperm.
Oat milk is made by taking rolled oats, soaking them in water, blending them, then straining them through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth. What’s left is a milk alternative that is a bit creamier than nut milk and without the dairy of cow milk.
How Healthy Is Oat Milk?
One way to gauge the health of oat milk is to look at its nutritional makeup. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) doesn’t provide nutrition information for oat milk in general, it does offer this type of data for individual brands. Here’s what the data looks like for one cup (240 ml) of OATLY’s Original Oat-Milk:
120 calories
3 grams protein
16 grams carbohydrate
5 grams fat
2 grams fiber (0 grams soluble fiber)
7 grams sugar
101 mg sodium
0 mg cholesterol
There are also a few vitamins and minerals in this oat milk. Some of the most notable are potassium (389 mg), calcium (350 mg), and phosphorus (269 mg). It also contains smaller amounts of iron (0.3 mg), riboflavin (0.6 mg), and vitamin B12 (1.2 mcg).
Based on this data, oat milk offers a decent amount of protein and fiber. And while it is a bit higher in fat, very little of this is saturated fat (0.5 grams) and it contains no trans fat or cholesterol. So, overall, milk made from oats has a fairly healthy nutritional profile.
Oat Milk Health Benefits
Another way to help decide just how healthy oat milk is requires looking at the research on this milk alternative. A 2020 study in the Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry shares how the fiber in oats can reduce cholesterol and glucose levels while aiding in waste elimination. Oats also contain various phytochemicals that help to improve its nutritional makeup.
A 2021 study suggests that the health benefits of oat milk may go even further. Specifically, it states that oats can help improve the prognosis of a variety of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, some of the oats’ health benefits are due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Oat Milk vs Other Types of Milk (Cows Milk, Almond Milk, Etc.)
If your reason for choosing oat milk is because it sounds healthier than other types of milk, you would be at least partially right. Compared to cow milk, oat milk is lower in calories, sugar, and fat. Oat milk also provides some fiber whereas cow milk provides none.
Where dairy milk does better is in the nutrient department. In addition to the vitamins and minerals in oat milk, whole milk also provides some vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. It also contains vitamins D and K according to USDA data.
In comparison to unsweetened almond milk, oat milk provides more of all the macronutrients. Almond milk is also lower in sugar and fiber. Thus, if you’re looking for a milk that fits in better with a low-fat, low-carb, or low-protein diet, almond milk may be a better choice.
Who May Benefit from Drinking Oat Milk
Someone looking for a dairy alternative due to being lactose intolerant would be a good candidate for oat milk. With lactose intolerance, the body is unable to digest the sugar found in regular milk. This results in gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
While avoiding milk entirely helps avoid this gastrointestinal discomfort, it doesn’t come without a cost. Especially since milk is traditionally high in vitamin D and calcium—two nutrients that are good for healthy bones.
One study found that drinking one carton of oat milk a day helped improve bone mass in children who were lactose intolerant. Thus, this is a good alternative for people who need to avoid dairy milk but still want the benefits that regular milk has to offer.
Anyone who is allergic to cow milk or dairy would also benefit from switching to oak milk. Roughly 2-3% of children under the age of three are allergic to milk according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, with this being one of the most common food allergens.
Who Might Want to Avoid Oat Milk
While oat is not a common allergen, you may be allergic to oats if you have a gluten allergy. This is sometimes due to a protein in oats called avenin. In cases such as this, oat milk is best avoided.
Even if you aren’t allergic to oats, many times, oats are processed in the same plants that process wheat and other glutens. This would make oat milk off-limits if you follow a gluten-free diet, such as if you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease, reducing your risk of cross-contamination.
How to Select a Healthy Oat Milk Brand
Not all brands of oat milk are the same. Here are a few tips to help you select the healthiest version for you:
Choose unsweetened oat milk over sweetened oat milk. Sweetened oat milk contains added sugar. Add this to the other sugar that you consume during the day, and it could take you over the limits for good health.
Choose vitamin-fortified options. Because oats only contain a few vitamins and minerals, you’ll get a bigger nutrient punch if you choose fortified oat milk. This fortification often means that calcium and vitamin D has been added. That makes it better for your bone health.
Look for oat milk made with organic oats. If you want oat milk with fewer chemicals, choose a brand made with organic oats.
Make Your Own Homemade Oat Milk
If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person or want greater control over what is in your oat milk, you can also make your own. There are a number of recipes available online. Simply type in “how to make oat milk” and you’ll be presented with a list of options.
Most involve blending the oats with water, then sifting the mixture through a strainer of some type to remove the pulp. This provides a milk-like substance that can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Ways to Add Oat Milk to Your Diet
Oat milk tastes a bit like cow milk but with oats added in. It is also milder in flavor than almond milk and soy milk. That makes it a good substitute in a variety of recipes, from smoothies to baked goods.
You can also drink oat milk in place of regular milk or add it to your morning bowl of cereal. Really, any place that you’d normally use milk in your diet, oat milk can be substituted in.
You don’t have to stick to just oat milk either. Swap it out with coconut milk, pea milk, rice milk, and other types of plant based milk from time to time. This provides the nutritional benefits of each while also offering a slightly different flavor to keep your taste buds from getting bored.
ISSA’s Nutritionist certification course offers even more ways to create a healthy diet based on health goals and dietary needs. You will learn how to develop a balanced meal plan for yourself and your clients, offering another way to help in addition to providing personal training advice.
References
Syed SJ, Gadhe KS and Shaikh RP. Studies on quality evaluation of OAT milk. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2020;9(1):2275-2277.
Ramzan, Saniya. 2020. "OAT: A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENT FOR FOOD APPLICATIONS". Journal Of Microbiology, Biotechnology And Food Sciences 9 (4): 756-760. doi:10.15414/jmbfs.2020.9.4.756-760.
Zhang, Huanmei, Qian Zhang, Xiaoqee Hu, Rickard Oste, and Guansheng Ma. 2012. "The Effects Of Enriched Oat Milk Supplementation On Micronutrient Status Of Chinese Schoolchildren". The FASEB Journal 26 (S1). doi:10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.lb387.
"Milk Allergy | Causes, Symptoms & Treatment | ACAAI Public Website". 2022. ACAAI Public Website. https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/food/milk-dairy/.