Oat milk has become an increasingly popular plant-based milk alternative in recent years. Made from soaked and blended oats, oat milk has a creamy, neutral taste that makes it versatile for use in recipes like coffee, smoothies, oatmeal, and more.
One question that often comes up with using oat milk is whether it thickens up when heated. Unlike animal milks which contain casein proteins that coagulate when heated, plant-based milks do not contain these same heat-sensitive proteins. This means their consistency generally remains unchanged when heated or used in hot beverages.
However, the answer isn’t quite so straightforward when it comes to oat milk. While oat milk won’t thicken in the same way as dairy milk, heating can impact its texture slightly. The degree to which oat milk thickens depends on several factors:
Oat milk ingredients
The ingredients used to make oat milk can affect how it responds to heat. Oat milk contains the natural starch from oats, which may cause it to thicken up slightly when heated. However, commercial oat milks often contain gums, emulsifiers, and oil, which help stabilize the beverage when heated.
Homemade oat milk or oat milk with fewer stabilizing ingredients may be more likely to show thickening with higher temperatures. The amount of oats and water used can also influence texture – milk made with more oats or less water may thicken more.
Type of oats
The type of oats used to make oat milk impacts the amount of starch and protein available to thicken the milk. Steel-cut and rolled oats contain more starch and protein than instant oats, which have been further processed. So oat milk made from steel-cut or rolled oats is more likely to thicken up with heat compared to milk made from instant oats.
Heating method
The way oat milk is heated makes a difference. Brief heat exposure, like adding oat milk to hot coffee, has a minimal effect. However, longer heating times like simmering, boiling, or baking oat milk into recipes can draw out more starch and cause gradual thickening over time. The more the milk is worked with higher heat, the more thickening occurs.
Heating temperature
Higher temperatures drive more significant thickening. While oat milk may show little change when heated to lower temperatures around 160°F or below, higher temperatures around 190°F+ result in more noticeable thickening. This is because the high heat makes the starch swell more and loosens starch molecules.
Acid content
The pH of oat milk also plays a role. More alkaline oat milk is less prone to thickening when heated. However, acidic ingredients like lemon juice can weaken starch bonds and enable more thickening at lower temperatures. So acidic oat milk thickens faster.
Sugar content
Added sugars make oat milk more viscous and prone to thickening when heated. The sugars enable quicker starch gelatinization at lower temperatures. So flavored and sweetened oat milks thicken faster than unsweetened versions.
Does commercial oat milk thicken when heated?
Most commercial oat milks are formulated to remain stable when heated. They contain added gums, oils, and emulsifiers that help prevent significant thickening or separation when heated or used in coffee and recipes. However, they may still thicken slightly.
Here is how three popular brands respond:
Oatly Oatmilk
Oatly contains oil and emulsifiers to stabilize it. When heated, it shows very minimal thickening – likely unnoticeable in coffee but slightly thicker in baked goods.
Pacific Foods Oat Original
Pacific Foods uses gellan gum and sunflower lecithin to stabilize their milk. It exhibits a small amount of thickening when simmered or baked at higher temperatures.
Elmhurst Milked Oats
Elmhurst uses gum stabilizers and has a higher protein content. It thickens more noticeably when simmered or heated above 190°F, resulting in a thicker liquid.
How to minimize oat milk thickening
If thickening is undesirable, there are a few ways to help maintain oat milk’s consistency and stability when heated:
– Use commercial oat milk containing stabilizing ingredients
– Choose instant oats instead of steel-cut or rolled
– Use less oats and more water when making homemade milk
– Add a pinch of salt to interfere with starch molecules
– Adjust pH by adding a small amount of lemon juice or citric acid
– Heat gently at lower temperatures when possible
Does heating oat milk affect nutrition?
Heating oat milk does not significantly impact the nutritional content. According to one study, oat milk retains its macronutrients, vitamins, and antioxidant activity after boiling. Extended boiling times above 5 minutes can degrade some B vitamins but other nutrients remain stable.
Therefore, heating oat milk does not degrade the key health benefits it provides:
Rich in antioxidants
Oat milk provides avenanthramide antioxidants that are maintained even with boiling. These compounds help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.
High in fiber
The soluble beta-glucan fiber content remains intact when oat milk is heated. This fiber supports heart health, digestion, and feeding good gut bacteria.
Contains vitamins & minerals
While some B vitamins are reduced, oat milk retains its content of vitamins A, D, E, iron, and calcium with heat. It remains a good source of these nutrients.
| Nutrient | Per 1 Cup | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 350 mg | 26% |
| Iron | 2 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin A | 30 mcg | 5% |
| Vitamin D | 2.5 mcg | 15% |
Low in sugar
Unsweetened oat milk retains its naturally low sugar content when heated. Any added sugars would remain the same as well.
Uses for heated oat milk
The slight thickening that occurs when oat milk is heated can be advantageous for certain recipes and uses. Some ways to take advantage of oat milk’s stabilized thickness include:
Baking
The extra viscosity heated oat milk develops helps bind moisture in baked goods like muffins, breads, scones, and cakes. This can improve texture.
Coffee creamer
Heated oat milk provides more body and foam ability for use in coffee drinks like lattes. The thickness mimics a dairy-like mouthfeel.
Soup base
Simmering oat milk provides thickness that makes it suitable for blended cream soups and chowders. It can replicate a dairy-based broth.
Puddings & custards
The starch released helps oat milk set into soft puddings, creamy custard fillings, rice pudding, and chia pudding.
Sauces & gravies
Reduced oat milk makes an excellent base for veggie-based Alfredo sauce, mushroom stroganoff, or gluten-free gravy.
Conclusion
While oat milk won’t coagulate and curdle like dairy milk, heating does impact its texture to some degree. Factors like ingredients, oat type, heating method and time, temperature, and pH determine viscosity changes when heated. Most commercial oat milks contain stabilizers to minimize thickening but may still exhibit some change. Homemade or unstabilized milk is likely to show more thickening. However, the nutritional value remains largely the same. When thickening is desired, heated oat milk can provide body, richness, and creaminess for coffee drinks, soups, sauces, baked goods, and desserts. With its versatility for both heated and unheated uses, it is easy to see why oat milk has become such a popular plant-based alternative.