Quick Answer: What Is Oat Milk?
Oat milk is a dairy alternative made from grinding oats into a powder and adding water to create a thick, creamy milk. The powder is then heated until it becomes a paste. Oat milk has a mild, sweet flavor and a thicker consistency than other milks, making it ideal for mixing into coffee or cereal.
Oat milk is a popular beverage choice in many countries. It is a delicious and convenient alternative to cow’s milk. Besides, the product features many non-dairy products and recipes. As the desired product becomes trendier, you can’t help to wonder if it is worth the hype.
Unfortunately, there are potential dangers associated with frequent drinking of oat milk. For example, oat milk risks heart disease due to saturated fat and high cholesterol levels.
Additionally, oat milk contains gluten, a source of many health problems like gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.
Therefore, while oat milk seems to be a healthier option overall, it is crucial to get acquainted with the potential risks of drinking it.
What Is Oat Milk Nutrition?
Fortified oat milk is a good source of several essential minerals and vitamins. Oats are a perfect breakfast meal, relatively affordable, and easy to combine with other ingredients like nuts, apples, and bananas. A cup of oat milk provides:
- 7 grams sugar, 120 calories
- 16 grams carbohydrates
- 3 grams protein
- 2 grams fiber
- 5 grams of total fat
- 0.5 grams saturated fat
Oat milk is made by soaking a steel-cut oat in water and then straining the mixture. As a result, the milk gets fortified with minerals and vitamins. In addition, different oat milk brands have other minerals and vitamins, including vitamin B12 and calcium.
Oat milk is a dairy-free product suitable for vegans or people following a plant-based diet. Additionally, those who are allergic to milk, lactose intolerant persons, or those with gastroenterological conditions can also use it.
Gastroenterological conditions include ulcerative, irritable bowel syndrome, or Crohn’s disease.
It contains a 25%recommended daily allowance for vitamin D and thirty-five percent for calcium. The milk also contains trace amounts of copper, zinc, phosphorous, manganese, and magnesium.
Additionally, it has high carbohydrate levels, the energy source through fiber and carbs.
Moreover, it is a source of soluble fiber known as beta-glucans. A study done by the National Library of Medicine indicates that those who took three cups of oat milk a day for five weeks experienced a reduction in their cholesterol levels. Thanks to beta-glucan fiber.
RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About Oats: The Wheat-Free Alternative
What Are Oat Milk Dangers?
Oat milk is not for persons with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. It may cause digestive problems for people with oat allergies or coeliac disease. In addition, commercially manufactured brands of the product have high sugar levels.
Some of the aftereffects that come with using oat milk include:
- Stomach upset: Most people are usually not used to consuming fiber. Therefore, an influx of fiber in your body might cause an upset stomach. Therefore, always start with small amounts of fiber and slowly increase as the body gets used to fiber-rich foods.
- Oat milk Diarrhea: Oat milk comes with two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. The two roughage work harmoniously to help pass the stool efficiently through the intestines. The roughage softens and bulks up the excrement to easily pass through the intestinal tract.
- Gluten sensitivity: Although oat milk is generally gluten-free, cross-contamination during processing is the primary cause of the exposure. If you suffer from any gluten sensitivity issues, make your oat milk or purchase correctly labeled gluten-free oat milk.
- Higher risk of obesity: One glass of oat milk contains about 120 calories and 25 grams of starch. That is really a tough challenge for people trying to lose weight.
Moreover, several studies also indicate that oat milk is associated with a higher BMI (Body Mass Index) in adults. Frequent use of milk has a higher risk of obesity.
- High risk of oat allergy: Oats have high fiber content. When your body cannot process much fiber, it can face an oat allergy. Oat allergies often show symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, skin itching, nasal irritation, and many more.
- Can cause muscle shedding: Too much consumption of oat milk is a recipe for muscle mass shedding and malnutrition. It is because oat milk is full of fiber content, which keeps your body full for longer, refraining from taking more food.
Consequently, your body loses control over cognitive and metabolism functions as it gets used to eating after a long duration. So, you will not get the proper nutrients required in bodybuilding.
- Can cause belly bloating: The high fiber content in oat milk slows down digestion, ultimately leading to bloating. Always have small portions of oat milk, especially if you face gastric problems.
Does Oat Milk Make You Gain Weight?
Absolutely no. Consuming oat milk in the required quantities does not make you gain weight. In addition, oat milk does not have nutrients, making your body expend excess weight.
