This is when you should pick oat milk for a better nutrition choice

Grab this info to learn when should and should not pick oat milk.

These days choosing your milk feels like an equal or bigger commitment than choosing the airline you will fly. And with good reason. What goes in and on your body most often massively impacts your health. Beyond cow’s milk, we now have a “milk” from every nut, seed, legume and now grain.

Should you choose oat milk?

Here’s how it can be a better choice for your body:

• You currently choose fat-free milk to avoid saturated animal fat. Choosing oat milk helps you avoid saturated fat from animal products and some oat milks help you get in monounsaturated fats – like those essential omegas!
• A personal health goal includes lowering your cholesterol. Note that eating cholesterol isn’t the sole factor and may not even be a factor in yours being high. Choosing unsweetened oat milk helps improve cholesterol by reducing added sugar and cholesterol intake, as well as potentially providing a healthier fat profile
• Coffee goals include creaminess but dairy gives you arm bumps, burps, or mucous issues. Try oat milk or an oat barista blend when grabbing it to go or at home.
• Some of us love to go nuts for their health benefits and others of us have to avoid them. Oat milk is a better choice for those looking to avoid nuts but still get a deliciously nutritious dairy-free milk.

Keep reading! Now that you know that oat milk could be better for you, don’t fall for the following oat milk health traps!

All oat milks are not created equal. Just take a look at these nutrition facts.

When is oat milk not healthy for you?

• Oats naturally contain sugar but some oat milks heap teaspoons of added sugar that will blow your daily added sugar budget.
• Some taste nasty. If you taste an oat milk that isn’t delicious move on to another one because better nutrition better be delicious!
• Looking for fiber then you should eat oats not rely on your oat milk.
• Protein is made of amino acids some of which oats contain. But plain oat milk won’t provide you protein so your better option is to enjoy it with protein-rich foods like hemp seeds.
• Just because it is dairy-free doesn’t make it a health food. Oat milk products are hitting the fridge, freezer and shelves fast these days. Some of them are loaded with saturated fat from plants. That’s not better.

If you follow a special diet is oat milk ok for you?

You should always consult your dietitian or healthcare practitioner to confirm any personal choices. Here are some common FAQs:

• Keto? In general, oat milk won’t be advised for those on a keto diet. However, you can see from the labels above, there is at least one unsweetened low carb option that depending on portions may fit; learn more about better keto planning.
• Diabetic / Low Carb? Your better nutrition plan includes getting in some quality carbs (typically about 15-30g) per pit stop about every three hours. Choosing an unsweetened oat milk to enjoy with non-starchy vegetables, proteins and fats may work well for you at one or two of your pit stops daily. Watch portion sizes!
• Pregnant / Breast Feeding? Go oat milk! It is likely to be gentle on your tummy and easily absorbed source of carbohydrates (some even help you get in essential omegas).
• Low sodium / heart heathy? Oat milk should be a better nutrition win. Avoid those with more added sugars (>4g) and watch your portion sizes. Especially if you have a strict sodium goal, make sure to review with your practitioner.

These oat milk recipes are better nutrition (better be delicious) wins!

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Vegan Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats

Thank you Tracee Yablon Brenner, RDN, CHHC  for this recipe!

 Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 6 hours Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes

 Servings 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mashed bananas, 1/2 medium banana
• 2 tablespoons salted nut butter, your choice
• 1/4 cup plain oat milk
• 1/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons hemp hearts
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vegan chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut

Instructions:

1. Place banana, nut butter, and almond milk in a glass jar (or container with a lid) and stir with a spoon to combine. Add oats, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir, then press down with a spoon to ensure all oats are coated in oat milk. Cover securely with a lid or plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 5 hours).
2. The next day, open and enjoy as is, or garnish with desired toppings.

Baked Oatmeal Oat Milk Breakfast Bowl

Thanks Califia Farms for this recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 2 cup Califia Farms Oat Milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Toppings: chia seed, raspberry, blueberries , coconut flakes

Directions

In a skillet, heat up your oat milk and add the oats until absorbed. Mix with cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup. Stir and top with chia seeds, raspberries, blueberries and coconut flakes.

Banana Oat Milk Pancakes

Thank you Alex of from A to Zuchinni for this recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oat milk
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• ground cinnamon, 1 tsp
• whole wheat flour, 1 cup
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (you can purchase my favorite brand here)

Directions:

1. Whisk bananas, oat milk and cinnamon until smooth
2. Add dry ingredients and whisk again
3. Cook on non-stick pan until batter bubbles, about 2-3 minutes on each side
4. Serve warm with sliced bananas, cinnamon and a dollop of Greek yogurt

And because we love delicious treats too…

Banana Nut Oat Milk Nice Cream from Califia Farms

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen bananas
• 1 oz Califia Farms Oat Milk
• 1/3rd cup almond butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup cacao nibs topping (optional)

Directions

The night before, slice and freeze your bananas.

• In a blender the next day, blend your frozen bananas, oat milk, almond butter and maple syrup.
• Pour into a pan and place in the freeze for 2 hours.
• Remove and let sit out for 5 minutes.
• Scoop and top with cacao nibs.