How To Prepare Oat Milk: Recipe And Benefits

Oatmeal is a cereal that stands out for its great contribution of fiber and its high nutritional value, since it has high concentrations of vitamins (E, B1, B2) and essential minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium). Therefore, the consumption of oatmeal drink reports multiple health benefits, among which the following stand out:

• It controls blood glucose levels, thanks to its high fiber content and its contribution of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. It is a very interesting food for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

• It prevents diseases of the digestive tract: it  has high levels of fiber, which is why it is a great regulator of intestinal transit and has a prebiotic action for the intestinal flora. Its intake is recommended in cases of gastritis, heartburn, hemorrhoids and constipation, as it protects the digestive mucosa.
• Purifying the gallbladder:  the intake of oats can contribute to the carry-over of bile salts from digestion, thus favoring their elimination through the feces and the purification of the gallbladder. In this way, it prevents the formation of gallstones and colic.
• Cardiovascular diseases : fiber reduces the absorption of LDL (bad cholesterol) thanks to its drag action, regulating cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Recipe to prepare oat milk

The recipe for preparing oatmeal drink is very quick and simple, it barely takes 15 minutes once the cereal has soaked overnight in water. In addition, you can use different sweeteners to your liking to prepare oat milk

Ingredients

• 80 grams of whole oat flakes
• 850 ml of water
• Sweetener (Stevia, sugar, agave syrup, dates)
• Cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Preparation mode

• First, rinse and drain the rolled oats and soak them in a bowl of water. Ideally, they should rest overnight, although a couple of hours may be enough.
• Once the time has elapsed, drain the oats and put them in a blender with the water.
• It is recommended to use filtered or mineral water to eliminate the chlorine taste and that the oatmeal flavor can be better appreciated.
• Blend until the mixture acquires a homogeneous texture.
• Strain the resulting liquid with the help of a clean cloth, gauze or a strainer.
• The oat pulp can be reserved to make homemade bread or a sponge cake.
• Rinse the mixer to remove any solid oatmeal residue that may have remained, and mix the liquid again.

• In the case that liquid or powdered sweeteners (cinnamon, sugar, stevia, agave syrup) are used, they will be added before beating the mixture for the last time.
• On the contrary, you prefer to use dates, you have to pit them and add them the first time you crush the oats with the water, to strain the resulting mixture and ensure that there are no traces of fruit pulp in the drink.
• Finally, put the oat milk in a container with airtight seal and keep it in the fridge.
• The homemade oatmeal drink usually lasts two or three days in perfect condition.

Advice

Depending on the sweetener you use, the oatmeal drink will have more or fewer calories. If you use non-caloric sweeteners, such as stevia or saccharin, 100 ml of oat milk will provide 34 kcal. In the case of using sugar, honey or agave syrup, the calories from these sweeteners should be added.

Adjust the amounts to the flavor you want. If you try the recipe and the taste is too mild, you can use more oatmeal and less water next time. If, on the other hand, you prefer a more subtle flavor, you can use about 40-50 grams of rolled oats for every liter you want to prepare of oat milk.