Oat Milk Nutrition: How Healthy Is Oat Milk?

Smoothies, cereal, coffee. Oat milk makes everything better. But what about your health? Oat milk has a few health benefits, like potentially lowering cholesterol. But it also comes with a few drawbacks, such as having less protein than some other types of milk.

Below, we give you all of the oat milk nutrition facts you need to know when choosing whether to add this milk alternative to your diet. Plus, we’ll share how to make your own oat milk at home.

Oat milk is made from oats (no points for guessing that one). Oats and water are blended together and then the mixture is strained to make a creamy, plant-based milk alternative.

It’s vegan, environmentally friendly, and free from allergens like lactose, nuts, and soy. It also has a naturally sweet flavor, making it ideal for coffee, cereal, smoothies, and baking.

You can find unsweetened oat milk, sweetened oat milk, or oat milk in flavors like vanilla and chocolate.

According to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), 100 grams of unsweetened, plain oat milk contains: 

• Calories: 48 

• Protein: 0.80 grams (g)

• Total fats: 2.75 g 

• Carbohydrates: 5.10 g 

• Dietary fiber: <0.75 g 

• Total sugars: 2.32 g 

Oat milk also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. For example, 100 grams of oat milk has: 

• Sodium: 42 milligrams (mg)

• Potassium: 148 mg 

• Calcium: 148 mg 

• Magnesium: 5.90 mg 

• Riboflavin: 0.28 mg

• Iron: 0.26 mg 

• Vitamin D: 1.70 micrograms (μg)

• Vitamin B12: 0.51 μg

You can also get oat milk products that are fortified with nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and vitamin D to make them more nutritious. 

Oat milk calories can vary quite a bit for sweetened and flavored oat milks, as can the nutritional breakdown.

Does Oat Milk Have Protein? 

It does. According to the USDA, 100 grams of unsweetened, plain oat milk contains 0.80 grams of protein. 

Oat milk protein levels aren’t on par with other types of milk, though. Cow’s milk has 3.43 grams and soy milk has 3.55 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Still, oat milk does have more protein than almond milk, another popular dairy-free option, which offers just 0.66 grams per 100 grams.

Is Oat Milk Lactose Free? 

Yes, oat milk is lactose free. Oat milk ingredients are just oats and water, making it a lactose-free milk alternative. 

Oats come with a number of health benefits. They’re high in fiber, contain antioxidants and polyphenols, and may even have anticancerous properties. 

Here’s what we know about how those benefits translate to oat milk.

It Can Help Lower Cholesterol 

Oats, and therefore oat milk, contain beta-glucans, which are a type of water-soluble fiber. They may bind with cholesterol in your gut, stopping it from getting absorbed into your blood.

This can reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or “bad cholesterol,” which can improve your heart health, as high cholesterol increases your risk of stroke, heart disease, and heart failure.

There’s not much research on oat milk specifically, but there is an old study from way back in 1999 on 66 men with high cholesterol. It found that drinking 0.75 liters (about three cups) of oat milk daily for five weeks lowered total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by six percent. 

More recently, a 2021 study on 191 people with borderline high cholesterol found that drinking an oat beta-glucan drink three times a day for four weeks reduced LDL cholesterol levels by six percent and the risk of cardiovascular disease by eight percent. 

It Can Help You Feel Fuller 

Oat milk contains fiber, which can contribute to feeling fuller for longer. This can help prevent overeating and assist with weight management or weight loss. 

Fiber can be especially useful for those with excess weight or obesity who are looking to lose weight.

The beta-glucans in oat milk can increase the viscosity of food (making it thicker and flow more slowly) and delay gastric emptying (slowing the rate that food leaves the stomach). This can help you feel fuller for longer and reduce blood sugar spikes.  

It May Improve Digestion and Gut Health 

The fiber in oat milk is also good for your digestive health. Fiber can help prevent constipation and keep things regular, plus improve your gut microbiome as it feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

It Doesn’t Contain Allergens 

If you’re lactose intolerant or have a nut or soy allergy, oat milk can be a good allergen-free milk option. 

Is oat milk gluten-free? Sometimes. Oats are gluten free, but they’re often contaminated by gluten-containing products (like wheat, rye, and barley) when they’re processed. 

If you’re celiac or gluten-intolerant, look out for oat milks that specifically say they’re gluten-free, or make your own oat milk at home using certified gluten-free oats.

There are oat milk benefits, but (as with everything) there are a few drawbacks to consider as well. 

Here are some of the downsides of oat milk: 

• Lower in protein. Oat milk contains less protein than cow’s milk and soy milk. Protein is a key nutrient for building and maintaining muscle mass and promoting satiety (feelings of fullness). If you’re relying on oat milk as a protein source, you might not be getting enough of it. 

• Higher in carbohydrates. Oat milk is higher in carbs than other milks. This may increase your blood sugar levels, particularly for those with diabetes.  

• Nutrients are lost during processing. All those health properties of oats? They might not transfer equally to oat milk. While oat milk still has nutritional value, some vitamins and minerals are lost during processing treatments.

• Added sugar and additives (in some oat milks). Not all oat milks are made equal. Some products contain added sugar, flavorings, and additives that can make the drink less nutritious. Added sugar can add up, too.

If you want to make a cheaper version of oat milk without sweeteners or additives — or just skip a trip to the grocery store — you can easily make non-dairy milk at home. 

Here’s how: 

1. Soak about two-thirds of a cup of oats in water for at least four hours. 

2. Pour the mixture through a sieve, and discard the water. 

3. Put the mixture and 3 cups of water into a blender and blend for two to four minutes until smooth. If you’re looking for a sweeter taste, try adding cinnamon, honey, or a few dates before blending.

4. Pour the blended mixture through a cheesecloth into a bowl. You can leave the mixture to strain for an hour or so and squeeze the mixture to extract more milk. 

5. Et voilà. Oat milk. Keep in the fridge for two to three days and enjoy in your latte, on your cereal, or as a stand-alone drink. You could also use oat milk in a superfood smoothie recipe or to make overnight oats.

Keep in mind that store-bought oat milks are often fortified with vitamins and minerals, making them a potentially more nutritious option. Just keep an eye out for unsweetened products to avoid added sugar. 

Oat milk can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet, but there are a few pros and cons to consider (aren’t there always!).

Here’s a cheat sheet to oat milk: 

• Oat milk health benefits: It contains fiber and specifically beta-glucans, which can help lower cholesterol. Oat milk can also help you feel fuller and promote digestive health.

• Oat milk drawbacks: It’s not as high in protein as some other milks, and it’s higher in carbs, which may increase blood sugar, especially if you have diabetes. Some oat milk products contain added sugar and additives. 

All in all, oat milk can be a great dairy alternative if you follow a plant-based diet, or an allergen-free milk if you have a soy, milk, or nut allergy. And it can help you add some of the health-boosting benefits of oats to your diet. 

Opt for an unsweetened oat milk and make sure you’re getting enough protein from other sources, like cow’s milk, tofu, fish, and chicken. 

If you’re looking into oat milk to aid weight loss, we can help get you on the right track.  Discover our range of weight loss treatments.