Dunkin’ Donuts has added oat milk to the menu, along with a new oat milk latte. This new vegan, plant-based menu addition sounds like a healthy staple Dunkin’ Donuts fans can rely on. But is it?
Acording to a statement from Dunkin’, you can add their oat milk—called Planet Oat—to any Dunkin’ drink (it does cost extra). In addition to their new oat milk latte, oat milk is also the superstar in a full lineup of their drinks and specialty beverages, such as chai and matcha lattes.
Planet Oat oat milk blends oats and water along with vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients, for a creamy texture and light sweetness, according to a statement Dunkin’ put out on the plant-based milk. Parade.com spoke to nutritionists about oat milk in general, and how Dunkin’s version stacks up from a health perspective. Here’s what you should know.
Oat milk 101
From an environmental, taste, and health standpoint, oat milk tends to be a smart choice, according to nutritionist Sharon Palmer. “It has a significantly lower carbon footprint and uses significantly less water and land,” she says. “Since it is made from a grain, it has a better footprint because grains are very sustainable foods in general.”
What else? “Oat milk has a really mild, creamy neutral flavor making it suitable for many applications,” Palmer adds, adding that it doesn’t contain cholesterol or saturated fat, since the the natural fats in oats are unsaturated. Many oat milks are also fortified with vitamin D and calcium, which is another plus from a nutritional standpoint.
Oat milk is also a good source of fiber, with about 2 grams (and about 90 calories) for every 8 ounces. It provides about one-third of your recommended daily calcium intakes and 10% of the daily potassium recommended intake.
The downside of oat milk is that it’s not high in protein: It only contains about 2 grams per portion, according to Palmer.
“I recommend oat milk often since I find it to be quite versatile in cooking,” adds nutritionist Jackie Newgent. “Plus, since it’s free of dairy, nuts, and soy and usually free of gluten, it’s a great choice for those with food intolerances and sensitivities.”
Related: Copycat Dunkin’ Donuts Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Who should drink oat milk?
Because oats are tolerated well by most people, oat milk is a great choice if you experience nut or soy allergies. “If you need protein in your plant milk choices, then you might want to search out a higher protein choice, such as soy milk or a fortified plant milk,” Palmer says. “If plant milk is a big contributor to your diet and you’re eating 100% plant-based, I think it’s important to try to get a protein-rich plant milk in your diet, which provides at least 7 gram of protein per one cup serving,” Palmer said. Elderly people often need more protein, for example, so oat milk may not be best for them.
“When it comes to choosing a milk beverage, non-dairy or not, it should come down to taste preference and perhaps what specific nutrients you are looking,” explained nutritionist Keri Gans. For example, if you want more protein, you should choose cow’s milk or soy milk, and if you want more fiber you choose oat milk.
Related: The Best Non-Dairy Ice Creams
How does Dunkin’ oat milk stack up?
We know that as a plant-based milk, oat milk is a good option. And according to the nutritional information on Dunkin’s website, their oat milk latte has no added sugars, which Palmer says is “excellent.”
But many plant milks do contain added sugars, especially the flavored ones. That’s why you should always read the ingredient list and the nutrition facts panel. Try to keep “added sugars” to a minimum or none at all. Most oat milk is naturally sweet and doesn’t include added sugars, Palmer said.
“If you simply order a plain Dunkin’ hot or iced coffee or latte with oat milk, you don’t need to worry about added sugars—unless, of course, you actually add sugar to it,” Newgent said.
If you order a flavored oat milk latte from Dunkin’, however, it will include a syrup that can add up to 30 to 40 grams of sugar depending on the size.“The sugar is what makes these drinks ‘unhealthy,’” noted Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. Your best bet for a healthy Dunkin’ oat milk latte would be a plain oat milk latte with no added syrup … this drink only provides 4 grams of sugar for a small, 5 grams for a medium, and 7 gram for a large.”
Related: The Best Vegan Cookie Recipes Ever
Oat milk latte recipes
Want to make your own oat milk latte recipe that you know is healthy? Here are a few options.
Real Pumpkin Spice Oat Latte
By Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Dietitian
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brewed espresso or strong dark coffee
- 1 cup plain oat milk, unsweetened, unflavored
- 3 tablespoons canned (or cooked, pureed) pumpkin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- Garnish (optional) with plant-based whipped topping (i.e., soy or almond) and/or a pinch of cinnamon
Instructions:
- Add brewed espresso or coffee, oatmilk, pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and maple syrup to a small pot.
- Bring to heat for a few minutes over medium, stirring with a whisk, heating only until warm (do not boil).
- Remove from heat and pour into 2 glasses (about 1 1/8th cup each).
- Top with whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Maple Oat Milk Latte
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
- ½ cup of plain, unsweetened oat milk
- 1 tablespoon 100% pure maple syrup from Canada
- Pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
- Put the coffee, oat milk and maple syrup into a saucepan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until it comes to a slow boil. Remove from heat.
- Blend in the saucepan with an immersion blender or handheld mixer or pour into a mason jar and shake it until the milk is frothy.
- Pour into your favorite coffee mug and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Next up, check out these tips for adopting a plant-based diet.
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