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Oat milk powder vs. oat flour (the difference)

5 min read time Feb 09, 2023

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If you have ever wondered what the difference is between oat milk powder and oat flour, you have come to the right place.

To the naked eye, oats may just look like simple and delicious food when in fact, they contain a treasure trove of nourishment. And oat milk powder and oat flour have very similar nutrients but produce very different outcomes.

What is the difference between oat milk powder and oat flour?
Oat milk powder and oat flour both come from oats, but are very different food products. Oat milk powder is a shelf-stable dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk created by blending oats and water, straining the mixture, and concentrating it into a powder. On the other hand, oat flour is dried oats milled into a fine powder.

The differences between oat milk powder and oat flour come down to the process of creating the end product and the individual application and functionality.

Whether creating a creamy and delicious dairy alternative or simply using milled oat flour as a viable substitute in baking or cooking, through the combination of modern science and trial and error, we have come to understand that oats are a highly versatile food with limitless applications.

Let’s now look at the differences between oat milk powder and oat flour.

The difference between oat milk powder and oat flour

When we think of oats, we are often reminded of fond loving memories of grandma serving us a hot, delicious, and nourishing bowl of porridge on a cold winter morning.

Oats have been revered for thousands of years as an inexpensive and highly nutritious food that may support overall well-being and is considered a quality source of sustained energy.

That’s because oats are not just a quality source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates; they also contain nourishing compounds like the polysaccharide beta-glucans (also found in our Mushroom Powders).

Let’s now review some facts about oats.

Quick facts about oats

Before answering the question about how oat milk powder and oat flour are different, it is essential that you understand the difference between the various oats on the market.

Here are some basic facts:

All oats begin in their complete form with the husk (the tough outer covering protecting each grain) intact.

Once the husk is removed, you now have what is known as the groat, which is processed to create various oats that differ in texture, taste, and cooking time.

Steel-cut oats (also known as Irish oatmeal) are what is most closely related to the original groat. They are produced by chopping the groats into pieces with steel blades, creating a coarse, chewy texture and nutty flavor. This form of oats takes the longest preparation time (15-30 minutes).

Rolled oats (also known as old-fashioned oats) are created when the groat goes through a steaming process, then flattened by heavy rollers.

Rolled oats have a milder flavor and softer texture (because the steaming process has partially cooked them) and a shorter cooking time (4-5 minutes) than steel-cut oats.

The final type of oat is called quick oats.

Quick oats are essentially oats that have been rolled, go through a steaming (partial cooking) process, and then rolled again. The purpose is for a quicker cooking time (1-2 minutes), creating a soft, mushy texture.

What exactly is Oat Milk powder?

Oat milk powder is a shelf-stable dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk created by blending oats and water, straining the mixture, and concentrating it into a powder.

This process would produce excellent, creamy oat milk in a perfect world. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as you often end up with a slimy, gel-like concoction.

If you have ever made oatmeal, you know this is the same end product. When you soak oats in hot water, they swell and gelatinize due to how the starch reacts to the heat.

The starch in oats is made up of two kinds of sugar;

Amylose (which is hydrosoluble and starts to break water down) and
Amylopectin (which absorbs water and can swell up to ten times its size).

Once amylose is free, it begins bonding with other molecules, resulting in this gel-like consistency.

For this reason, oat milk must undergo an enzymatic process to create a creamy, silky-smooth texture.

The primary enzyme used in the “de-sliming” process is amylase which is commonly found in bananas, mangos, and papayas.

Amylase is an enzyme specific for breaking down starches.

In oats, it will turn the long sugar chain amylose and amylopectin structure into smaller chains of glucose, preventing the typical gelatinous-like end result.

Once these sugars are broken down, they will give your oat milk a naturally sweet taste.

Simple facts about Oat Flour

In simple terms, oat flour is dried oats milled into a fine powder used as an alternative to less nourishing and over-processed flours for baking and cooking.

There is nothing else added to pure oat flour.

If you have read any of our other articles, you know we don’t just leave our customers hanging, as we always provide clear, transparent information.

So, here is a bit more information for you to chew on and enjoy.

What does the science tell us about the health benefits of oats?

Oats: A quality source of Polysaccharides and Beta Glucans

Polysaccharides are large carbohydrate molecules containing many small sugar molecules (monosaccharides) bonded together and are the most abundant carbohydrate found in food.

Oats are deemed a quality source of non-starch polysaccharides, which make up around 60% of their total soluble fiber.

Beta Glucans are a type of polysaccharide and soluble fiber that come from the cell wall of plants, fungi, and grains.

The primary component of the non-starch polysaccharides in oats is beta-glucans 1-3 and 1-4 (A total of 4% beta-glucans).

Studies show that these non-starch polysaccharides found in oats potentially support a wide range of factors related to metabolic syndrome.

A review of the role of non-starchy polysaccharides (NSP) in human nutrition determined that NSP’s compounds correspond to dietary fiber and show various effects in both the small and large intestines

A randomized control study looking at oat beta-glucans effect on serum cholesterol showed a significant reduction in total and LDL cholesterol.

Finally, in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, the following was stated about beta-glucans effect on obesity and metabolic syndrome;

“It is clear that β-glucan is an important food component in the modulation of metabolic dysregulations associated with the metabolic syndrome.”

What does all this mean, really?

Well, it just might mean that you can enjoy your nutritious oats in a variety of delicious ways in addition to just eating a hot bowl of oatmeal.

Go here for more information about our Organic Oat Milk Powder.