Oat milk: properties and benefits of this vegetable drink

Oat milk is a vegetable drink often used as a substitute for cow's milk: it is rich in nutritional and beneficial properties and it is also suitable for children. Oat milk contains many fibers that promote digestion and improve the health of our intestines, it also helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Among vegetable drinks, oat milk is the richest in vitamin E, potassium and complex sugars, as well as being low in calories. It is also suitable for those who are allergic or intolerant to cow's milk, and it is also recommended for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Here are all the properties of this vegetable drink.

What is oat

Oat is a plant that belongs to the Gramineae family, and the most common variety is the Avena sativa. The nation traditionally most linked to food consumption of oats is the United Kingdom: among the typical English preparations there is in fact the porridge, a sweet oat soup, enriched with fresh fruit, hazelnuts or jam, and consumed for breakfast. Oat is a food that contains slow-digesting carbohydrates, which provide long-term energy, avoiding insulin spikes. It has also a fair amount of protein and it is rich in fiber and mineral salts.

Nutritive and beneficial properties of oat milk

Among the nutritional properties of oat milk there is a fair protein content, the presence of essential amino acids, which help the body in the formation of new tissues. It also provides good amounts of fiber, which is essential for the proper functioning of the intestine, and it has a high calcium content: 100 grams of oat milk contains about 120 mg of calcium. The calorie content is low: around 47 calories per 100 grams of product.

Now let's see what oat milk is useful for and what its properties are: it regulates intestinal transit, helping in the case of constipation, thanks to the fiber content. Oat milk is more digestible than cow's milk or goat's milk, but also compared to other vegetable drinks, it therefore improves digestion and it also increases the sense of satiety. Oat milk helps to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reducing high levels of fat in the blood: it is therefore excellent for preventing cardiovascular diseases and it is advisable to add it to the diet when high cholesterol (LDL) and high triglycerides have been detected by blood tests.

In addition, oat milk is suitable for those suffering from diabetes, because it helps to keep blood sugar levels under control. Thanks to the presence of vitamin B, this vegetable milk is suitable for the good functioning of the nervous system, and it is excellent for those suffering from anxiety and stress, as it promotes relaxation.

Oat milk: which one to choose, how to consume it and how to prepare it at home

Oat milk can be easily found in supermarkets or online, but be careful to choose the one with a low salt content, no sugar and prefer the one produced with organic oats. In addition, oat drinks usually contain sunflower oil: make sure it is cold pressed, reading the label, and also check for any other unspecified vegetable oils. The oat drink has a naturally sweet taste and can be consumed as a snack, with fresh bread or seasonal fruit. The advice is to consume it at room temperature, thus avoiding heating it: at high temperatures it becomes dense and gelatinous. Being low in protein, oat milk must be combined with a rich and balanced diet, co consuming also cow's milk every now and then, since it has a higher protein content.

Those who prefer can prepare homemade oat milk: finely blend one part of oatmeal, previously cooked, with two parts of cold water, a ripe banana, a teaspoon of vanilla, salt and maple syrup. Strain everything using a fine strainer or a cloth and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.