1. First and foremost, what's your favorite oat milk based beverage?
I love an unsweetened oat milk cortado! A cortado is essentially one or two espresso shots with about the same amount of steamed milk, in this case, tasty oat milk. I like this alone or with a banana before a workout or with a bowl of berries and hemp seeds. It’s also my go-to for an early afternoon if I’m looking for pre-workout motivation!
2. Now let's get down to the nitty gritty — what health benefits does oat milk have?
A cup of oat milk differs from your other cups of milk. Oat milk doesn’t contain cholesterol and may have some fiber (1 to 4 grams). Like other beverages and foods, oat milk may also be fortified (nutrients added) to provide vitamins and minerals. Some oat milk options blend in other ingredients to help you easily upgrade your nutrition: Califia Farms recently introduced Uber Oatmilks, which offers all 9 essential amino acids for 8g of protein as well as essential fatty acids (omegas 3, 6, and 9), and is an excellent source of Calcium and Vitamin D, and a good source of Potassium, Vitamin E and Iron.
3. Is oat milk keto-friendly?
Oat milk is not keto, but most of my clients and those I’ve connected with who are following a keto diet, are actually more keto-ish than strict about the diet. This means they are not tracking their ketones but are enjoying high-quality fats, appropriate protein intake and are low carb. Califia Farms Uber Oatmilk and Unsweetened Oatmilk do not have added sugar and are among the lowest in carbs.
4. So, how much sugar is in oat milk?
This really depends on the brand, but I recommend Califia's Unsweetened Oatmilk because it has no added sugar and only 9g of carbs, which comes naturally from the oats.
5. And how many carbs are in oat milk?
Carbs can come from added sugars but they also naturally occur, which is one reason you find carbs in oat and dairy milk. Real oats and dairy have carbs, the amount and form of the oat used will impact the carb content associated with the oats. However, how the oats are processed will affect the carb content of the oat milk and explains why there can be significant variability in oat milk carb counts. Also, pay attention to the serving size. A typical serving size for oat milk is 8 ounces (which is comparable to a small coffee), so if you’re someone who likes to drink oat milk lattes, pay attention to the size. A 16 ounce (medium) or 20 ounce (large) oat milk latte will have a lot more carbs than what’s listed on the nutrition label of oat milk.
6. Why should someone choose oat milk instead of dairy and other non-dairy milks for their coffee? When should they *not* choose it?
If you have a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance (dairy milk has lactose) but want the thick and creamy consistency of a whole milk, a quality oat milk is a great alternative. If you choose oat milk, make sure you’re choosing a version that doesn’t have too much added sugar. If you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, make sure your oat milk is gluten-free. Avoid oat milk if you are allergic to oats or any of the other ingredients as well.
Interested in learning more or trying the delish Califia Farms oat milk for yourself? Visit them at The Los Angeles Coffee Festival! Click here for tickets.