As long as you are not drinking in large quantities, you should not expect sudden weight gain.
It is a significant point of contention when we examine the amount of sugar added to store-bought oat milk. Sweetened or flavored oat milk can be detrimental to your weight loss journey.
Sugars and calories elevate drastically. Drinking too much sweetened or flavored milk will lead to weight gain, even with regular exercise.
Oat milk is generally low in fat, sugar, and calories. It can even help you lose a few calories if you are on your weight loss journey. It has enough protein and fiber, making it an ideal option to make your body shade a few pounds.
In addition, one cup of oat milk contains essential vitamins and minerals like iron.
Oat milk keeps your stomach filled for long hours. So, you don’t get the urge to add more calories by eating junk and other sugary foods.
Since oat milk is rich in fiber and protein and low in fat, sugar, and calories, it will help your body lose some weight and not gain it.
Oat Milk And Stomack Upsets
Yes, oat milk can cause you a stomach upset. It usually happens because fiber and sugar do not break down quickly in the stomach.
However, as the milk gets carried via the colon, symptoms of bloating, burping, stomach pain, bloating, and intestinal gas can be experienced.
Furthermore, other ingredients, mix-ins, or added toppings to your milk can sometimes fail to mix well. Due to the failed combination and the following digestion process, one may experience stomach upset. Oat milk also contains soluble fiber in the form of beta-glucan.
The roughage is a type of carbohydrate present as whole grain. Although beta-glucan has several health benefits in the body, it can cause stomach upset.
Beta-glucan absorbs water in excess and then transforms it into a gel-like substance. The result is a slowed digestion process.
At this point, you will start experiencing stomach cramps, gas, and bloating. The ingredients, preservatives, gums, and fillers added to milk alternatives cause gastrointestinal distress. In addition, due to the different elements from different oat milk brands, the consumer may experience bloating and gas.
If you are allergic or intolerant to oats, you may experience other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and severe stomach pain in that case. It is critical to always look at the nutrition labels of any irritants like gums, sugar alcohols, and artificial sweeteners.
Why Oat Milk Is Considered Harmful
Oat milk is not harmful to you if used in moderation. In a nutshell, it is a healthy vegan beverage. It is free of substances such as lactose, gluten, dairy, soy, and nut. Purchase the unsweetened oat milk brand, and you will enjoy the health benefits of oat milk.
However, the product may not be entirely healthy as it claims. High sugar and carbs is bad for your health if used excessively.
Regular oat milk is unsuitable and harmful for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Oats get cross-contaminated with gluten during production.
Therefore, most oat milk in stores is not entirely gluten-free unless explicitly certified. That way, it can cause severe digestive issues in people with gluten sensitivity problems.
Furthermore, a sweetened or flavored cup of oat milk contains high calories and starch. As such, the belly finds it hard to digest the carbohydrates, leading to stomach upset and gas.
People allergic to oats may also find it rough when using oat milk. As if not enough, they may experience different types of resulting symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, and bloating.
All About Oat Allergy
Oat allergy or oat sensitivity is the body’s reaction after using oats. It often manifests itself through signs and symptoms. In most cases, people who find themselves allergic to oats may have experienced gluten sensitivity.
Oats naturally do not have gluten. However, it often finds itself in products like oat milk during the processing stage.
If you must avoid oat sensitivity, make sure all the oat products you use are correctly labeled gluten-free.
Oat allergy is usually not common but happens in children, infants, and adults. Some of the signs and symptoms of oat allergy include:
- Nasal congestion or runny nose
- Scratchy throat
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- blotchy, irritated, itchy skin
- Difficulty with breathing
To avoid oat allergy, stay away from oat milk and oats in all the foods you eat and the products you use. Check and reconfirm all labels for words like avenin, oat powder, and oats. Things to avoid include:
- Oatmeal
- Porridge
- Beer
- Oatcake
- Horse feeds like oat hay
Oat Milk Advantages Vs Downsides
Below, we weight the benefits and downsides of drinking oat milk with a final verdict. Is it entirely dangerous?:
Advantages:
- Lower Cholesterol Levels: Cholesterol is a known cause of several cardiovascular problems. Oats are very high in beta-glucan fiber, which reduces high cholesterol levels. Just a cup of oat milk is enough for managing the body’s cholesterols, reducing the risk of a heart attack.
- Helps in Type two diabetes: These credits still go to beta-glucan fiber in oat milk. Beta-glucan moderates insulin and glucose response after meals, preventing type two diabetes. A one-month diet with oat milk can significantly stabilize sugar levels.
