Is Oat Milk Good for You?

Oat milk emerged on the heels of nut milk's unforeseen ascent at the dawn of this present decade. While almond milk may be credited as the impetus to the plant-based beverage craze extending beyond traditional soy and rice milk options, oat milk has attracted consumers with stunning rapidity.

Indeed, it seems that oats have always been destined for greatness, or at least greater than the stodgy bowls of oatmeal our parents used to serve us for breakfast. Here are some interesting facts to whet your appetite for oat milk:

• Oats first came to North America from Europe on wooden ships. Their success in northerly climates, as found in Russia and Scandinavia, made them a hardly fixture of the Great Plains and Canadian prairie. ¹
• In Scotland, farmers traditionally fertilized oats using smoked straw from their cottages’ thatched roofs for enhancing their vitamin and mineral content. Distinguished doctor, Sir James Crichton-Browne, believed that “such food made men strong like horses, and purged the brain of pedantry.” ²
• Due to their natural anti-itching properties, oats are used in the cosmetic industry to produce a variety of products, such as Aveeno’s lotions (avena is the botanical name for oats). ³
• Only 5% of oats grown worldwide are consumed by humans; the majority are fed to horses. ²

Oat Milk Nutrition: Is Oat Milk Good for You?

We certainly think so. Oat milk is a nut-free, soy-free and dairy-free beverage, making it an exceptional choice for people with dietary intolerances and restrictions. Commercial oat milk options can come in sweetened, unsweetened, flavored, and barista varieties. We've surveyed the field to provide these nutritional ranges for the most popular varieties, specifying Elmhurst's content.

• Calories
  • Unsweetened: 80-100 kcal (Elmhurst: 80 kcal)
  • Sweetened: 90-130 kcal (Elmhurst: 100 kcal)
• Fat
  • 1.5-7g fat, predominantly monounsaturated (Elmhurst: 1.5g)
• Carbs
  • Unsweetened: 9-14g carbs (Elmhurst: 14g)
  • Sweetened: 14-25g carbs (Elmhurst: 18g)
• Protein
  • 1-4g protein (Elmhurst: 4g)

A primary reason for such variance is rooted in differences in the processing and formulation methods between brands. The metamorphosis of oats into a creamy milk typically involves a soaking and blending of steel cut or rolled oats with water, finished with a straining of any leftover granular pieces to ensure a smooth product. While well intentioned, this last step also results in the disposal of many of the oats’ resident nutrients. To rectify this shortcoming, brands will often add sugar, thickening agents and/or vegetable oils to make up for the loss in flavor and texture, as well as inject synthetic versions of micronutrients (such as vitamins A, D, B2, B12, and calcium). This may seem like a sensible solution, but in reality, it’s quite dangerous. Evidence shows that for all foods, their inherent vitamins and minerals comprise a unique matrix of nutrients that exist in perfect proportion to one another, synergizing for optimal uptake and bioactivity in us. Fortification not only disrupts this harmony; it actually induces nutrient deficiencies and takes away from the health benefits of oat milk!

Unsweetened Oat Milk

At Elmhurst, we believe nature is always sufficient for providing everything we need to thrive. Our patented HydroRelease™ process separates the individual components of oats and repackages them to preserve their original nutrition. This allows us to rely primarily on the intrinsic sweetness and creaminess of the oats, delivering a product with 16-20g of whole grains per serving and devoid of any unnecessary additives. Abiding by our “simpler is better” motto, our unsweetened oat milk is made of just 3 ingredients (filtered water, whole grain oats, salt), and our sweetened oat milk and barista oat milk varieties have 5 just ingredients (filtered water, whole grain oats, cane sugar, salt, and natural flavors or dipotassium phosphate). Moreover, we certify that the oats we use are gluten-free, so our beverages can be freely enjoyed by individuals with sensitive stomachs or celiac disease.

Oat Milk Benefits

As noted above, oat milks differ in the manner by which the oats are processed and the milks are formulated, so heed carefully the nutritional information on their packages to ensure you are getting a whole grain product! According to the American Heart Association and Whole Grains Council (find their stamp on all of Elmhurst’s oat milk packages), there are copious reasons for why you should include oats in your diet. They are:

• Rich in antioxidants
  • Most notably high in ferulic acid ⁴ and a group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, ⁵ which increase the production of nitric oxide to stimulate dilation of blood vessels for better blood flow and reduced blood pressure ^6-8
  • One study found that the antioxidants in oats work together with vitamin C to prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol ⁹
• High in soluble fiber
  • Beta-glucan, the soluble fiber in oats, partially dissolves in water, forming a thick, gel-like substance that binds cholesterol and delays stomach emptying, thereby reducing absorption of cholesterol and glucose while promoting a healthy microbiome ¹⁰
  • Data from clinical studies has demonstrated beta-glucan’s ability to:
    • Reduce total and LDL cholesterol by 3% and 5%, respectively ¹¹
    • Lower blood sugar after a meal, especially in people who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes ^12-14
    • Improve appetite control after a meal by delaying gastric emptying ¹⁵ through signaled release of PYY, a hormone produced in the gut in response to eating.
    • Increase growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract ¹⁶
• High in insoluble fiber
  • Studies indicate that oat bran, the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain, may help relieve constipation in older people ¹⁷

Oat Milk Recipes

Oats aren’t just a wholesome breakfast staple or base for granola anymore. To help broaden your horizons, we are providing recipes from three popularly searched categories, each created by Elmhurst's own Chef Tristan Hall.

Why Choose Elmhurst?

We can answer this question with another simple question: Are you getting the most from your oats? Though oat milk may, by nature, sound like a good idea, many brands dilute the oat's value by straining the milks and adulterating them with unhealthy additives. This is not the way to go if you don't have to, and fortunately, Elmhurst offers a better way forward. Thanks to a process that retains the full flavor and nutrient spectrum, Elmhurst is able to offer a superior product, truest to nature’s intention.