Starbucks has a reputation for having almost every type of coffee that you can imagine.
Everyone has their own preferred brew.
It might be a traditional black coffee or it might be something that has so much sugar in it, it’s basically a dessert.
There are also those who prefer certain types of milk in their coffee.
Here’s what you need to know about oat milk and whether Starbucks has it or not.
Does Starbucks Have Oat Milk?
Yes, Starbucks has oat milk.
The company added oat milk to its menu in 2021.
It was part of an effort to offer more plant-based menu items for those who want to do their part in protecting the environment.
One example of an oat milk menu item you can find at Starbucks is their Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso.
Can You Use Oat Milk In Every Starbucks Order?
If you’re using the website to order your Starbucks, you may wonder if you can substitute regular milk for oat milk in your order.
This is true for some of the menu items, but not all of them.
When you click on a coffee that you want to buy, you have the option of adding fillers and flavors.
Among those fillers is various types of milk that can be added.
You’ll see regular 2% milk and nonfat milk as well as almond milk, soymilk, and even coconut milk.
You may not always see oat milk.
As a result, you can’t add it to every menu item if you’re ordering online.
If you order the drink in person, then you may have a better chance of getting oat milk in your order.
You can simply tell the barista that you want a splash of oat milk in your coffee.
In most cases, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Is Oat Milk Healthy For You?
If you’re considering jumping on the plant-based bandwagon, then you may wonder if switching out your regular milk for oat milk is a healthy choice.
After all, regular milk is full of calcium.
Here are a few health benefits of drinking oat milk.
1. You Can Avoid Allergens
One of the best things about drinking oat milk is that it’s free of most allergens.
Oat milk doesn’t contain lactose or any of the other elements of regular milk that can make those who are intolerant ill.
People who suffer from gastrointestinal distress because of lactose intolerance can appreciate their coffee a lot more when they use oat milk.
While lactose intolerance isn’t usually deadly provided you don’t ingest much of it, it can cause a lot of discomfort.
It can even make you ill.
By avoiding that allergen, your body can perform at its best.
Oat milk also replaces almonds for those who suffer from nut allergies.
If you have a nut allergy, then drinking almond milk is out of the question.
Oat is a grain and not a nut, so it won’t trigger your allergy.
In addition, oat is gluten-free.
This is ideal for those who have a gluten allergy or have celiac disease.
Because it doesn’t contain any allergens, oat milk is a healthy choice.
2. Increased Protein
Another reason oat milk is healthy is that it has a decent amount of protein compared to other plant-based types of milk.
A one-cup serving of oat milk has four grams of protein in it.
This is less than what you’d get from regular milk or soymilk, but it is more than what almond, cashew, and coconut milk offer.
Oat milk is ideal for those who need to focus on their protein levels for muscle building and strength training.
Protein is also essential for hair growth.
Because proteins are the building blocks of DNA, they play an important role in repairing your body.
If you injure yourself, then having protein in your body can help speed up your recovery.
Protein is also an essential part of the process of making new cells.
Without it, your body doesn’t function well.
By choosing oat milk over other types of plant-based milk, you can ensure you get a good amount of protein in your diet.
3. It Reduces Hunger Cravings
Oat also has a good amount of fiber in it.
Although it loses some fiber during its processing, oat milk tends to have two to three grams of fiber in a serving.
Fiber is an essential part of your diet for several reasons.
For one, it helps with your digestion.
Fiber in your diet helps bulk up your stools.
It also absorbs water from the stool which can make eliminating waste easier.
Since it makes the digestive process easier, it’s great for digestive health.
Fiber is also helpful in reducing obesity.
When something is full of fiber, it requires your body a bit more time to process it.
Since it takes more time, it makes you full faster.
When you feel full, you’re less likely to keep eating.
That also means you’re less likely to overeat.
As a result, you can help reduce your chances of becoming obese through overeating.
Oat milk is healthy because of its fiber content.
4. It’s A Great Source Of Iron
A problem that many vegans and vegetarians face is a lack of iron in their diets.
Meat-eaters can easily get their iron from meat and dairy products.
Plants don’t always have a lot of iron.
Oat milk does.
A cup of oat milk has 10% of your daily iron needs.
While you clearly need more iron to fulfill your nutritional needs, oat milk is a great way to get started.
If you’re using oat milk in your coffee, then it’s an even better way to start your day.
Iron is essential for blood health.
It plays a role in red blood cell production which ensures your heart keeps beating.
Without enough iron in your system, you can start to become anemic.
