Welcome to “McDaniel’s Bite-Sized Reviews” | Oatly Oat Milk
It’s a weekly series we’re calling “McDaniel’s Bite-Sized Reviews!” Every other week, we’ll share a popular food, drink or supplement one of our MNT Registered Dietitians tried, reviewed and rated. With the growing number of products on the grocery store shelves, figuring out which items are getting you the most nutritional bang for your buck can feel overwhelming? Our hope is that we can make grocery shopping at least 0.5% easier!
FYI – these posts aren’t sponsored. They are opinions of unpaid tastebuds.
Check Out Our Past Reviews:
Caulipower Pizza Crust
Sports Research Collagen Peptides
Yogi Detox Tea
What is Oatly Oat Milk?
Oatly Oat Milk is a dairy-free alternative to milk made from oats. The oats are 100% gluten free, and the product is fortified with nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. It’s a slightly higher-fiber plant based milk in comparison to rice or almond milk that is low in saturated fat.
Why Did We Try Oat Milk?
It’s no secret that plant-based milk consumption is on the rise in the United States. According to research, plant milk sales have grown by 15-30% over the last few years with increased interest in vegan and vegetarian diets. Currently, almond-milk and soy-milk hold the top 2 spots in the plant-based milk category, but “milks” made from oats, cashews and coconut are quickly catching up.
So, why oat milk? Plant-based milks, in general, are growing in popularity for environmental concerns. Almonds take 6 times more water compared to oats to grow. Oat milk is also more likely to be free from allergens such as nuts, soy, and gluten. About 35% of people in the U.S and 2/3 of people worldwide have difficulty digesting lactose which is called lactose malabsorption or intolerance.
We decided to try it to see how it measures up to traditional milk, and if it would be a good choice for someone looking for a plant-based milk.
Oatly Oat Milk: How Many Stars?
Our 5 Star Rating
Taste: 4/5
The velvety-rich texture makes it a nice creamy addition to coffee. Even though it is oat-based, we found the taste to be pleasantly nutty and delicious.
Nutrient Density: 3/5
In the chart below, we compared oat milk to Cow’s milk and a few other varieties of plant-based milk. When comparing similar products regarding calories/fat, Oatly Oat Milk has a few more calories, carbs and fat as traditional cow’s milk. While calcium and vitamin D were similar to dairy, dairy milk provides nine essential nutrients in each 8-ounce glass (protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, phosphorus, vitamin B 12, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin); a glass of original oat milk has six (calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, riboflavin, iron and vitamin B12). Check out our post on top dairy myths.
Important to know: The Academy of Pediatrics don’t recommend plant-based milk for children under the age of 5.
Check out Today’s Dietitian chart for another comparison of “milks.”
Value: 2/5
Oat milk (and other plant-based milks) can cost around 2-3 times as much as dairy. As far as plant-based milks go, you’ll get a bit more bang for your nutritional buck with soy milk.
Average Rating:
Where To Find It:
Oatly can be found at Target stores and Whole Foods stores around Saint Louis. Most grocery stores will carry at least one brand of oat milk if you don’t find yourself regularly shopping at those stores.
How I Enjoyed It:
As a mid-morning adult hot cocoa made with 1 cup oat milk, 2-3 t. honey, 1 T. unsweetened cocoa and 1 scoop collagen powder. I must say, I enjoyed it immensely.