If you follow the food trends or any foodie on social then you’ve surely heard of oatly (or at least oat milk). And while it’s recent popularity serves the plant based and dairy free community well, it’s not met without its own drama. Recent whistleblowers shined light on the way this product is manufactured resulting in a higher sugar and potentially inflammatory food hidden behind its healthy reputation. But the jury is still out and there are many factors to consider.
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Oatly has less protein than regular milk, about 30% more carbs, and a similar amount of fat and calories but Reality is there’s nothing magic about cow milk either, it’s a good source of calcium and vitamin D because it’s fortified (just like plant based milk) and by no means is it superior to oatly or any other plant milk
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So what’s all the hype over oatly … well really it’s the taste and a killer marketing team. most agree it’s delicious with a striking similarity to the taste and feel of cow milk. And Oatly like most food companies mastered its marketing to make it seem more nutritious than it really is, but that also doesn’t mean it’s bad. There is truth on every side of the Oatly argument - yes it’s a delicious alternative to cow milk, yes it is fortified with nutrients and yes has a small amount of fiber (all the good). It’s also true that it’s higher glycemic index with more sugars and carbs than other milk alternatives, and uses canola oil to make it (the not so good) …
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So really the question is not wether it’s healthy or unhealthy but wether it’s right for you!
As in most things I believe moderation is key and balancing it into a diet makes all difference.
Report card
Quality - good
Sustainable packaging - yes
Healthy - moderate
Variety - a lot
Challenges - contains oil and higher than desirable sugar/carb for it category
Bonus: taste
Schehr score: 3.5/5
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