Oat milk is healthy because it contains a good amount of iron.
5. It Can Reduce Cholesterol Levels
Having high cholesterol is a serious problem.
It increases your chances of having a heart attack.
Drinking oat milk can help reduce your cholesterol levels.
It’s able to do this because of the presence of beta-glucan.
Beta-glucan is a soluble fiber that lowers cholesterol.
When you consume oat milk, you’re also consuming fiber which reduces the amount of cholesterol in your body.
Oat milk is healthy because it can help you prevent a heart attack.
6. It’s A Great Source Of Calcium
Oat milk doesn’t only have a good amount of iron in it—it also has a good amount of calcium.
A serving of oat milk has 25% of a person’s daily calcium needs.
Calcium is an essential part of your diet because it helps keep your bones and teeth strong.
As you grow older, there’s a risk of losing bone density.
By consuming the right amount of calcium each day, you can help prevent that from happening.
When your bones are healthy, there’s less of a risk of falling or breaking your bones if you do fall.
Since they’re sturdy, rather than brittle, they can handle the fall.
It also means that your teeth are less likely to rot or fall out.
Since your teeth undergo a lot of wear and tear, having enough calcium to keep them strong is essential.
Without it, you run the risk of chipping your teeth or losing them entirely.
Oat milk can be a great, and easy, way to fulfill your daily calcium needs.
7. It’s A Great Source Of Vitamin D
Oat milk can be a great source of calcium, but if your body doesn’t have enough vitamin D in it, then you won’t absorb the calcium as well.
Luckily, oat milk is also a great source of vitamin D.
Oat milk has 20% of your recommended daily nutritional need for vitamin D.
Since it’s relatively easy to get vitamin D—you typically only need to spend 10 or so minutes in the sun daily—oat milk is a great way to ensure your levels of the vitamin are ideal.
For example, if you’re in a place with long and cloudy winters, then drinking oat milk can be helpful to ensure you are getting enough vitamin D.
Vitamin D plays an integral role in helping the body absorb calcium.
It also helps the body absorb phosphorous.
Both are essential for optimal body performance.
Vitamin D also helps to regulate your immune system.
Enough vitamin D in your body can even help prevent viral infections.
Oat milk is healthy because it has a good amount of vitamin D in it.
8. Help Reduce Cancer Risk
A final reason oat milk is healthy is that it can help you reduce the risk of getting cancer.
Oat milk has a lot of riboflavin in it.
A serving of oat milk has 45% of your daily nutritional needs for riboflavin.
Riboflavin is a B vitamin.
As such, it plays an important part in producing energy for your body.
Without energy, your cells can’t perform their usual functions.
As a result, your body can shut down and die.
Riboflavin also has antioxidant properties.
These antioxidants can remove damaging free radicals from your body that can sometimes cause cancer.
Since you get a good amount of riboflavin when you drink oat milk, you’re essentially helping your body fight off the chance of developing cancer.
Oat milk is healthy because it can help you stay cancer-free.
What Is Oat Milk?
Oat milk is extremely basic.
At its very heart, it’s simply oats and water.
You can even make it at home.
All you need is one cup, or 80 grams, of oats and three cups of cold water.
To make oat milk at home, you need to blend the oats with the cold water for 30 seconds.
Then, cover a jar or bottle with cheesecloth.
Pour the contents of the blender into the bottle.
The liquid will pass through the cheesecloth, and it will capture any solid pieces of oats left behind.
To ensure you get as much milk as possible, you should squeeze the cloth afterward to force drops of milk into the bottle.
You now have a jar of oat milk.
Most commercial forms of oat milk also add a few things.
They might add some sugar or other sweeteners to enhance the flavor.
They might add more protein or other vitamins to make it healthier.
You can add your own ingredients like brown sugar or cinnamon to improve the flavor.
What Plant-Based Types Of Milk Does Starbucks Have?
Besides oat milk, you may wonder if Starbucks offers other types of plant-based milk.
Starbucks has the following types of plant-based milk:
- Almond milk
- Coconut milk
- Soymilk
Besides having plant-based milk, they also offer a variety of plant-based snacks.
One example is the chickpea bites and avocado protein box.
If you want something plant-based, then Starbucks has a variety of options.
Conclusion
Starbucks offers its famous products with oat milk and a variety of other plant-based milk.
Drinking oat milk can give you some great health benefits.
If you’re not into oat milk, then you can enjoy some of the other plant-based types of milk that Starbuck has like almond milk and soymilk.
