The offering of oat milk was tested in two daycare centers, two schools, and one high school in Finland between 2020 and 2021. According to the city, the beverage received a positive reception, so starting from July 31st 2023, it will be added as a permanent beverage option in daycare centers. Is it a healthy and ecological choice?
Oat Milk
Oat milk is a dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk. If you haven’t tried it yourself, perhaps you’ve heard someone ordering a latte with oat milk at a café. It tastes creamier and more like milk than many other plant-based milk substitutes and has gained immense popularity. But is it healthy? Let’s look at the ingredients and nutritional content of oat milk:
Water, OATS 10%, rapeseed oil, acidity regulator (dipotassium phosphate), minerals (calcium carbonate, potassium iodide), salt, vitamins (D2, riboflavin, B12).
Nutritional values per 100 ml:
- Energy 248 kJ/59 kcal
- Fat 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates 7 g
- Hiilihydraatit 7 g
- of which sugars 3.4 g*
- Dietary fiber 0.8 g
- Protein 1.1 g
- Salt 0.10 g
- D-vitamin 1.1 μg (30 %)
- Riboflavin 0.21 mg (15 %)
- B12-vitamin 0.38 μg (15 %)
- Calcium 120 mg (15 %)
- Iodine 22.5 μg
It’s important to note that oat milk contains 7 grams of sugar (carbohydrates) per cup, even though the ingredient list does not mention added sweeteners. So where does the sugar come from? The only source of carbohydrates is oats, a grain that is very low in sugar. It turns out that in Oatly’s production process, added enzymes break down oat starch into simple sugars, primarily maltose.[3]
Maltose
Maltose has a glycemic index of 105-137. For comparison, white flour has a glycemic index of 100, and sugar is 94. Maltose has an exceptionally strong impact on blood sugar levels. A medium-sized glass of oat milk (a medium latte) has roughly the same effect on blood sugar levels as drinking a can of Coca-Cola.
Oat milk has roughly the same blood sugar impact as soda and about the same amount of oil per serving as French fries. The main sugar in oat milk (maltose) has a higher glycemic index than pure sugar.
Rapeseed Oil
As the third ingredient, after water and oats, there’s rapeseed oil, a less flattering name for canola oil. Rapeseed oil is usually used in the automotive and chemical industries for making engine lubricants and biodiesel, while the version intended for cooking is known as “canola oil.”
Both are [6]highly processed, inflammatory, and unhealthy oils, and they may even contain up to 2.03% [7]trans fats. Trans fats have no safe level of consumption and have been officially banned in the United States[8]. In Finland, trans fats are not banned. Food business operators who supply foodstuffs other than those intended for final consumers or retail to other food business operators must ensure that information on the amount of trans fat is provided to the receiving food business operators, excluding trans fat naturally occurring in animal fat, when the amount exceeds 2 grams per 100 grams of fat.[9]
Rapeseed and canola oil are among the few foods still containing toxic trans fats[10]. Based on nutritional information, it can be calculated that every 230 ml glass of oat milk contains roughly the same amount of oil as a medium serving of French fries. A large latte with oat milk would contain over 10 grams of rapeseed oil, much more oil than a large serving of French fries. So, whenever you drink a glass of oat milk, you are getting a toxic and inflammatory equivalent to a medium-sized portion of French fries.
Dipotassium Phosphate
Following water, oats, and rapeseed oil, the next ingredient is dipotassium phosphate, also known as [11]potassium hydrogen phosphate. It is a food additive originally derived from animal bones and urine. Nowadays, it is produced from phosphate rock through chemical reactions to make it edible.[12] Other foods that typically contain added phosphates include processed meats, soft drinks, fast food, and frozen chicken nuggets.
The FDA, whose policies and guidelines are usually decades behind scientific understanding, claims that phosphates are generally recognized as safe. However, the FDA said the same about artificial trans fats until as late as 2015, even though scientific research had demonstrated their harm as early as the 1990s[13].
A study from 2012 regarding the harmful effects of phosphates concludes, “Because of the prevalence of chronic kidney disease and the potential adverse effects of phosphate additives, the public should be informed that added phosphate is damaging to health”[14]. Chronic kidney disease is now one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States[15]. Maarit Heinimäki from the Kidney and Liver Association reports that kidney failure has increased significantly among Finns[16].
Summary
It is important to note that oat milk may pose a risk to children’s health. Oat milk contains a significant amount of sugar, and its glycemic index is high, meaning it strongly affects blood sugar levels. In fact, the sugar (maltose) in oat milk has a higher glycemic index than pure sugar.
Oat milk causes a similar blood sugar spike as drinking a can of cola. It negatively affects children’s health and may expose them to health problems.
Furthermore, oat milk contains rapeseed oil, which can be inflammatory and potentially contain toxic trans fats. Such oil can be especially harmful to children’s health. There is a substantial amount of rapeseed oil in oat milk, even more than a serving of French fries. Consider this when offering oat milk to your child.
In addition, oat milk contains dipotassium phosphate, a food additive. The increased use of phosphates in food has been linked to health problems, especially in the context of chronic kidney disease. It is extremely concerning to offer children a beverage that contains such ingredients and may have a detrimental impact on their health.
Parents should be aware of these dangers and carefully consider whether they give or recommend oat milk to their children. Child health is of paramount importance, and dietary choices can have significant effects on their well-being.
If your child suddenly starts gaining weight, ask them how many glasses of oat milk they consume per day.
Sources:
[1] Helsinki alkaa tarjota kaurajuomaa päiväkodeissa https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000009662618.html
[2] Oatly tuoteseloste https://www.oatly.com/fi-fi/stuff-we-make/kaurajuoma/oat-drink-whole-2-8-fat-dark-blue
[3] Oatly https://www.oatly.com/en-us/random-answers
[4] Maltodekstriini https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltodekstriini
[5] GI-taulukko https://www.keittotaito.com/gi-taulukko.html
[6] Öljy erottuu siemenestä puristamalla tai uuttamalla https://web.archive.org/web/20190426230233/ http://kehittyvaelintarvike.fi/teemajutut/22-oljy-erottuu-siemenesta-puristamalla-tai-uuttamalla
[7] Rapid FT-NIR Analysis of Edible Oils for Total SFA, MUFA, PUFA, and Trans FA with Comparison to GC https://aocs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1007/s11746-013-2234-z
[8] The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good
[9] Kielletyt ja rajoitetut aineet elintarvikkeissa https://www.ruokavirasto.fi/elintarvikkeet/elintarvikeala/ainesosat-ja-sisalto/elintarvikkeiden-taydentaminen-ravintoaineilla/Kielletyt-ja-rajoitetut-aineet-elintarvikkeissa/
[10] What Are Trans Fats, and Are They Bad for You? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-trans-fats-are-bad
[11] Kaliumvetyfosfaatti https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaliumvetyfosfaatti
[12] Is Disodium Phosphate Bad for You? https://www.healthline.com/health/is-disodium-phosphate-bad-for-you
[13] Why it took the FDA nearly 40 years to ban trans fats https://www.vox.com/2015/6/17/8793937/why-fda-banned-trans-fats
[14] Phosphate Additives in Food—a Health Risk https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278747/
[15] Chronic Diseases in America https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chronic-diseases.htm
[16] Yleinen munuaistauti etenee vaivihkaa – näin tunnistat siihen viittaavat oireet https://www.iltalehti.fi/terveysuutiset/a/80df52b2-04de-42e6-89d5-4f4e672c3ed5
[17] Is Oatly Oat Milk Healthy? https://www.jeffnobbs.com/posts/is-oatly-healthy