Is chobani oat milk bad for you?

Oat milk has quickly become one of the most popular dairy milk substitutes, and it’s prepared from one of the most inexpensive and widely available kitchen staples: rolled oats.

We understand if you’re pondering how on earth folks create something approximating milk from cereals. However, the procedure isn’t all that enigmatic. Simply combine cereals and water in a mixer, purée, and drain. You now have a rich beverage that can be used in place of cow’s milk in a variety of dishes. (or, just as a cold glass at breakfast).

But that doesn’t address the more essential issue of why you’d go to the bother of making wheat milk in the first place. (or search for it at your local health food store). Is it really healthier for you than regular cow’s milk?

What are the health benefits of drinking oat milk?

According to Nicole Magryta, RDN, author of Nourish Your Tribe, most oat milks have one to three grams of fiber per cup (a little more than almond milk), but they also have more calories and carbs. In other words, unless you purchase enriched wheat milk from a store, you’re kind of coming out.

“The health benefits of milk are not necessarily from the oats and water, which provide marginal benefits,” adds Magryta, “but from the fortified nutrients added during processing.” “[Micronutrients such as] vitamins A, D, B12, B2, and calcium are added to make the product a close nutritional substitute for dairy milk.”

Is there any purpose in consuming handmade, unfortified wheat milk? Yes, but only if you have an intolerance to cow’s milk or want to support a more ecological option, according to Magryta. Because oat intolerance or allergies are rare, oat milk provides another drinking option for individuals with soy, dairy, or food allergies.

How to choose the best oat milk

If you’re searching for a plant-based option to dairy milk, it’s essential to understand what else you might be receiving when you take a bottle off the store rack. The finest oat milks, according to Rooted Wellness creator Sarah Rueven, MS, RDN, CDN, are prepared with just oats and water, without the additional components that firms claim enhance the flavor and mouthfeel.

Before you purchase wheat milk, look for the following on the label:

Choose milk made from organic oats. “Conventional oats are commonly sprayed with glyphosate as a drying agent before harvest,” adds Magryta, “which is a widely used chemical weed killer now labeled as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization.” She goes on to say that recent studies on oat-based goods revealed high amounts of herbicide contamination, and that organic products are less likely to be tainted. (and therefore safer for consumption).
Avoid added sugar and phosphates. According to Magryta, you should avoid sweetened types, but you should also avoid products with additional phosphates. Although phosphates are on the Food and Drug Administration’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list, it is a matter of amount. “Natural organic phosphate esters do occur naturally in foods such as dairy, but at much lower concentrations,” Magryta adds. “As a population, we are consuming significantly more phosphate from industrially processed foods, which raises safety concerns.”
Skip “barista” varieties. Barista oat milks are marketed as an alternative intended to be combined into famous coffeehouse-style drinks like lattes; however, the component list is not as straightforward as cereals and water. The majority of these varieties contain a seed oil, such as sunflower or safflower, which Rueven advises against: “These oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, and excessive consumption can disrupt our omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, causing inflammation.”
Look for calcium and vitamin D fortification. “It’s important to look for these because most organic products don’t include these key nutrients of concern in the American diet, especially if oat milk is used instead of dairy milk,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club.

The 7 healthiest oat milk brands you can buy

Are you ready to go shopping? This collection of nutritious oat milk alternatives will remove the uncertainty out of purchasing substitute, plant-based milks at the grocery store.

110 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 3 g protein per cup (237 mL).

Even supermarket stores are coming up with their own plant-based milk products, and e-commerce grocery Thrive Market has one of the most healthy oat milks out there.

“Thrive Market’s Organic Oat Milk is one of the best oat milk brands,” said Trista finest, certified nutritionist at Balance One Supplements. “Among other oat milk brands, the ingredients panel is one of the shortest, with no preservatives, added sugar, or oils.”

Water and healthy cereals are the only components. While there are no additional sweeteners, this wheat milk contains 13 grams of sugar.

1 cup (240 mL) contains 90 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 gram of saturated fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Oatly, exclaims Magryta! Milk is produced from gluten-free cereals, is Non-GMO verified, does not contain sugars or conventional thickeners, and bears The Detox Project’s Glyphosate Residue Free accreditation.

“One issue with most versions of this product is that they contain grape seed oil, which is an inflammatory industrial seed oil,” she continues. “To avoid this, I recommend purchasing their low-fat option, which does not contain any oil.”

50 calories, 3.5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 5 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 1 g protein per cup (237 mL).

Despite the fact that this brand is low in fiber and protein, Magryta claims that the nutrient composition compensates. It’s calcium-fortified, made with basic, organic components, and devoid of oil, phosphates, and natural seasonings. It is also one of the few organic choices and one of the few zero-sugar wheat milk options.

$29.95 for a 6-pack

80 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 4 g protein per cup (240 mL).

Why does Rueven recommend the Elmhurst brand?

“There are no oils, gums, or stabilizers!” “It’s only filtered water, whole grain oats, and salt,” she says. It’s also non-GMO, with one gram of sugar, four grams of protein, and two grams of fiber.

