Got Oats?
The LinkedIn post that stirred up the most discussion this past week was all about plant-based milks. I will step right on by the discussion on whether or not they can be called “milk” as not to derail us, and just get right to it.
At present, almond milk is the most popular of the plant-based milks owning 63% market share, but oat milk is quickly coming to the forefront. Oat milks sales had YOY growth at 350.8% for refrigerated and 106.4% for shelf-stable products. Beyond the growing dominance of oats, this speaks to the consumer desire for something that is less about the business of shelf-stability (can this stuff keep for 3+ months?) and more about actual freshness or at least perceived freshness.
Several smart points were raised in the comments:
General Nutrition - It was pointed out that dairy milk has very solid nutrition, and the only plant-based milk to “pass the test” of the previous and current Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is fortified soy beverage (aka, soy milk). It is worth stating that soy protein is the highest quality plant-based protein based on the complement of amino acids present. Beyond this, some of the key nutrients to consider are vitamin D (fortified in cow’s milk and may or may not be in any given plant-based milk), calcium and vitamin B12 to name a few. Brand to brand comparisons are important given the massive variance.
Keto - One commenter noted that unsweetened almond milk is keto-friendly and oat is not. Okay, I can accept that at face value, but please bear in mind the “rules” for what is and is not keto vary quite a bit from one keto guru to the next. Some allow dairy and some do not. As I stated in the original post, “Keto fascinates me from the POV that if someone wants to actually be in ketosis then they need lots of fat and virtually no CHO/protein, so I would send them to full-fat dairy or coconut milk options and not either oat or almond. But then again I think most keto followers are dabbling in ‘keto-friendly’ land and are not actually in ketosis at all.”
Gums - Based on the comments, some are looking to avoid gums, which are typically added for texture and that “creaminess” we’ve come to associate with traditional dairy milk. Gums are an interesting one from a clean label POV. They are more or less clean label as they don’t generally land on the “no no” lists, but they aren’t exactly the loud and proud hero ingredient of a clean label either - how is that for clarity? Point being if you want to purchase or produce a super clean label plant-based milk, then best to avoid gums. Instead, allow the naturally found fiber in oats, the fats in nuts or other unaltered source element(s) serve the function of texture.
Coffee - A topic near and dear to my heart. The question was raised about how the various plant-based milks perform in hot liquids, especially coffee. I personally use an oat-based “barista style” creamer every morning in my coffee. It works great. Some report their almond milk doesn’t “break” in their coffee while others say the opposite. Moral of the story? Try your chosen option in your hot beverage of choice and find out what works. And keep in mind brands are evolving to creating very use-specific milks - like milk that foams for home baristas, or milk that bakes really well.
What’s Next - One smart commenter noted there will be a wave of more options to come. I am personally watching hemp milk - decent amount of protein and good fats - as well as sesame, which has some allergen concerns. Note sesame is a declared allergen in the EU, but not in the US at present. I don’t happen to think either will knock off top sellers like almond, oat or soy. I do though think our consumers will have a massive paradox of choice on their hands!
Lastly, one Linkster nicely sent me a story from 2019 entitled Almond, hemp, oat, soy and cow’s milk: Which is best? - take a read for yourself and see what you think. My takeaway is different milks for different consumers on different occasions. Plus, it really needs to reinforced that not all oat milks or almond milks or soy milks or <insert plant ingredient here> milks are created equal. Just because the base ingredient is the same does not mean the nutrition, formulation, taste, price, or functionality is the same. If you’re a consumer, sample your options. If you’re a product developer, know what your consumer specifically wants in their plant-based milk and formulate accordingly.
For me personally, I will stick with my splash of oat milk creamer in my morning coffee. I carefully picked my creamer of choice through sampling, and don’t even get me started on selecting my coffee beans of choice. These things are important in life, after all.
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