Is Oat Milk Bad For You?

Since its introduction in the 1990s (by the founders of today’s Oatly), oat milk has seen an almost meteoric rise in popularity in the past five years—and for good reason, as its sweet and creamy texture leaves little to be desired for lattes, coffee, and bowls of cereal. 

But is oat milk bad for you? Or a better alternative to cow’s milk? In this article, we’ll explore oat milk’s nutritional value, its pros and cons, and our top two recommended brands.

How Is Oat Milk Made?

Commercial oat milk is made by mixing rolled oats with water and milling them (essentially blending) into a soft slurry-like mixture.

Then, enzymes like alpha-amylase are typically added to break down the complex carbohydrates (like starch) in the oats into simple sugars. This process is called hydrolysis and makes oat milk taste naturally sweet (whereas whole plain oats are not sweet). 

This addition is the main reason why homemade oat milk does not taste the same as store bought oat milk because the enzymes that break down starch create that smooth texture and sweeter taste. 

Next, commercially made oat milk uses various additives to make it more homogenized, uniform, and creamy. The most common oat milk additives include canola oil (rapeseed oil) or another vegetable oil, sugar, natural flavors, salt, and vitamins and minerals. 

Lastly, oat milk is heat-treated to make it shelf-stable and homogenized, producing an emulsion that creates a creamy and uniform mouthfeel.

Oat Milk Nutrition

The nutritional value of oat milk can vary widely depending on the brand. One of the most popular oat milk brands, OATLY, contains the following in an 8oz (1 cup) serving of their unsweetened, fortified oat milk:

• Calories: 120
• Total Fat: 5g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g
• Carbs: 16g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 7g
• Protein: 3g
• Sodium: 100mg
• 50% of the RDA for vitamin B12
• 25% of the RDA for calcium
• 20% of the RDA for vitamin D

Oat Milk Benefits

1. Allergen-Friendly

Oat milk is naturally free of common allergens like dairy, soy, and nuts. As soy milk and almond milk are two of the other most popular non-dairy milk options, people with soy or nut allergies may choose oat milk as a plant-based milk that works better for them.

If you can’t tolerate dairy or are lactose intolerant, oat milk is a good option. 

However, as we’ll see in the next section, oat milk does have the potential for gluten cross-contamination.

2. Good Taste and Texture

Many people agree that oat milk has the best taste out of the plant-based milk family, with a creamy texture and mouthfeel. 

Due to the addition of enzymes that break down starch into simple sugars, oat milk also has a naturally sweet taste—even if there is no “added sugar” in the formula. 

Oat milk is particularly good for lattes and steamed milk beverages, as its higher starch and fat content is better when heated compared to almond milk.

3. Contains Fiber and Micronutrients

Unlike cow’s milk or other non-dairy milk, oat milk provides 2 to 3 grams of fiber per cup. Oats are one of the few foods that contain a unique soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which supports metabolic, cardiovascular, and digestive health.

Oat-derived beta-glucan has been shown to reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B—a protein that is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.¹

Although one cup of oat milk only provides 2 to 3 grams of dietary fiber, most people only consume 10 to 15 grams per day, so oat milk could account for a portion of that.

Most oat milk is fortified with vitamins and minerals, providing a moderate dose of calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Oats also naturally contain some micronutrients, providing small amounts of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus.

4. Uses Less Water and Land

According to the site Food Unfolded, oat milk has a lower environmental impact than cow’s milk, almond milk, and rice milk but is very similar to soy milk.²

Oat milk uses less water than cow’s, almond, and rice milk. Almond milk is particularly water-intensive, using 371 liters (L) of water to produce 1L of almond milk. Conversely, producing 1L of oat milk requires about 48L of water.

According to the Columbia Climate School, oat milk also has a relatively low greenhouse footprint, producing 0.18 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions in less than 1 cup.³

Because oat crops can grow in many climates and don’t require as much land as dairy farms, they are more land-efficient and may help minimize deforestation.

Oat Milk Downsides

1. Higher in Sugar and Starch

Oat milk is much higher in carbohydrates and sugar than other non-dairy milk. A glass of unsweetened oat milk typically contains 15-20g of carbohydrates and 7-10g of sugar. 