$44.49 for a 6-pack

45 calories per cup (240 mL), 0.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 8 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 1 g protein

Although not organic, Planet Oat’s original oatmilk is nutrient-fortified and reduced in cholesterol. With two grams of fiber and one spoonful of sugar per portion, it’s a good option if organic is out of your price range.

120 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 26 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 18 g sugar, 4.5 g protein per cup (230 mL).

This Halsa liquid yogurt beverage, made with responsibly produced Scandinavian organic oats, contains nearly two grams of fiber and five grams of protein per cup. It also complies with dietitians’ preferences by having no GMO components, phosphates, sugars, or lubricants. The only exception is the sugar. (18 grams for the blueberry variety). Fortunately, it is the naturally existing kind from the additional genuine food, not the added or fake kind.

1 cup (240 mL) contains 90 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 gram of saturated fat, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Yes, we did advise you to avoid barista-style oat milk, but that was because most types contain industrial seed oils. The Elmhurst brand, on the other hand, does not, which is why it is Eat This-approved. It also contains two grams of fiber, three grams of protein, is free of carrageenan and gluten, and is non-GMO confirmed. If you want to work as a bartender, Elmhurst is your best option.

The worst oat milks you can buy

Sometimes goods marketed as “healthy” substitutes aren’t all that beneficial for you, and wheat milk is no exception. Added carbohydrates and commercial vegetable oils are major red signals in milk substitutes. When searching for a dairy milk replacement, avoid the following wheat milk companies.

1 portion contains 150 calories, 3.5 grams of fat (0.5 grams of saturated fat), 150 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

Oat milk is a relatively healthful drink that is inherently gluten-free; however, when producers add flavors such as chocolate or vanilla, they typically include sugar to make these tastes taste richer.

As a result, Jay Cowin, qualified dietitian and ASYSTEM’s head of formulas, considers Oatly brand chocolate oat milk to be one of the worst oat milks. It contains 16 grams of sugar, which is more than a sweetened doughnut.

“The fiber and protein content for this chocolate drink is about average for that of an oat milk,” Cowin observed.

This Popular Oat Milk Is Being Blasted For Its Ingredients

1 cup (240 mL) contains 130 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

This brand provides conventional and espresso types, but many are low in fiber and protein, making them a completely devoid option. Furthermore, according to Magryta, the bland version includes seven grams of fat from inflammatory sunflower oil.

1 portion contains 120 calories, 3.5 grams of fat (0.5 grams of saturated fat), 120 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

What is the recipe for delectably extra-creamy wheat milk? Frequently, it’s chemicals and even more sugar and fat.

“Some formulations are made with added sugar and excess added fat to improve the taste and texture of the product,” Lisa Richards, dietitian and author of The Candida Diet, explained.

Planet Oat’s Extra Creamy version was rated as one of the worst oat milk brands by Richards. It also includes thickeners and stabilizers like guar gum and gellan gum, which are commonly used in meals and drinks.

120 calories per cup (240 mL), 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 18 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 1 g protein

“With a long list of pro-inflammatory oil, additives, gums, and preservatives, this oat milk is a no-go,” says Rueven. Magryta concurs, noting that it is also not pure and contains sunflower oil. It basically ticks all of the incorrect categories.

1 cup (240 mL) contains 130 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Magryta has only one word for this organic wheat milk: “Put it back on the shelf.” Why? Because each one-cup portion includes a staggering four tablespoons of sugar. There are many other choices with significantly less sugar than this one.

1 portion contains 180 calories, 10 grams of fat (1.5 grams of saturated fat), 60 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates (0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

Barista-blend oat milks, which contain ingredients like oils to make them simpler to prepare for espresso beverages, are often avoided by health experts. These substances have the potential to cause inflammation.

Oatsome’s chef mix oat milk, in particular, is quite rich in carbohydrates and fat, with more sugar than a doughnut and the same quantity of fat as three pieces of bacon. It is also deficient in nutritional fiber.

1 portion contains 140 calories, 3 grams of fat (0 grams of saturated fat), 140 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates (2 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

Another high-sugar liquid to be consumed in restraint is Happy Planet’s cocoa wheat milk. It has 14 grams of sugar, which is comparable to a scoop of ice cream. The inventory of components also contains fillers like rapeseed oil and gellan gum.

According to a dietitian, there is one undiscovered side effect of drinking oat milk.

1 portion contains 110 calories, 6 grams of fat (0 grams of saturated fat), 100 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates (2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

Chobani’s basic, unadulterated oat milk made our list of the finest oat milks, but the vanilla version is one of the unhealthier oat milks available. This food includes more chemicals and contains 9 grams of sugar per dose.

Total Fat 5g	6%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber <1g	3%
Total Sugars 0g	–
Includes 0g Added Sugars	0%

What are the health benefits of drinking oat milk?

How to choose the best oat milk

The 7 healthiest oat milk brands you can buy

The worst oat milks you can buy

Related Questions

Is chobani oat milk unhealthy?

Is chobani plain oat milk healthy?

Is chobani oat milk high in sugar?

Does Chobani oat milk contain glyphosate?