Does Starbucks Oat Milk Have Sugar? (What Brand Oat Milk Do They Use At Starbucks? + More Information)

Starbucks oat milk is one of its latest menu item innovations for vegans. If you embrace a sugar-free lifestyle, you’re probably concerned about the sugar content of your favorite drink. So, does Starbucks oat milk have sugar? Read on to find out.

Yes, Starbucks oat milk has natural sugars that give it a mild sweet taste. If you’re worried about the sugar content in your oat milk drink, Starbucks doesn’t add sugar to its oat milk unless you ask them to. When my doctor handed me a lactose-intolerance diagnosis, he encouraged me to explore plant-based milk options, even at my favorite food joints like Starbucks. My local barista replaced dairy milk with oat milk in my usual latte, but it was too sweet. I was worried about the sugar content in the milk, so I did some research; I found out the oat milk Starbucks uses has natural sugars that influence its mildly sweet taste. Therefore, if you want less sugar in your oat milk beverage, ask your barista to omit syrups and toppings in your order.

What Brand Of Oat Milk Do They Use At Starbucks?

Starbucks uses oat milk from the Oatly brand as one of its plant-based milk options. Oatly’s milk pairs well with Starbucks’ signature espressos like Honey Oatmilk Latte. Oatly has 2% Original Oatmilk made with standard fat content and is ideal for smoothies or as a cold drink without additives. Oatly also crafted 3% Barista Edition Oatmilk which has a higher fat content that foams easily in hot beverages.

The Swedish oat milk brand has been a household name since the 90s, especially before what Starbucks calls a plant-based revolution. Starbucks also chose Oatly because the brand aligns with its sustainable goal to save the earth. Recently, oat milk has gained popularity among individuals who are conscious of the environmental cost of their daily coffee dose.

What Are The Ingredients In Starbucks Oatly Milk?

The Oatly milk in oat milk Starbucks beverages contains oats and water as a base with trace supplements and oil. These oats are gluten-free, but any cross-contamination during the oat milk’s manufacturing process may compromise the milk. The oat base has sea salt, tricalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, and calcium carbonate. The calcium and phosphorous derivatives are supplements that add these essential micronutrients to the milk because they don’t occur naturally in oats, while sea salt prolongs the milk’s shelf life.

Oatly uses coconut and canola or rapeseed oil to increase the milk’s fat content and boosts its nutritional value. The oil also has a neutral taste that doesn’t interfere with the oat milk’s flavor. Oatly uses the dipotassium phosphate to emulsify this oil, stabilize the milk, and stop the separation of the two liquids. Oatly also fortifies its oat milk with Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D2, and riboflavin to ensure vegans enjoy a nutritious dairy alternative.

Notably, Oatly doesn’t add any sugar to its oat milk; the sugar on its nutrition labels comes from a natural enzymatic process that liquifies oats and makes a creamy nutritious product. The enzymes break down the complex carbohydrates in the oats into simple natural sugars.

FAQ section

Is Starbucks oat milk sweetened?

Although the nutrition labels on Oatly’s milk indicate added sugars, the company doesn’t sweeten its oat milk. When Oatly processes its oats, enzymes release natural sugars. Under the latest FDA guidelines, Oatly should list any sugar produced during a product’s processing as an added sugar on its nutrition facts.

How many calories are in a bottle of Starbucks oat milk?

A grande serving of oat milk at Starbucks has 260 calories.