Oat milk has quickly become one of the most popular plant-based milk alternatives on the market. It offers a smooth, creamy texture and slightly oaty taste, but it still works well in both sweet and savory dishes. Sure, you can pour it in your oatmeal, morning cereal, or coffee, but it's also great for making a roux for macaroni and cheese or as a base for creamy soups.
Not all oat milks are as good for you as they may seem, though. Some are loaded with sugars and additives to make them more flavorful and to last in the fridge for longer.
Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club, explains that actually determining the added sugars in this product can be challenging.
"Each brand has its own method of processing the oats to create its oat beverage. That gets a little tricky because the amount of 'added sugar' in the product will depend on how the oats are processed," Harris-Pincus tells Eat This, Not That!. "You may look at the label and see no signs of added sugars, but the oat milk label will show a significant amount in the added sugar column due to FDA rules."
With this in mind, we spoke with certified nutritionists and registered dietitians to determine the best and worst oat milks you can buy in 2021. Here are the nutritional winners and losers ranked from "don't buy it" to the #1 healthiest.
1 serving: 150 calories, 3.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 150 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (3 g fiber, 16 g sugar), 3 g protein
Oat milk is a pretty healthy drink that is naturally gluten-free, but when manufacturers add flavors like chocolate or vanilla, they also typically add sugar to make these flavors taste sweeter.
That's why Jay Cowin, registered nutritionist and director of formulations for ASYSTEM, ranks Oatly brand chocolate oat milk as one of the worst oat milks. It has 16 grams of sugar, which is more than you'd find in a glazed donut.
Oat milks can often have great qualities to balance out the sugar content, but Cowin noted, "The fiber and protein content for this chocolate drink is about average for that of an oat milk."
Related: Sign up for our newsletter for the latest healthy eating news.
1 serving: 120 calories, 3.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 120 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 2 g protein
What's the secret to deliciously extra-creamy oat milk? Oftentimes, it's additives and more sugar and fat.
"There are some formulations made with added sugar and excess added fat to improve the taste and texture of the product," explained Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet.
Richards ranked Planet Oat's Extra Creamy formulation as one of the worst oat milk products. It also contains additives like guar gum and gellan gum, which are often used to thicken and stabilize foods and beverages.
1 serving: 180 calories, 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 60 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (0 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 2 g protein
Health experts often recommend steering clear of barista-blend oat milks, which contain additives like oils to make them easier to steam for espresso drinks. These additives can have inflammatory properties.
In particular, Oatsome's barista blend oat milk is quite high in sugars and fat, again with more sugar than a donut and the amount of fat you'd get from three slices of bacon. It also lacks dietary fiber.
Related: 30 Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods
1 serving: 140 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 140 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (2 g fiber, 14 g sugar), 3 g protein
Happy Planet's chocolate oat milk is another high-sugar beverage best enjoyed in moderation. With 14 grams of sugar, it is similar to a serving of ice cream. The ingredients list also includes additives such as sunflower oil and gellan gum.
Related: One Secret Side Effect of Drinking Oat Milk, Says Dietitian
1 serving: 110 calories, 6 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 100 mg sodium, 13 g carbs (2 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 2 g protein
Chobani's plain, unsweetened oat milk might have made our list of the best oat milks, but the vanilla variety is, unfortunately, one of the unhealthier oat milks on the market. Each serving contains 9 grams of sugar, and this product is formulated with more additives.
Now, on to the better-for-you options…
Related: This Popular Oat Milk Is Being Criticized For Its Ingredients
1 serving: 45 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 100 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein
Although this oat milk does contain some additives, Harris-Pincus gave it a thumbs up because it contains no sugar and is a lower-calorie option.
This drink is fortified with calcium, so you'll get 460 mg of calcium per serving. According to Silk, this is 50% more than you'd get from the same amount of reduced-fat cow's milk.
"It's also important to check for calcium and vitamin D fortification as most organic products do not add these key nutrients of concern in the American diet, especially if oat milk is being consumed in place of dairy milk products," Harris-Pincus advised.
Related: The #1 Best Vitamin D Supplement to Take
1 serving: 80 calories, 4 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 50 mg sodium, 9 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein
Like Silk's zero-sugar option, the Chobani zero-sugar oat milk also contains additives, including rapeseed oil, gellan gum, and dipotassium phosphate. But Harris-Pincus likes that it contains no sugar, nor does it have artificial flavors.
1 serving: 110 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 35 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (1 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 3 g protein
Even grocery retailers are coming up with their own plant-based milk products, and e-commerce grocery Thrive Market has one of the most nutritious oat milks out there.
"One of the best oat milk brands is Thrive Market's Organic Oat Milk," said Trista Best, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements. "The ingredients panel is one of the shortest among other oat milk brands with no preservatives, added sugar, or oils."
There are only two ingredients: water and organic oats. While there aren't any added sugars, there are 13 grams of sugar in this oat milk.
1 serving: 100 calories, 1.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 120 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 4 g protein
Some of the top-rated oat milks by nutrition experts are those that have simple ingredients, like Elmhurst's cleverly named Milked Oats product. This oat milk is made with only five ingredients, none of which are additives like oils or gums.
Cowin ranked this oat milk as one of the best options because it offers protein and low sugar content. Plus, "you also get 20 grams of whole grain per serving. This product is free of artificial ingredients, plus no gums, thickeners, or oils," Cowin explained.
Related: The #1 Best Protein Shake for Weight Loss
1 serving: 45 calories, 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg sodium, 8 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein
When shopping for oat milk, it's best to go for unsweetened and unflavored versions. These tend to have fewer ingredients and way less sugar and fat. Harris-Pincus ranked Planet Oat's unsweetened original oat milk as one of the top options to buy. In addition to having zero added sugars, this drink is also low in calories.
And there you have it—the oat milks currently on grocery store shelves ranked from worst to best. For more rankings, check out The Best & Worst Oreos in 2021—Ranked!
"oat" - Google News
August 05, 2021 at 01:25AM
https://ift.tt/2TVtkhh
The Best & Worst Oat Milks in 2021—Ranked! | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That
"oat" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2VUZxDm
https://ift.tt/3aVzfVV
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The Best & Worst Oat Milks in 2021—Ranked! | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That"
Post a Comment