Flavor notes and Which is Better in Coffee

Both oat milk and almond milk are smooth, eco-friendly alternatives to cow’s milk, but there are a few key distinctions between them. 

Oat milk and almond milk’s popularity as alterna-milk is on the rise because they are both creamy and sweet. But you’ve gotta wonder: Which is better in coffee? How different can two plant-based milks really be? To find out, Son of a Barista is weighing in on the whole oat milk vs. almond milk debate.

If you’re new to the overwhelming dairy-free beverage world, a barista asking you if you’d prefer oat milk or almond milk in your latte feels exactly like someone speaking Italian to you. If dairy-free “milks” are new to you, you might stare at the barista behind the coffee counter, feeling the pressure of the line behind you, repeat the last thing you remembered, and hand over your credit card. 

To save yourself from looking like the “Goofy Pippo” (Yes, that’s really what we call Goofy in Italy) in the middle of your local coffee shop, read on for the differences in nutrition, taste, and texture between the two dairy alternatives. We’ll also give you insight on how to make a delicious dairy-free coffee beverage in the comfort of your own home. Trust us at Son of a Baritsa, we’ll help you settle your oat milk vs almond milk debate once and for all.

Oat milk vs almond milk: nutritional values

When it comes to nutrition, oat milk and almond milk are quite different. In our oat milk vs almond milk battle we will now take a look at the nutritional values of each dairy-free beverage.

Here’s what one cup of unsweetened oat milk looks like: 

• Calories: 80
• Fat: 1.5 g
• Saturated fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 120 mg
• Carbs: 14 g
• Sugar: 1 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 3 g 

Now, let’s take a look at what one cup of unsweetened almond milk looks like:

• Calories: 35
• Fat: 3 g
• Saturated fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 160 mg
• Carbs: 1 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 1 g 

Oat milk vs almond milk: nutritional composition 

If you’re trying to choose between oat milk and almond milk, consider the nutrient composition here: 

Calories

Almond milk tends to be lower in calories than oat milk and may be a good option if you’re looking to manage your weight.

Fat

Fat levels tend to be similar in almond and oat milk, but almond milk will tend to be higher in fat due to the fat levels in nuts. Still, both are low in calories and have small amounts of saturated fat per serving.

Sugars

When choosing an alternative beverage, opt for an unsweetened version to avoid added sugars. Oat and almond milk both have some naturally occurring sugars, but oat milk tends to have more. Oat milk can increase blood glucose levels more than almond milk. Son of a Barista’s almond milk has no added sugars or sweeteners and is made with 100% almonds. 

Vitamins

Almond milk has a higher content of calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, D and E than oat milk, with appreciable quantities of potassium, sodium and sugar among the two alternative milk substitutes depending on the brand and variety.

 As you can see, oat milk is higher in—well, almost everything. How can that be? To answer this question, we must look at how oat milk and almond milk is made.

Oat milk vs almond milk: how it’s made

Both milks are made by soaking either oats or almonds in water. After soaking in water, both the oats and almonds are blended and strained. While the process pulls just a bit of flavor and some white color out of the almonds, it pulls much more—especially carbohydrates—out of the oats.

Oat milk vs almond milk: taste and texture

In this high-stake battle of oat milk vs almond milk an element of personal preference may also sway your choice when selecting the best alternative dairy-free milk.

Oat milk 

Oat milk is known for its smooth, creamy texture and balanced flavor, much like that of dairy milk, which makes it beneficial in espresso-based drinks and for both cooking and baking. But don’t be fooled and make sure to read the label. Why? The creaminess of oat milk is supplemented in many cases by a small amount of oil–usually sunflower oil–to make it creamy.

Almond milk 

Our Son of a Baritsa natural almond milk is crafted specifically for coffee based drinks. Used with our Italian designed Son of a Barista coffee machine, the texture of our almond milk pod will come out just right – exactly like that of dairy milk. You’ll feel a smooth, creamy texture on your lips followed by a neutral flavor closely resembling dairy milk. Our natural Son of a Barista almond milk has no added supplements like sunflower oil. It is made using 100% Mandorle di Avola almonds from Sicily, Italy. 

Oat milk vs almond milk: pros and cons

Oat milk

Oat milk has a higher carb and calorie content. Because of its higher carb and calorie content, oat milk can provide a creamy consistency which is why baristas have taken so quickly to oat milk. 

Oat milk’s naturally heavier texture is that it rarely contains thickeners (like carrageenan), which some scientists believe is harmful to the digestive tract. In animal models, carrageenan has been linked to cancers and intestinal ulcers. 

Oat milk is also relatively shelf-stable. Of course, if you’re watching your calories or strictly monitoring your carb intake, consider how oat milk fits into your daily eats and keep an eye on your serving sizes. 

Gluten-free folks should also be careful about which oat milk they buy. Oats are naturally gluten-free, however, they can often be grown or processed alongside gluten-containing grains, which can cause cross-contamination. If you have celiac or a gluten allergy, check your labels to make sure it’s truly gluten-free.

Almond milk

Almond milk is light in flavor, so many people find it more palatable than other plant-based milk options.

Almond milk also has health benefits going for it! Almond milk is naturally low in carbohydrates and contains fewer calories than oat milk. So if you’re trying to lose weight, almond milk would be the best choice. 

Almond milk is also an excellent source of vitamin E, naturally containing 22% of the recommended daily vitamin E requirement in a 3.5-ounce portion. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that may combat inflammation and stress in the body. Antioxidants clean up excess molecules, called free radicals, that can cause damage to your cells. These free radicals can contribute to stress, inflammation, and the development of disease. 

Almond milk from Son of a Barista

We admit that Son of a Barista’s Italian grandmother would not allow any almond milk in her morning cappuccino. But we’re not in Calabria, and nonna knows that we do things a little differently. After all, we pride ourselves with blending old authentic Italian coffee tradition with modern tastes – making us the new Italian coffee tradition. 

Our almonds

Nonna would be proud of us though, because we’ve honored Italy by using 100% Mandorle di Avola almonds in our Son of a Barista almond milk. Our Mandorle di Avola almonds are harvested in the famed region of Avola, a city in the sunny province of Siracusa, Italy. More than any other city, Syracuse encapsulates Sicily’s timeless beauty. Ancient Greek ruins rise out of lush citrus orchards, cafe tables spill onto dazzling baroque piazzas, and honey-hued medieval side streets lead down to the sparkling blue sea. It’s difficult to imagine now, but in its heyday this was the largest city in the ancient world, bigger even than Athens and Corinth.

Our harvest

The way that you harvest, process, and store almonds can have a huge effect on the quality that you are able to enjoy in your coffee. Straight away after harvesting, the hulls around the nuts need to be removed. For small quantities, this is best done by hand like our Son of a Barista growers does it. Our almonds from Avola that we use in our Son of a Baritsa almond milk are meticulously harvested and inspected for perfection, making each and every almond is an experience unto itself. So good you can almost taste the Sicilian sun. 

Our froth

Having the perfect almonds in our almond milk isn’t enough though! We need our almond milk creamy and frothy to make a perfect almond milk based espresso drink. We’ve therefore spent lots of time in research and development to create the perfect marriage between pod and machine to create this fluffy froth that we’re talking about. 

Our coffee machine

Our Italian designed Son of a Barista coffee machine pushes water through at a 19 bar pressure – the optimal pressure to make thick froth. When using our Son of a Barista almond milk pod together with our Son of a Barista coffee machine you’ll therefore get the perfect thick and smooth froth that any Italian grandmother would be proud of!