Very popular as a vegan alternative to dairy milk, oat milk offers a number of health benefits to your child. Some of the well known health benefits as offered by oat milk include boosting of immunity (due to the high protein fiber content), ensuring a healthy heart in the early growth stages, provide strength and energy from natural plant proteins and sugars, and improve the health of your child’s skin and hair. Rich in nutrients this low fat milk alternative will definitely boost all the calcium requirement of your child and at the same time will definitely make sure that he/she is not exposed to too much of unhealthy fat.

Oat Milk Nutrition for Your Child                                                        

The average cup of oat milk available in the local grocery stores will contain about 4 grams of protein, 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 110 g sodium, 19 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fibre, and 24 grams of carbohydrates. Oat milk is also completely void of cholesterol and saturated fats. This essentially means that your kid will not only get benefited but also at the same time, he/she will remain protected from the harmful effect of saturated fat and lactose, which regular dairy milk contains. Switching to oat milk is indeed a favorable option if your child is showing signs of intolerance to regular cow milk. Irrespective of the age of your child, oat milk can be consumed fresh. It can also be consumed with cereals and beverages.

Health Benefits of Oat Milk

If you are planning on introducing oat milk as an alternative to regular cow milk, to your child, then he/she will definitely enjoy certain health benefits.

Strengthening of Immunity: Oat milk is naturally obtained from oats and hence are rich in fibers and proteins which aid your child in a number of ways including cellular development and strengthening immunity. This kind of nutritious background is essential to obtain in the early stages of development.

Promotes Healthy Heart: Though according to many pediatricians, the fat content in cow milk is healthy for your child but at the same time, considering the fact that your child is already exposed to so many other fat sources it is always a worry that he/she might end up consuming more fat than required thereby clogging the heart at a premature age. Many children nowadays are suffering from heart diseases and keeping that in mind, fat and cholesterol free oat milk is definitely a good choice.

Strengthens Bones & Teeth: Unlike the other alternative milk sources (almond milk or soya milk) oat milk is naturally rich in calcium. For that reason, a regular consumption of oat milk will definitely boost your child’s skeletal tissue development along with the development of his/her teeth and nail.

Easily Digestible: Oat milk is free from any sort of lactose contents which is found in regular cow milk. For that reason the allergenic reactions and intolerance caused by the regular milk is not experienced while consuming oat milk. Your child will get the nutrition in a more hassle free manner.

Home Made Oat Milk:

Perhaps the most astounding benefit of oat milk is that it can be made in home and that cuts down on your daily grocery budget by a great deal.

You can follow these simple steps to prepare fresh and nutritious oat milk at home, for your little one.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 3 cups filtered water
• 5-2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener or pitted dates), to taste
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• scant 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt (enhances flavor)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but nice)

For preparing oat milk at home you will need a blender, a fine sieve, a large bowl, a small bowl, and measuring spoons/cup

Step 1: Rinse and drain 1 cup of steel-cut oats. Place oats into a bowl and cover with water. Soak for around 20 minutes or a bit longer if you wish. It helps in softening the oats and easier to digest for your child.

Step 2: After soaking, rinse and drain the oats very well. This step is very important because you want to rinse off any of the oat slime.

Step 3: Scoop oats into your blender and add 3 cups water. You can add more water if you want but that will make the milk thinner and perhaps less nutritious (per serving) for your child.

Step 4: Cover with lid and turn the blender on a low speed, increasing the speed gradually, and continue blending at the highest speed for about 8-10 seconds only.

Step 5: Place a fine sieve over a large bowl and pour the oat milk very slowly into the sieve.

Step 6: With a spoon, gently push down on the oat pulp so the milk flows through. This helps push the milk into the bowl, leaving the oat pulp behind in the sieve.

Step 7: Scoop the oat pulp into a small bowl and set aside.

Step 8: Place sieve over top of your blender and pour the milk in once again and strain.

Step 9: Rinse out the bowl and sieve once again.

Step 10: Add 1.5 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt (enhances sweetness), and 1/4 tsp cinnamon in order to enhance the flavor.

Precautions

While preparing oat milk at home you should remember that there are no added emulsifiers and hence you should use a good shake or a stir before actually using it. Also at the same time, if you are planning to feed your child with homemade oat milk, then you should check the nutrient content of the same.