Wondering what oat milk is? Here's everything you need to know about it!
| Jan 3, 2020, 11:41 IST
Okay let's be honest; we've recently been coming across a ton of different types of milk all claiming to be the best for your health. We're sure you've heard of lactose-free milk and Zymil milk and macadamia milk, almond milk and rice milk, quinoa milk and coconut milk etc, all offering benefits of their own. But now, there's yet another type of milk in the market and that is oat milk.
What's more, it seems to be gaining popularity fast which also makes it more likely to stay as compared to other non-dairy milk options. But what exactly is oat milk and is it actually healthy? In layman's terms, oat milk is basically plant-based milk that’s a dairy-free, vegan alternative to cow’s milk. And what's really great about this is that you can even make it yourself at home.
“Oat milk is made by soaking and blending oats and water, then straining them through a cheese cloth to separate the milk from the oats,” dietitians Debenham and Parker said. “This milk is then usually fortified with additional nutrients such as calcium, potassium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin D, as the “milk” doesn’t naturally contain the same nutritional value as the oats.”
“Many milk alternatives, including oat milk, can sometimes contain added sugars so it is important to read the label and choose unsweetened varieties. And when it comes to the actual oat content of oat milk, it typically only contains 15 per cent oats, so you get some benefit but not a huge amount. Oat milk does contain small amounts of gluten so it’s not suitable for coeliacs.”
Now, comes the biggest question. What does oat milk taste like? Well, for those of you who have tasted regular milk, let us tell you oat milk tastes nothing like it. In fact, oat milk doesn't really have much of a flavour or a particular taste which is also why many people prefer to opt for it in their coffee instead of regular milk.
"Given the trend we are seeing with more people swapping to a plant-based diet, or consuming less animal products overall, we do imagine oat milk is here to stay," Debenham and Parker said. So, if you don't fancy regular milk and can't really say yes to soy milk, oat milk is the best option for you. Stay tuned for more updates.
What's more, it seems to be gaining popularity fast which also makes it more likely to stay as compared to other non-dairy milk options. But what exactly is oat milk and is it actually healthy? In layman's terms, oat milk is basically plant-based milk that’s a dairy-free, vegan alternative to cow’s milk. And what's really great about this is that you can even make it yourself at home.
“Oat milk is made by soaking and blending oats and water, then straining them through a cheese cloth to separate the milk from the oats,” dietitians Debenham and Parker said. “This milk is then usually fortified with additional nutrients such as calcium, potassium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin D, as the “milk” doesn’t naturally contain the same nutritional value as the oats.”
“Many milk alternatives, including oat milk, can sometimes contain added sugars so it is important to read the label and choose unsweetened varieties. And when it comes to the actual oat content of oat milk, it typically only contains 15 per cent oats, so you get some benefit but not a huge amount. Oat milk does contain small amounts of gluten so it’s not suitable for coeliacs.”
Now, comes the biggest question. What does oat milk taste like? Well, for those of you who have tasted regular milk, let us tell you oat milk tastes nothing like it. In fact, oat milk doesn't really have much of a flavour or a particular taste which is also why many people prefer to opt for it in their coffee instead of regular milk.
"Given the trend we are seeing with more people swapping to a plant-based diet, or consuming less animal products overall, we do imagine oat milk is here to stay," Debenham and Parker said. So, if you don't fancy regular milk and can't really say yes to soy milk, oat milk is the best option for you. Stay tuned for more updates.