After I drank my daily coffee with oat milk for the first time, I couldn’t imagine my morning caffeine any other way. I’m not lactose intolerant nor do I follow a vegan diet—oat milk simply tastes good. I know I am not alone because supermarket shelves have been overrun with plant-based milk alternatives like soy, coconut, almond, and hazelnut as well as my beloved oat alternative. Oat drinks have also become a permanent fixture on the menu in most cafés and are a must-have in many people’s morning coffee.
Is oat milk healthy?
If you love an oat milk latte as much as I do, be warned that you might not be doing your health any favors. More precisely, your blood sugar levels may be paying a price. For many years nutritionists and doctors thought it was important only for diabetics to pay close attention to their blood sugar levels, but increasingly it has become clear that fluctuations can impact everyone’s health and mood.
An imbalanced blood sugar level (called hypoglycemia) can cause cravings, a lack of energy or fatigue, acne, poor sleep, and brain fog. There is sugar in all types of milk (including cow’s milk), which varies depending on the source and manufacturing process. According to the Department of Agriculture, unsweetened oat milk has 7.01 grams of sugar per cup, and here’s how the rest of milk types stack up: whole cow’s milk, 11 grams of sugar per cup; 1% cow’s milk, 12 grams per cup; unsweetened almond milk, 2 grams per cup; coconut milk, 6 grams per cup.
Confused by how oat milk could potentially be a villain in your morning coffee? French biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, the self-proclaimed Glucose Goddess, explains. “When we want to know if a food will spike our glucose, we’re not only looking at sugar content but also starch content, which turns into glucose as it’s digested as well,” she says. “Fat and protein content are also important to factor in since they reduce the spike.”
So, when it comes to choosing the healthiest milk, it’s not just about looking at the sugar content but the entire composition. Similar to fruit juice, most of the plant fiber is filtered out of oat milk when it’s produced, so it contains little to no fiber, while all the natural sugars remain.
Time to stock the pantry.
Do your blood sugar levels a favor with these alternatives to oat milk.
You may not want to hear this, but according to Inchauspé, cow’s milk and nut milks are far better alternatives. “Milk from cows essentially consists of proteins and fat,” she says. “Milk made from nuts is very low in starch, which makes it a better option for a balanced glucose content.”
But if you absolutely can’t bear to give up your beloved oat milk latte, there are a few things you can do to keep your glucose levels in check. “Consider having breakfast first, instead of drinking oat milk on an empty stomach, or go for a walk after drinking oat milk,” Inchauspé advises.
I’ve tried a few milk alternatives, and unsweetened soy milk is my favorite so far—I almost always add it to my coffee now. I try to pay particular attention to this in the morning, and I truly do feel less hungry before lunchtime.
This article first appeared on Vogue Germany.
