The Popular Milk Alternative That's One Of The Unhealthiest Options You Can Buy

Plant milks have gained popularity over the past several years. It seems there's a new milk on the market every time you turn around, and plant-based milks now comprise 16% of the milk found in fridges across the U.S. Many people buy alternative milk for ethical reasons, but some are looking to improve their health. If that applies to you, it's essential to know the ingredients in vegan milk, as some are not healthy at all.

The milk that stands out as being one of the unhealthiest options is Chobani's Barista Edition Oat Milk. Its list of ingredients should make you take notice. According to the Chobani website, its Barista Edition Oat Milk contains water, oats, rapeseed oil, and other food additives. While none of the ingredients are necessarily harmful, they aren't particularly healthy.

Oat milk is one of the few plant-based milks that add oil for creaminess to best mimic the taste of whole cow's milk. This makes it an excellent option for those who like cream in their coffee, but it may not be a good choice if you're trying to control the fats in your diet. On the other hand, while Chobani's oat milk contains nine grams of fat, cow's milk half-and-half tops that at almost 28 grams. That's three times the amount, all of which is saturated fat, which is known to contribute to heart disease.

If you're a pumpkin spice fan, Chobani has you covered. They have a Pumpkin Spice version of the Barista Edition Oat Milk. However, you should know that, in addition to oil, cane sugar is added to that Chobani product, totaling 20 grams per serving — that's 40% of the recommended daily amount; a double whammy in the unhealthy options department.

The oat milk you make at home is very different from those sold in stores. Homemade oat milk has only two ingredients: water and oats. However, without the addition of oil, it won't come as close to replicating the taste and mouthfeel of cow's milk as much as commercially available oat milk does.

With so many alternative milk to choose from, you may want to consider having a few on hand depending on your needs. For instance, Silk unsweetened almond milk contains no oil or sugar, tastes great on cereal, and works well in recipes. But if you absolutely must have cream in your coffee, just add a small amount of oat milk. If you want to reduce the amount of sugars and fats in your diet, you don't have to give up barista-style plant milks. Just use them sparingly. Moderation, as usual, is key.