10 Best Oat Milks 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed

For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of oat milks available and understand how our ranking was determined.

Jenna Hope has an undergraduate and a master's degree in nutrition. She is registered with the Association for Nutrition and is hugely passionate about ensuring that products which claim to be healthy really are as they say. Jenna works with individuals, brands, corporate clients, and the media to help people with the smart ways nutrition can change their life.

Keep up-to-date with Jenna through her website and Instagram page where she shares her advice on not only nutrition, but also mental wellness and some absolutely delicious, yet healthy recipe ideas for you to try at home!

1. Regular Oat Milk Is Ideal for Baking and Breakfast, While a Barista-Style Milk Is Best for Coffee or Tea
   
2. Check That the Calcium Content Is at Least 100mg per 100ml 
3. Oat Milks Enriched With Vitamins D and B12 will Help Your Immune System
4. Look For an Oil-Free Milk With No More Than 1.5g of Saturated Fat per 100ml if You’re Trying to Lose Weight
   
5. Oat Milk Is Naturally High in Calories, so Those After a Healthy Drink Should Select a Carton With Less Than 60kcal per 100ml
   
6. To Encourage Muscle Growth, Go for Oat Milk That Are Protein Enriched 
   
7. If You’re Coeliac, Opt For a Gluten-Free Oat Milk 
   
8. Shop Local, Oat Milk From The UK Has a Lower Carbon Footprint
   

Some oat milks are now available in a 'barista edition' or 'foamable' variety, meaning they're specifically aimed at replicating a frothy cappuccino or luxurious latte. Whereas regular oat milks are suitable for most recipes including things like pancakes, cereal and baking.

While there isn't often a huge variation, many barista blends have a higher fat content which means they're much creamier in texture and taste. Some also add an 'acidity regulator', which helps to, well, regulate the acidity levels in your drink, as it's coffee's high acidity that causes curdling and splitting when mixed with lower-pH plant milks. So, pick this variety for high-quality drinks that rival your favourite coffee shop.

If you are making vegan pancakes or you're doing a spot of baking, check out our favourite vegan cookbooks here.

Traditionally we drank cow's milk as a source of calcium which famously strengthens our bones and teeth, and is also vital to healthy heart function and muscle regeneration. The NHS recommends adults get approximately 700 grams of calcium daily.

Children generally need a little less (the required intake starts at 350 g and rises to 550 g between one and ten years old), but if you are feeding oat milk to youngsters between 11 and 18 then 800 grams is the target intake. Lots of oat milks on the market today are fortified with extra calcium, so keep an eye on the label. 

Naysayers often accuse plant milks in general of lacking the vitamins that cow's milk contains, but in fact almost all oat milks you can buy online in the UK have been enriched with vitamins (on top of those naturally occurring in oats!) Check out our spec tables to see what vitamins have been added to your oats. 

Oats are a great source of fibre and vitamins but do have a higher fat content than some other grains used to produce plant milk. They're largely the healthy kind – polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats – which actually aid healthy brain function and promotes glowing skin. 

The fat you need to look out for is the saturated stuff, which among other things can lead to excessive weight gain and poor heart health. According to the NHS we should limit our intake of saturated fat to 20 g a day (women) and 30g a day (men), and less than this for children.

Many oat milks contain either rapeseed oil or sunflower oil, both of which have a neutral taste, bring the milk's fat content up to the desired level and also help create the thick, creamy texture many of us love. But be careful because it means some milks are higher in fat than others. 

For a subtler taste, or for anyone following a calorie controlled diet, there are some smashing oat milks made without added oil. Take a glance at our handy spec tables to see both fat contents, and which are oil-free, too.

Oats in themselves are gluten-free, but mass-produced oat products often risk contamination if the oats are prepared or packed alongside gluten-rich grains such as rye, barley and, of course, wheat.

Double-check that your oat milk is free from gluten if you live with coeliac disease or suffer adverse reactions to gluten-heavy foods, because even a trace of gluten can disrupt a gluten free diet.

Have a look at the origin of your oat milk and consider supporting UK-based businesses while you shop. Locally sourced food always has a lower carbon footprint compared with those imported and that's always best for the planet. 

There are some wonderful – and seriously moreish – oat milks produced across Europe and the world, but if you're interested in keeping smaller business afloat closer to home, your weekly or monthly stock of oat milk could be the way to do that! 

Oat milk is of course dairy free, and for the best Dairy-Free Cheeses check out our guide. 

This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.

"Oat milk can be used in a variety of recipes from stews, curries, baked goods, porridge, custard and more! Get creative with your oat milk, as it's sweeter than dairy milk and some of the other milk alternatives it can be a great way to increase sweetness in baked goods without increasing the sugar content."

Waiting impatiently for your delivery and need a quick fix for your cereal? Here's Minimalist Baker's easy recipe, which only uses a couple of ingredients and has lots of helpful tips. Plus, you can sweeten or flavour it however you prefer!

Here are the ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats (gluten-free if GF)
• 4 cups water (use less water for thicker, creamier milk!)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 whole date, pitted (optional / for sweetness / or 1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa or cacao powder for "chocolate milk" (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh berries for "berry milk" (optional)

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Written and researched by Annie Hopkins