Oat milk is having a moment, but is oat milk good for you? Learn about the pros and cons of oat milk nutrition and sustainability, plus a comparison of the best oat milk products, in this expert oat milk guide.
Today, you can find countless plant-based milk options in most supermarkets, including soy, almond, cashew, hemp, flax, and more. Oat milk is one of the most popular trends among all plant-based milk options, making it our go-to plant-based milk alternative. You’ll see it in creamers, ice cream, coffee drinks, yogurt, and more. You can also use oat milk in the kitchen for a variety of uses, as its mild, creamy flavor makes it a favorite addition to cereals, desserts, sauces, smoothies, drinks, and baking. But what are the benefits of oat milk? How does oat milk fare when compared to almond milk or other varieties of plant milk? Of course, there are pros and cons to favoring oat milk in your diet. That’s why I’m answering your top questions about whether oat milk is good for you in this expert’s guide to oat milk.
However, children and people following a 100% vegan diet should know more about the ingredients and nutritional value of plant milks in order to get enough protein, calcium and vitamin D in their diet. There are many oat milk brands that are naturally sweetened with no added sugar, but it’s still important to read nutrition labels to avoid oat milks that contain added sugar. Overall, there may be some better options for milk alternatives that are also 100% plant-based and packed with nutrients. Today, I’m here to answer your biggest question, whether oat milk is your best plant-based milk option!
question: What are the benefits of oat milk?
Sharon’s answer:
Oat milk has a better environmental footprint than many types of milk, including cow’s milk. It has a significantly lower carbon footprint and uses significantly less land and water. Since it’s made from grains, it has a better environmental footprint because grains in general are very sustainable foods. Additionally, oats are less allergenic—most people tolerate them well. Therefore, oat milk is a good choice if you have nut or soy allergies. Oats also have specific health benefits—for example, oat consumption has been linked to heart health. Additionally, oat milk has a very mild, creamy neutral flavor, making it suitable for many applications in the kitchen. The downside to oat milk is that it’s not very high in protein, only about 2 grams per serving. If you need protein in your plant-based milk options, you may want to look for higher-protein options, such as soy milk or fortified plant-based milks.
question: Who should not drink oat milk?
Sharon’s answer:
I recommend protein-rich milk for young children, as well as anyone eating a 100% plant-based diet who needs a reliable source of protein from plant-based milk, especially for those who may be protein deficient. If plant milks are an important part of your diet and you eat 100% plant-based foods, I think it’s important to try to add protein-rich plant milks to your diet, providing at least 7 grams of protein per 1 cup serving. Others who may benefit from higher-containing plant-based milks are older adults, who need more protein and may have difficulty meeting their overall nutritional needs. The bonus is that many oat milks are fortified with vitamin D and calcium, which means they can provide a good source of these important nutrients. I recommend looking for these fortified plant milk products.
question: How are these oat milks unhealthy? How about an oat milk latte?
Sharon’s answer:
You can find nutritional information for the oat milk latte on the company’s website. Some oat milks have no added sugar or are low in added sugar. These are the ones you want to choose. It’s worth noting, however, that many plant milks, including oat milk, Do Contains added sugar, especially flavored varieties. It’s a good idea to read the ingredient list to look for added sugars and the nutrition facts list to look for added sugars. Try to keep it to a minimum or none at all. Keep in mind that some coffee shops add syrups and sweeteners to their lattes, so check the nutrition facts before ordering.
question: How does oat milk compare to cow’s milk?
Sharon’s answer: Oat milk has a different nutritional profile than cow’s milk, being lower in protein but also containing fiber (2 grams per serving) and other beneficial nutrients found naturally in oats. Plus, unlike full-fat dairy, oat milk contains no cholesterol or saturated fat—the natural fat in oats is unsaturated. Additionally, many oat milks are fortified so that their vitamin D and calcium levels are similar to cow’s milk. Many plant milks have slightly lower protein content, so oat milk is very close to plant milks in this regard, and soy milk has the highest protein content and is very similar to cow’s milk in nutrients. Additionally, you can also find oat milk fortified with intentionally higher levels of protein.
question: What makes oat milk so delicious?
Sharon’s answer: The blending during the manufacturing process makes it creamy and not as chalky as some plant-based milks. Grains like oats contain starch, which creates natural sweetness and body. Additionally, oats have a very neutral flavor, so they provide a mild-flavored milk that tastes more like cow’s milk and less bean-y than soy milk. Many unsweetened oat milks are naturally mildly sweet on their own. However, you can certainly find products with added sugar, so pay close attention to the ingredient list. You can make your own oat milk at home; it’s not difficult. All you have to do is mix the oats with water and strain.
Oat milk product nutrition comparison
| Plant milk (1 cup) | Calories | fat | Saturated fat | carbohydrate
(G) |
sodium
(mg) |
sugar
(G) |
protein
(G) |
calcium
(mg) |
vitamin
D (International unit) |
| 365 Original Oat Milk | 120 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 140 | 7 | 3 | 350 | 140 |
| California Farms Zero Sugar Oat Drink | 100 | 4.5 | 0 | 12 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 260 | 176 |
| California Farms Oatmeal Barista Blend | 130 | 7 | 0.5 | 14 | 110 | 7 | 2 | 250 | 81 |
| Chobani Oat Milk Extra Cream | 140 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 105 | 7 | 2 | 100 | 60 |
| Elmhurst Sugar Free Milk Oats | 80 | 1.5 | 0 | 14 | 120 | 1 | 3 | twenty two | 0 |
| Forager Project Organic Oat Milk | 160 | 8 | 1 | twenty three | 70 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 0 |
| Happy Planet Original Oat Milk | 100 | 2 | 0 | number 17 | 70 | 6 | 3 | 300 | 0 |
| Underage Oat Milk Barista | 116 | 5 | 0.5 | twenty three | 110 | 11 | 0.5 | 240 | 0 |
| Oats some oat milk original flavor | 130 | 4 | 0 | twenty one | 60 | 13 | 2 | Chapter 289 | 80 |
| Oatly Low Fat Oat Milk | 91 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 100 | 7 | 3 | 350 | 144 |
| Oatly Original Oat Milk | 120 | 5 | 0.5 | 16 | 100 | 7 | 3 | 350 | 144 |
| Pacific Foods Original Organic Oat Milk | 130 | 2 | 0.5 | 25 | 105 | number 17 | 4 | 120 | 80 |
| Planet Sugar Free Oat Milk | 45 | 0.5 | 0 | 8 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 350 | 160 |
| Planet oatmeal original flavor | 90 | 1.5 | 0 | 19 | 120 | 4 | 2 | 350 | 160 |
| Quaker
Oatmeal drink original flavor |
50 | 2.5 | 0 | 10 | 65 | 5 | 1 | 350 | 100 |
| Malk Original Organic Oat Milk | 90 | 1.5 | 0 | number 17 | 190 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| Silk Canada Original Oat Milk | 120 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 100 | 7 | 1 | Chapter 470 | 160 |
| Silk oatmeal oat milk without sugar | 70 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 8 | 90 | 0 | 1 | 300 | 80 |
| Pure oats original flavor | 80 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 100 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| trader joe oat milk | 110 | 2 | 0 | twenty two | 25 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 0 |
Try these recipes containing plant-based milks:
See other nutrition questions I answer on Plant-Based Nutritionist:
Learn more about how plant-based alternatives compare here:
Written by Sharon Palmer MSFS, RDN with Dietetic Intern Savannah Malki and Dietetic Intern Jael Nyambura