Comparatively, one cup of unsweetened almond milk provides <1 g of carbohydrates and no sugar. Cow’s milk contains naturally occurring lactose, which provides slightly fewer carbohydrates than oat milk, at 12g per 8oz cup.

Rather than the lactose found in dairy milk, oat milk contains a sugar called maltose, which is created when enzymes are added to oats to break down their starches.

Maltose is made up of two glucose molecules and has a high glycemic index (a marker sometimes used to determine how much a certain food has the potential to increase blood sugar).

The glycemic index of maltose is 105, which is higher than pure glucose. However, oat milk is not 100% maltose, so its glycemic index is lower, at 60–69. Conversely, unsweetened almond milk has a glycemic index of about 25.

If you purchase sweetened oat milk (or “barista’s oat milk”), it will have even more sugar. 

2. May Spike Blood Sugar

Oat milk is commonly consumed in the morning in lieu of coffee creamer or milk in a latte. However, due to its high maltose content (and potential added sugars, as well) and glycemic index, oat milk has an increased potential to spike your blood sugar.

Although there are no clinical studies on this topic, some users of CGMs (Continuous Glucose Monitors) report that adding oat milk to their morning coffee spikes their blood sugar more than when they drink black coffee.

For example, one person experienced a blood sugar spike of 123 mg/dL after drinking coffee with oat milk, compared to 73 mg/dL when they drank black coffee.

That said, everyone’s blood sugar responds differently to all foods.

3. Typically Contains Seed Oils and Additives

Seed oils (like canola, vegetable, or soybean oil) are almost always added to commercial oat milk to help with emulsification and create a creamy texture. 

Although seed oils are not the devil, you may want to be mindful of how much of them you consume—especially if you’re having a large oat milk latte daily. 

To learn more about whether or not seed oils are bad for you, check out this comprehensive article. 

Oat milk (like many store-bought plant-based milk alternatives) can also contain additives like gums, thickening agents, or stabilizers. While these additives—like carrageenan, xanthan gum, soy lecithin, or gellan gum—are generally considered safe to consume, many of them are highly processed and may not be tolerated well by some people. 

Some oat milk brands do not contain seed oils or gums, including Elmhurst Unsweetened Milked Oats, which only uses gluten-free oats, water, and salt. Another great option is Oat MALK, containing ​​filtered water, organic gluten-free oats, and Himalayan pink salt. 

4. Lower in Protein

Unlike soy milk and cow’s milk, oat milk does not provide much protein—typically 2 to 3 grams per cup compared to the 8 grams in cow’s and soy milk.

However, oat milk does contain more protein than several other non-dairy milks, including almond milk (1g), rice milk (<1g), and coconut milk (<1g).

5. High Risk of Pesticides

Non-organic oat crops are known for being heavily sprayed with pesticides just before harvest to dry them out, especially glyphosate (Roundup). 

Tests from the EWG (Environmental Working Group) have found that glyphosate residues in oat products are declining. That said, oat products from several brands (like Quaker and General Mills) still had glyphosate levels detected above the EWG’s health benchmark in about one-third of the samples.⁴

If you are concerned about glyphosate or other pesticides, purchase organic oat milk or those that test for glyphosate residues (like the previously mentioned MALK and Elmhurst).

6. May Have Gluten Cross-Contamination

Although oat milk is free of most other allergens, certain brands may not be gluten-free because of the risk of cross-contamination. 

Oats themselves are naturally gluten-free, but cross-contamination is likely. 

Look for Certified Gluten-Free oat milk if you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

The Bottom Line: Is Oat Milk Bad for You?

For a tasty latte treat every so often, oat milk will not make or break your health. However, if you consistently drink several cups per day of oat milk (especially oat milk that contains added sugar or seed oils), consider a swap to a different type of milk.

You may also want to experiment with other types of milk and see how your blood sugar responds. While most people don’t have (or need) continuous glucose monitors, they can be useful short-term tests to see how your body responds to various foods. If you do want to drink oat milk regularly, I’d recommend brands with minimal ingredients, no added sugar or oils, and glyphosate testing—like Elmhurst and MALK.

Drinking Oat Milk FAQs