- Oats help your skin: Oats have internal and external benefits, like making your skin healthy. Several facial masks and skin care products have oat ingredients in them. In addition, colloidal oatmeal can treat atopic dermatitis, soothe skin itching, and reduce psoriasis signs and symptoms.
- Boost fullness: Oats, once taken, keeps the stomach full for longer. The contents of fiber in the product help in weight management and balancing your energy. Fewer calories get manufactured in the body. Oat milk is an ideal breakfast meal.
- Relieve constipation: The insoluble fiber in oats is vital to the body. It improves intestinal health, treats irregular bowel movements, and increases stool weight and water. Studies have revealed that oats are beneficial in reducing constipation problems.
- Oats protect your heart: Oat milk contains various minerals and fiber that are known to protect our heart. Nutritional contents like copper, antioxidants, and fibers play a massive role in securing the cardia.
Beta-Glucan reduces cholesterol levels, and antioxidants like avenanthramides safeguard cardiac cells from free radicals. It is all meant to protect us from heart problems.
Downsides:
- Not a suitable substitute: Oat milk is a good beverage for babies. However, it is not nutritional enough to substitute formula or breastmilk. The milk does not have a complete set of nutrients required for the development and growth of the baby.
- High amounts of sugar and preservatives: Preservatives and sugar are usually added during product processing. They enhance the taste of oat milk and its shelf life.
- Carb heavy: Oats are present as whole grain, hence dense in carbs. The carbs get loaded with fiber and are in a complex state. The result is a slow-down in the absorption rate of blood sugar and digestion.
- Lacks Protein: Oat milk is not inherently deficient but lacks sufficient proteins. So, the real danger is relying entirely on it without consuming other plant-based milk with high protein levels in the diet.
- Not nutrient dense like other milk products: Oat milk does not have sufficient nutrients such as calcium compared to different types of milk like cow’s milk.
Commercially manufactured oat milk is fortified with minerals and vitamins to increase its nutritional value. On the other hand, homemade oat milk lacks nutrient enrichment. - May contain gluten: Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, due to cross-contamination during industrial processing, oat milk may get contaminated, making the milk no longer gluten-free.
- Relatively expensive: Oat milk is costly compared to other types of milk, like cow’s milk. A gallon of oat milk is almost $10, which is expensive.
Consumption of high levels of sugar is not suitable for human health. High sugar levels in the body are associated with diabetes, and hyperglycemia, which causes rapid heartbeat, vision problems, and many serious health problems.
This makes oat milk dangerous to a better extent and should be taken with moderation.
Frequently Asked Questions
In case you didn’t have time to read through the entire article, below are common questions people ask about the viability of oatmeal as a safe source of nutrients.
What Happens If You Drink Oat Milk Every Day?
Drinking oat milk frequently has more nutritional value for the body than harm. For example, beta-glucans in the milk will help you regulate blood sugar, reduce and maintain the desired cholesterol levels, and keep your blood pressure healthy.
Oat milk is also suitable for gut health.
What Happens If You Drink Too Much Oat Milk?
One of the significant effects of drinking too much oat milk is a quick elevation of blood sugar levels. It is a big concern, especially if you are trying to minimize type two diabetes or if you have diabetes.
Is Oat Milk Good For Your Heart?
Oat milk protects the heart. It contains a soluble fiber component known as beta-glucan with heart health benefits.
Beta-Glucan reduces cholesterol levels, and antioxidants like avenanthramides safeguard our cells from free radicals. It is all meant to protect us from heart problems.
Should Diabetics Drink Oat Milk?
Oat milk is suitable for people with diabetes because it contains dietary fiber and high nutrient levels. For example, a cup of oat milk has approximately four grams of dietary fiber.
In addition, beta-glucan fiber keeps sugar levels low and helps digestion. Therefore, you can mitigate any complications arising from the use of oat milk.
Why Is Oat Milk So Popular?
Oat milk is popular because it is low in allergens. Unlike other plant kinds of milk, oat milk also has a creamy consistency. Finally, it has high levels of nutrients and dietary fiber, making it the top choice for most plant milk lovers.
Is Oat Milk Good For The Stomach?
Oat milk is good for the stomach. If you are lactose intolerant, taking plant-based oat milk will help minimize symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and many more.
The milk contains beta-glucan that combines with digestive enzymes and inositol to improve bloating, gas, and abdominal pain.
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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