Oat milk: is it good for you?

What is oat milk?

Oat milk is made by blending oats with water and straining out the pulp to produce a creamy, milk-tasting liquid.  

Oat milk does not naturally contain calcium, so it is usually added along with vitamin B12. It is naturally dairy-free and lactose-free, making it a suitable alternative for people avoiding dairy milk.  

Like all plant-based dairy alternatives, it cannot legally be called ‘milk’ in the UK – only animal milks can.  

This is why you will see it labelled as ‘oat drink’ despite being commonly referred to as ‘oat milk’.  

While these non-dairy drinks are designed to mimic dairy milk in how they look, taste and behave, their nutrition varies widely.  

Most plant-based drinks are classed as ultra‑processed foods (UPFs) because they have added ingredients such as stabilisers, emulsifiers, salt, oil, sugars or sweeteners.  

This does not automatically make them unhealthy. They can still fit into a balanced diet, but it does mean the ingredients list matters. 

Is oat milk healthy?

Most unsweetened oat milks contain fewer calories than whole cow’s milk and a similar amount to skimmed milk. 

However, the sweetened versions can contain as many calories as whole milk. 

A key nutritional difference is protein. Oat drinks usually contain only around 1g per 200ml, compared with 7g in cow’s milk.

Oat milks are generally low in saturated fat, which is helpful for heart health. However, some brands add vegetable oils to improve creaminess, so the fat content can vary.

Although oats are high in starch, not sugar, the processing used to make oat drinks breaks down the starch into free sugars. 

This means that even unsweetened oat drinks contain small amounts of free sugars, despite having no added sugars. 

Free sugars are the type we are advised to limit because they are more easily absorbed and can contribute to tooth decay and excess calorie intake. 

The UK’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommends choosing sugar‑free, fortified plant-based drinks, with added calcium, vitamin B12 and iodine to match the key nutrients in cow’s milk. 

How cow’s milk and plant alternatives compare nutritionally

The below table shows the nutritional values in 100mls of 6 plant-based milk alternative compared with full-fat cow's milk.

The numbers are averages – rounded up 1 decimal point – taken from Nutritics and milk.co.uk. They are for unsweetened products. Data on sweetened products is shown in brackets where they differ.

Source: A Nutritional and Environmental Impact Comparison of Skim Dairy Milk and Plant Beverages: A Review

*added ingredient

Is oat milk good for cholesterol? 

Oat milk contains beta-glucan, a soluble fibre found naturally in oats. This fibre forms a gel in the gut that helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol.  

Consuming at least 3g of oat beta‑glucan per day has been shown to lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol as part of a healthy diet.  

UK health claim regulations allow products to state they help to lower cholesterol if they provide 1g of oat beta-glucan per portion.  

However, most oat milks usually do not contain enough beta‑glucan to meet the threshold.

They only contain 0.5 to 1g of beta‑glucan per 250ml, meaning you would need 750ml to 1.5 litres per day to reach the 3g target, which is about 3 to 6 glasses.  

Instead, look for oat milks which say they contain 1g beta-glucan. 

For someone with high cholesterol, oat milk can still be a helpful swap, if it replaces a higher‑fat milk. But it’s not usually enough on its own to deliver the full cholesterol‑lowering effect.  

Whole oats, such as porridge or oat bran, are the most effective foods to achieve the 3g target.

For example, a bowl of porridge made with 40g of oats provides 2g of beta-glucan and adding a glass of oat milk can help you reach the full amount.  

Does oat milk contain gluten? 

Although oats can be gluten-free, in the UK only drinks specifically labelled ‘gluten-free’ are suitable for people with coeliac disease.  

Those with a non‑coeliac gluten sensitivity may also prefer to choose gluten‑free versions to avoid symptoms.  

An oat allergy is rare, but if you experience itching, swelling, hives, or digestive symptoms after consuming oats or oat milk, seek medical advice. 

Can I cook with oat milk? 

Oat milk can be used instead of cow’s milk in porridge, pancakes, baking, tea and coffee.  

The exception is recipes that need milk protein for thickening, such as custards, set milk puddings and ice cream.  

For these, a higher protein plant-based alternative, such as soya milk, is a better choice.

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