Have you heard of oat milk? It’s non-dairy milk that’s been showing up on supermarket shelves lately, adding to the already long list of plant-based milk options.
Oat milk is a vegan, soy-free alternative to dairy milk that’s gaining popularity, not just among vegans but also among baristas who love its high carbohydrate content. This content makes it possible to create a cappuccino that’s just as frothy and creamy as one made with cow’s milk.
Oats are known for being a nutritious breakfast choice, and oat milk is no different. Most cartons of commercial oat milk are fortified with A, D, B2, and B12 vitamins, so there’s no decrease in vitamin or mineral intake when you switch from cow’s milk to oat milk. In fact, there are several health benefits to drinking oat milk, including high levels of dietary fiber.
A study published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that oat milk has more dietary fiber than other plant-based milk, including almond milk. This makes it a great choice for supporting healthy digestion, regulating blood glucose, binding cholesterol, and helping you feel fuller for longer.
Oat milk may also be good for lowering cholesterol. Its beta-glucans bind to the gut and reduce cholesterol absorption, providing around one-third of your recommended daily beta-glucan intake. A cup of oat milk can also provide around 25% of your daily recommended calcium intake and around 20% of your recommended Vitamin D intake, as long as it’s fortified with Vit D.
A study published in Nutrition Reviews found that eating 3g of oat beta-glucans daily lowered total and LDL cholesterol levels by between 5 and 7%. This means that oat milk may also reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Another great thing about oat milk is that it contains zero saturated fats. All the saturated fats in cow’s milk are replaced with unsaturated fat in oat milk. Oat milk also contains zero fatty acids and trans fats. This is important because saturated fat has been linked to increased cholesterol levels and tends to be solid when at room temperature. It’s mainly found in animal products, which makes oat milk a great alternative for those who follow a vegan or lactose-free diet. Oat milk is also soy and nut-free, but it’s important to check the labels carefully since it’s possible for oat milk to become cross-contaminated during the manufacturing process.
There are lots of reasons why oat milk is such a popular plant-based alternative to ‘traditional’ milk. If you haven’t tried it yet, make sure you do. And if you have tried it and like it, then now you know all about it, and you now have many reasons to keep enjoying it too!