Starbucks Oat Milk vs. Almond Milk: which one is healthier?

Plant-based milk options are great alternatives to dairy milk. I love adding them to lattes and Frappuccino blends. Oat milk and almond milk are my favorite choices for all my drinks, but which one is healthier? I have often come across this the health question between these two milk options, and I got inspired to write this post and dissect both of these options to come up with the healthiest. Both of them are healthy, but there is one that takes the lead with more health benefits. Keep reading to find out which milk options carry the day.

What are the differences between Starbucks Oat milk vs. Almond milk?

Features	Oat Milk	Almond Milk
Ingredients	Oats, water, vitamin A, B12, D, calcium, phosphorus	Almonds, Water, Vitamin D, A, calcium, and phosphorus
Taste profile	Creamy, and thick, with a smooth finish	Creamy and nutty
Availability/Accessibility	Throughout the Year	Throughout the year
Caffeine/ Nutritional Value	Caffeine zero, calories 60, fats 8g, and 23g carbs	Caffeine zero, Calories 70, fats 4g, carbs, and carbs 5g

Starbucks Oat milk vs. Almond Milk-How they compare

What it’s made of (Ingredients)?

Starbucks uses the Oatly Barista Edition, which is oat milk specially designed for coffee and espresso. This type of milk was introduced in early 2021 as one of the plant-based milk options in the coffee chain. Oat milk is derived from oats and water that are milled to form a fine consistency. The process gets additional enzymes to break down the oat starch. In the end, the milk does not separate in the espresso and coffee drinks. It is further fortified with vitamin A, D, B2, and B12. What makes this option great is that it is gluten-free and is great for vegans. If you are lactose intolerant, this is your perfect choice.

Almond milk on the other hand, is also a great plant-based milk option at Starbucks. The milk is made from real almonds that are blended in water and then strained. The milk is then fortified with Vitamin A, D, Calcium, and phosphate. Starbucks almond milk has sugar to sweeten it.

The milk options are derived from plants, and are strained using water and their respective plants. In this category, we get a draw as both of them are plant-based.

Taste Profile

Starbucks oat milk is a little fattier than regular milk, which makes it close to dairy milk in terms of creaminess and texture. Your mouth will be treated to a smooth, frothy texture with natural oat sweetness. You might think you are taking a cup of cow milk, except that you will notice some lightness in this milk. You will love it even more in espresso as it blends perfectly without concealing the coffee taste. The milk does not separate in the coffee drinks as it blends as well as dairy milk. Of all the plant-based milk options, oat milk is the thickest, making it the closest to dairy milk in texture and creaminess.

Starbucks almond milk has a nutty, creamy taste that refreshers your mouth with every sip. The milk is as great on its own as it is with coffee or tea. The nutty undertones with the milk’s natural sweetness are just right for any drink or on its own. When added to coffee or tea, it introduces a creamy texture with complete smoothness that you can barely tell it apart from dairy milk. If you are a vegan or lactose intolerant, you might love this drink for your lattes and other coffee and tea drinks.

The milk options both are creamy and thick, but the oat milk option is the thickest and closest to dairy milk, which is the standard for most drinks at Starbucks. For this reason, oat milk takes the lead.

Caffeine/ Nutritional Value

Oat milk has no caffeine. A 2% addition of this milk to a Grande drink contains 70 calories. A latte with oat milk contains 8g of fat, 7g of sugar, 4g of protein, and carbs are at 23 grams. These figures only reflect drinks with oat milk and no other additives.

Almond milk has no caffeine. It contains 60 calories in a tall cup, 4 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 110mg of sodium, 1g of fiber, and 3 grams of sugar. Starbucks almond milk is unsweetened, which explains the low sugar levels. These figures do not bring a frown to nutritionists’ faces as they are quite healthy. A breakfast meal should contain 300 calories, and the almond milk is obviously below that. This means one can have this milk with other items at any time without going overboard.

From our figures above, both milk options are healthy and contain few calories. This explains the popularity of plant-based options. This gives us a draw for this category.

Availability/ Accessibility

Oat milk was made available at Starbucks in 2021 and became an instant hit in the US market. This milk is readily available in Starbucks stores at any time of the day. All you need to do is walk to a Starbucks and order a latte, or any coffee or tea drink. Ask for an oat milk drink from the counter or order online on the app. You can choose from many drinks such as lattes, Frappes, and refreshers.

Almond milk has been around at Starbucks for a while. The coffee chain introduced this plant-based option in 2016. The milk has been available at all Starbucks stores all year round. This option comes at an extra price like all its non-dairy options.

These two options are readily available and can be accessed at any time of the day in-store or online. This gives us another draw in this category.

Starbucks oat milk vs. Almond milk: Comparison Overview

Starbucks Almond milk-Overview

Almond milk is great gluten-free milk. This option does not contain any lactose, and it’s great for vegans and those with lactose allergies. The taste is splendid and has great thickness for lattes and other drinks. Almond has many health benefits. First, it is low in calories and fat and only contains natural sugars. The vitamin E in this milk protects the body from free radicals. Every sip will improve your eye health and keep your skin healthy with a glow. The vitamin D added to this milk option is great for healthy bones. It has also been associated with reduced heart disease risks. I liked the creaminess, although it was a little lighter than dairy milk in a latte. The low fat and carbs are great for weight loss. Your brain’s function will also improve with the antioxidants in almonds.

When I first sipped the almond milk latte at Starbucks, I was impressed by the smooth texture, and it was surprisingly thicker than I expected. I was carried away by the nutty undertones that blended well in many coffee drinks, bringing a rich, full taste.

What I liked

• The creaminess in lattes.
• The low-calorie content and fat.

What I didn’t like

• It was not as thick as dairy milk in lattes.

Who it’s suited for

• This milk option is best for vegans and lactose-intolerant people.

Starbucks oat milk-Overview

Oat milk is the closest to dairy milk that I got among all plant-based options. I liked that the Starbucks oat milk was fattier than ordinary oat milk. The creaminess and thickness were similar to dairy milk in an impressive way. The health benefits of oat milk are countless. It is dairy-free, which makes it suitable for vegans and lactose-intolerant people.

The milk is higher in fiber and cholesterol free which is great for the heart. Oat milk has been known to regulate blood sugar, and the vitamin D in it helps in bone strengthening. I liked the way this milk option blended fully with all the drinks it was added to. It could be steamed and frothed to form a latte. This can be attributed to the vigorous trials it went through at Starbuck before it was released.

What I liked

• Its closeness to dairy milk.
• The way it blended with every drink.

What I didn’t like

• It did not taste like dairy milk.

Who it’s best suited for

• This milk works best for vegans and people who do not want dairy milk for any reason.

Final Verdict: So, which is better? Starbucks oat milk or almond milk?

Both of these products are healthy and make great drinks, but oat milk is better. There is a gap that almond milk leaves that makes you yearn for the dairy texture and thickness. Oat milk, however, fills this void perfectly with its thickness and creaminess. A latte needs this thickness to make it tastier.

FAQ SECTION

Which is better for you almond milk or oat milk?

Oat milk is better because it is thicker and creamer than almond milk which makes it close to dairy milk.

Is Starbucks almond milk more environmentally sustainable than oat milk?

No, it’s not. According to research, oat milk has the lowest carbon footprint compared to almond milk and other plant-based options.