Is Oat Milk Really the Best Plant Milk?

A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Your Waistline

Photo by Madalyn Cox on Unsplash

Plant-based milk alternatives are growing in popularity. Oat milk has taken grocery store shelves and coffee shops by storm! Many people choose oat milk over the others like almond or soy because it’s creamier, froths better for coffee and makes a delicious ice cream (if I do say so myself). But is it really healthy? Healthier than other options?

Let’s take a step back for a moment. Oat milk was developed in the ’90s and is created by milling the whole oat, mixing that with warm water, and treating the mixture with enzymes. It’s unclear what enzymes food manufacturers use; they aren’t specified. Then food manufacturers heat the mixture to thicken it. Finally, they strain it, add vitamins and minerals, and typically add sweeteners, thickeners, and flavoring before packaging it. This process reveals a key insight: many of the nutrients in oat milk are added, not naturally occurring. What else should we consider when choosing our plant-based milk?

As always, read the labels to know what you’re getting! Different manufacturers will have different additives in their oat milk. Let’s look at Oatly’s oat milk. In 1 cup, we have: 160 calories, 9g of fat, 1g of saturated fat, 15g of carbs, 2g of fiber, 2g of sugar, and 3g of protein. Looking at the…