What is Oat Milk?
Oat Milk is a plant-based milk alternative derived from whole oat grains by extracting the plant material with water.
Oat milk is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, soy-free, and nut free. Oat milk has a creamy texture and mild oatmeal-like flavor.
Learn More About: What is Vegan Milk?
Types of Oats:
- Whole Oats
- Steel-cut Oats
- Scottish Oats
- Rolled Oats
- Instant Oats.
It is suitable for people who follow a plant-based diet or follow a vegan diet and for people suffering from milk allergies or gluten allergies.
How to Make Oat Milk?
The production of oat milk is similar to that of most other plant-based milk alternatives.
So unprocessed cereal grains, like oats, are indigestible due to their outer hull therefore processing is required to change the dry grains into a liquid.
The procedure starts by measuring and milling the oat grains to break apart their outer hull. Then the grains are stirred in warm water and ground into a slurry.
Further, it is treated with enzymes and heat to create a thick liquid oat base. Soaking and subsequently extracting nutrients from the oats have the most direct implications on the final oat milk product.
Increasing the yield in this step may be assisted by chemical catalysts, enzymes, or an increase in temperature, all to remove nutrient molecules from the solid byproduct and incorporate them into the liquid.
Once the liquid product is ready, they add other ingredients, such as fortifying vitamins and minerals that can increase the nutritional value of the milk.
What are the Health Benefits of Oat Milk?
Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They are gluten-free, and lactose-free, and are a great source of minerals and vitamins, carbs, and powerful fibre beta-glucan.
Oat contains powerful antioxidants that help to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and promote healthy gut bacteria.
Oats help to reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Oats are nutritious and naturally contain many vitamins and minerals your body needs, including vitamin B, thiamin, folate, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, and copper.
If you’re looking for more nutrients, store-bought oat milk fortified with vitamins A and D, iron, calcium, potassium, fiber, and riboflavin.
Since oat milk is made from fiber-rich oats, it has higher levels of carbohydrates than other milk alternatives but contains less saturated fats when compared to cow's milk.
The higher levels of carbohydrates in oat milk translate into lasting energy throughout the day, unlike almond and other nut milk.
Learn More About: Benefits of Vegan Milk.
Nutrients in Oat Milk:
- A one-cup serving of oat milk provides 120 calories,
- 16 grams of carbohydrates
- 5 grams of fat
- 16 grams of carbohydrates
- 1.9 grams of fiber
- 3 grams of protein
- 350.4mcg of calcium
- 1.2mcg of Vitamin B12
- 0.6mg of Vitamin B2
The nutritional information above is for one serving (one cup) of oat milk provided by the USDA.
Oat milk contains less protein than cows and soy but more protein than plant-based milk alternatives such as almond, cashew, coconut, and rice milk.
Oat Milk vs. Cow Milk
Oat milk is a plant-based milk alternative, quickly gaining popularity in coffee shops, cafes, and specialty food markets.
One of the major selling points of plant-based milk as oat milk is that it does not contain lactose.
Lactose is a type of sugar produced in the milk of mammals, such as cows. Not everyone can digest it properly.
If you are lactose-intolerant, then oat milk is the winner here as it does not contain any of it. As a result, those who drink cow milk and are lactose intolerant suffer from gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
The nutritional advantage between oat milk vs. cow milk is that the former contains significantly less saturated fat.
One of the most overlooked benefits of oat milk is that it contains fiber– an indigestible carbohydrate that the body uses to remove waste.
Oat milk has less carbon emission when compared to cow’s milk and is a suitable choice for a healthy planet and sustainable lifestyle.
Learn More About: Vegan Milk Vs Cow's Milk
FAQs
Q1. is Oat Milk good for weight loss?
Yes, Oat Milk is a good option during the weight loss journey. As Oat contains fibres, it helps to promote satiety and keeps you full for a longer time which can control your appetite and promote weight loss.
Q2. is Oat Milk healthy?
Oat Milk is a rich source of nutrients, especially when fortified, and is also suitable for those with gluten-related disorders.
Q3. is Oat Milk good to drink every day?
Yes, Oat Milk is a healthy and great option as it is gluten-free, lactose-free and improves heart health, and lowers blood pressure.
Q4. Can you make tea or coffee from Oat Milk?
Yes, we can make excellent frothy coffee and tea from Oat Milk. It is one of the best milk for making lattes.
