Let’s dive right in and answer your burning question: 

Yes, oat milk is low FODMAP!

But this does come with some caveats. You need to keep your portion size down to 1/2 cup or 140g for it to stay low FODMAP. Any more than that and your FODMAPs increase and it becomes a high FODMAP food with the potential to trigger your IBS. 

What does this mean for those with IBS? It means you can include oat milk in your diet. Half a cup is certainly enough to continue having your daily creamy oat milk latte, pouring it on your cereal, or using it in your cooking.

If you want to continue having oat milk in your diet, but use more than 1/2 a cup of milk a day, you could mix oat milk with another low FODMAP milk such as almond milk (up to 250ml is considered low FODMAP) or rice milk (up to 200ml is low FODMAP).

Oat Milk vs Cows Milk?

More people than ever are making the switch to plant based milk alternatives and this includes oat milk. But how does oat milk compare to cow’s milk? 

Let’s break down the nutrition.

	Alpro Oat Milk (200ml)	Whole Cows Milk (200ml)
Energy	90 kcal	132 kcal
Fat	3g	7.4g
Carbohydrate	14g	9.4g
Of which sugars	6.4g	9.4g
Fibre	3g	0g
Protein	0.6g	7g
Salt	0.18g	0.01g
Vit D	1.5ug	Not specified – likely low
Vit B12	0.76ug	0.60ug
Calcium	240mg	248mg

Nutritionally we can see there are a few key differences between the two types of milk. 

Whole cow’s milk contains more calories and has a substantially higher protein content. However, oat milk contains fibre and is lower in fat. Your choice of milk might be based on these factors alone, however, other notable things about oat milk include that it is naturally lactose-free, has less saturated fat than cow’s milk, and is vegan. 

You can also get your vitamins from oat milk as long as you choose a fortified version. Both cow’s milk and oat milk have similar levels of calcium. Although, cow’s milk contains natural calcium and hasn’t been added in during the manufacturing process. 

Your choice of milk might also be based on taste preference. If, however, you are looking to choose a plant-based milk alternative, oat milk has the most similar taste to cow’s milk, although by no means the same.

If you want a plant milk that has a similar nutrition content to cow’s milk, opt not for oat milk but soy milk instead. 

Is Oat Milk Good for You? 

IBS aside, if you are a regular oat milk drinker you are probably wondering if it is actually any good for you.

The resounding answer is that, yes, oat milk is good for us. It might not measure up to cow’s milk in terms of protein but it definitely has its perks. 

• It contains beta-glucan – this is a soluble fibre, which has been shown to be good for heart health. It can help lower low-density lipoproteins (or bad cholesterol). 
• It contains fibre which can support healthy digestion 
• It is a good source of B vitamins which are essential for optimal health 
• Helps to keep your bones healthy due to being fortified with vitamin D and calcium 
• It is naturally lactose, soy, and nut-free which is great if you have an intolerance to any of these.

You might think of avoiding oat milk is if you are gluten intolerant or coeliac. Unless your milk says explicitly it contains gluten-free oats and is suitable for coeliacs, it is probably best to avoid it.  

What is The Best Oat Milk? 

This is probably subjective and will depend on your use for oat milk. There are so many brands of oat milk, pick a few and see what floats your boat. 

Some good options to try are oatly barista for a creamy coffee. If you want to relive your childhood days with some chocolate milk, you definitely need to try oatly milk chocolate. It is super creamy, chocolatey and not too sweet. If you want a reasonably priced oat milk to splash in your coffee or have with your cereal, try any of the supermarkets own brand oat milks.

The Takeaway

Oat milk can work if you are following a low FODMAP diet but remember to think about portion sizes and keep an eye on how much you are having throughout the day. Oat milk is great for those who are vegan, lactose free or want to try a plant based milk. It is a healthy drink to include in your diet and can be drunk daily if you want to.