We’re past the point where alternative milk was “nippy.” Due largely to the advent of oat milk, OatmealAlternative milks in particular have had a lasting moment in the cultural zeitgeist that has brought about substantial changes in how we view them. These days, it’s not uncommon for the standard milk option at a café to be almond or oat milk – in fact, you have to order cow’s milk if you want it – and many people have waived the extra charge. Alternative milks are no longer a novelty. They have gone mainstream.
With ubiquity comes resistance. With the mass adoption of alternative milk, a modern trend is emerging where people are saying, “Wow, MORE cows.” People are starting to give up oat milk and other milk substitutes for health reasons.
As reported Daily mailThe main concerns about alternative milks are twofold: sugar content and added emulsifiers. According to the article, oat milk in particular is higher in carbohydrates and sugar than cow or nut milk. When our bodies break down carbohydrates, blood sugar levels spike, causing insulin to be released. These spikes, if they occur over a long period of time, can raise the likelihood of developing “lifestyle diseases such as diabetes.”
However, the main problem is emulsifiers. Used in many alternative milks to make them more uniform and give them a creamier consistency, some studies have linked emulsifiers to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. A 2021 study treated mice with two emulsifiers – polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose – and found that they “regularly led to increased intestinal inflammation,” which can damage DNA, ultimately increasing the risk of cancer. Another study found that emulsifiers introduced to bacteria “that mimic those found in the human gut” caused them to “die off or become unhealthy.”
While many experts interviewed by the Daily Mail say the findings are certainly concerning, they say more research needs to be done and that the overall diet matters more than whether you choose oat milk or cow’s milk. “In any case, it reinforces a diet containing less highly processed foods [like alt milks] can be beneficial to your overall health,” Samantha Cochrane, a registered dietitian at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, tells the Daily Mail. “However, this is not sufficient evidence to denigrate these foods or ingredients and avoid them altogether.”
There are, of course, other considerations that people take into account when giving up cow’s milk. Many people are lactose intolerant. Others avoid dairy and meat products for environmental reasons. Meanwhile, cow’s milk may also contain emulsifiers and preservatives that facilitate preserve the shelf life of the product.
The most essential takeaway here is not the denigration of alternative milk, which for some meets real dietary and ecological needs, or that cow’s milk is no longer the problem it was five years ago. The point is that a high-quality diet low in processed foods is the best and healthiest option. For you, this may include oat milk, cow’s milk, or maybe both. Alternative milk does not necessarily mean healthier, and it is always worth recalibrating what we consume and in what quantities.
