Oat milk (Oat drink)

No E-numberPlant milksOrigin: Plant

Get a personal answer

Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganYes

Made from oats.

Gluten-freeDepends

Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often milled alongside wheat, so check for a gluten-free label if it matters.

HalalYes

KosherYes

KetoDepends

An unsweetened glass has a few grams of carbohydrate; the sweetened ones are out.

Low-FODMAPNo

Oats are high in fructans, so even a small glass can be too much.

The short answer

Oat milk is made from oats and is the closest plant drink to dairy in texture. It is vegan and halal, but oats are a high-FODMAP grain and they are often milled with wheat, so the gluten-free label is worth checking.

78/100

Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone

Comes fromPlant

What it doesPlant milks

Glycemic index—

Daily limitNot set

Also calledOat milk, Oat drink

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive

🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive

🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive

CaliforniaNo extra rules

Oat drinks are foods rather than additives, so they carry no E-number. In the EU they fall under the rules for foods for special dietary purposes rather than for milk, which is why they cannot simply be called milk and are usually sold as drinks.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Oat drink is made by soaking and blending oats, and sometimes by adding oat starch and enzymes that convert the starch into sugar. That conversion is why it is sweet enough to sell without added sugar, and it is also why the drink has more sugar than soya or almond milk. A cup of the unsweetened version has around 130 calories, about 24 grams of carbohydrate and a small amount of protein, and most brands add rapeseed oil for texture.

Where it comes from: Made by soaking rolled oats in water, blending and then straining out the fiber, or by using oat starch directly. Enzymes break the starch down into sugar, which is what gives the drink its sweetness without any added sugar.

Why it’s in food

Milk alternative
Coffee
Baking
Porridge
Smoothies

Often found in

Coffee drinksCerealBaked goodsPorridgeOat-based desserts

Also listed as: Oat milk, Oat drink, Oat beverage, Oat-based milk alternative, Oat milk drink, Oat drinks

Health & gut impact

Fructans and FODMAPUnder study

Oats are one of the highest-fructan foods in the diet, and a large glass of oat drink is enough to trigger symptoms for someone on a low-FODMAP diet. Monash University lists oat milk among the foods that need to be avoided during the elimination phase.

Monash University, Department of Gastroenterology, low-FODMAP diet app and resources

Beta-glucanBenefit

Oats carry beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that lowers LDL cholesterol. A daily intake of about 3 grams is the usual threshold, and a large glass of oat drink approaches it, though the drink is a less concentrated source than a bowl of oats.

EFSA, scientific opinion on oat beta-glucans and LDL cholesterol (2010)

Added sugarUnder study

Some oat drinks are sweetened and others are not, and the difference is large enough to change the label. Barista editions are often formulated for foam and can be higher in sugar than the plain ones.

USDA FoodData Central, plant-based milk

What can I use instead?

Almond milk

Ratio: Use the same volume; it is lower in carbohydrate

Best for: Low-carbohydrate and low-FODMAP diets

Soy milk

Ratio: Use the same volume; it has the most protein

Best for: Protein and drinks

More plant milks:

Almond milkAlmond milk is blended almonds and water, and in Europe it has to be called an almond beverage. It is vegan, gluten-free and very low in carbohydrate when unsweetened, but almonds are a high-FODMAP nut in larger amounts.Use in moderation Coconut milkCoconut milk is pressed from coconut flesh and is used as a dairy substitute in curries and in plant milk. It is vegan, but a full tin of the full-fat version is a very concentrated source of saturated fat.Use in moderation Soy milk (Soya milk)Soy milk is the closest plant drink to dairy in protein, with about 7 grams per cup. It is vegan, halal, kosher and gluten-free, and it is one of the few plant milks low FODMAP in a normal serving.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is oat milk good for you?

It is a reasonable drink with fiber and some protein, and it is one of the few plant milks that behaves like dairy in coffee. The two things to check are the added sugar and whether you are following a low-FODMAP diet, where oats are one of the first foods to cut.

Is oat milk gluten-free?

Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they are frequently milled in the same plants as wheat and barley, which is where the cross-contamination comes from. Many brands now label the drink gluten-free, and that label is the one to look for if celiac disease is the concern.

Is oat milk vegan and halal?

Yes to both. It is made from oats, water and usually a plant oil, with no animal products in the recipe.

Is Oat milk safe?

Use in moderation (78/100). Oat drinks are foods rather than additives, so they carry no E-number. In the EU they fall under the rules for foods for special dietary purposes rather than for milk, which is why they cannot simply be called milk and are usually sold as drinks.

Is Oat milk vegan?

Yes. Made from oats.

Is Oat milk gluten-free?

Depends. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often milled alongside wheat, so check for a gluten-free label if it matters.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations

Monash University, Department of Gastroenterology, low-FODMAP diet app and resources
EFSA, scientific opinion on oat beta-glucans and LDL cholesterol (2010)
USDA FoodData Central, plant-based milk