A New Kind of Oat Milk is Out on the Market, Right here’s Why We Want It!

By Liana Werner-Grey

Everyone knows that oat milk is a rave in the intervening time, and there’s no marvel why as a result of it’s so creamy, scrumptious, and a useful dairy-free different. However not all oat milk is created equal. You might have heard concerning the controversy round oat milk and the way it spikes your blood sugar, causes bloating, and simply isn’t that wholesome for you. This stuff are true, however solely due to sure oat milks and the way they’re made. The kind of oat milk you’re going to study right this moment is totally different; it’s healthful and lands otherwise within the physique. You’ll be relieved, similar to I’m, as a result of I too need to take pleasure in oat milk with my matcha latte.

I used to be capable of meet with Christina Dorr Drake, CEO and co-founder of Willa’s at Expo West, which for these of you that don’t know is the biggest pure meals and merchandise present in your entire world! It occurs each March in Anaheim California. 

Inform me about your entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration for Willa’s Natural Oat Milk? 

I’m a purpose-driven entrepreneur who took an extremely dangerous however rewarding leap, leaving my advert company profession to create Willa’s Natural Oat Milk. My sister, Elena, and I began Willa’s to create a more healthy, natural, healthful plant-based milk impressed by our Grandmother Willa’s recipe.

After overcoming breast most cancers at 36 years outdated, I turned much more dedicated to consuming principally plant-based, dwelling a cleaner way of life, and placing my bodily and psychological well being first.

What was your  ‘why’ for constructing a enterprise for the primary time? 

I used to be bored with seeing plant-based milks that have been principally manufactured from synthetic elements and sugar somewhat than precise vegetation. We began with my Grandmother’s scrumptious oat milk recipe, which used actual elements you may acknowledge in your kitchen – like vanilla extract and sea salt. 

Willa’s isn’t right here merely to create a ‘much less dangerous’ milk different. Willa’s is right here to steer constructive change on the earth, nutriously, deliciously, and for the nice of the planet. 

Willa’s can also be the one oat milk to make use of the WHOLE OAT somewhat than simply oat sugar (which is what you discover in most oat milk choices). Utilizing the entire oat provides Willa’s:

• A richer style
• Probably the most protein and prebiotic fiber of any oat milk!
• Simply 1 gram of sugar from the oats (versus 5 – 15 grams of sugar per cup)

As my sister, husband, and I bought began on this entrepreneurial path, we saved asking questions concerning the plant-based milk choices obtainable. Why didn’t they’ve any protein or fiber? Why did they’ve a lot sugar?

What we found is that lots of nuts milks have only a few nuts, and subsequently, only a few dietary advantages. And oat milks are usually made with simply oat starch and sugar. The protein and fiber is discarded as meals waste, which isn’t nice for our well being or the planet. 

We knew there needed to be a greater, most sincere and extra sustainable approach.

With Willa’s, we use the entire oat groat. Nothing good is wasted! And that provides it a richer style that’s by no means watery or skinny.

Utilizing the entire oat additionally means Willa’s has a low glycemic index, stopping the sugar spike and crash that you simply get from oat milks or sugary plant-based milks. Willa’s Natural Unsweetened Unique Oat Milk has simply 1 gram of sugar in comparison with different manufacturers with 5 – 15 grams per cup. Willa’s Natural Barista Oat Milk has lower than half the sugar of creamers and different barista plant-based milk made for espresso drinks and lattes. 

Willa’s additionally doesn’t use rapeseed oil, which is inflammatory and might make lots of people really feel simply as bloated as dairy. You gained’t discover gums in Willa’s both. Willa’s Unique is made with simply filtered water, natural complete grain oats, natural vanilla extract and sea salt. 

Inform us about the way you have been blindsided by a breast most cancers prognosis at 36…which impressed a reckoning of your complete routine and well being decisions? 

This entrepreneurial journey has concerned every kind of sudden highs and lows and, on the similar time, I’ve grown extra prior to now few years than I ever would have with out all of the challenges.

I used to be blindsided by a breast most cancers prognosis in January 2020 at 36 years outdated, simply earlier than we have been making ready to launch Willa’s. I don’t have a household historical past and I couldn’t fairly consider it. Fortunately, we caught it early after I found a lump whereas doing a self-exam (do your self-exams!) and bought my first mammogram.

Now I deal with actual, natural elements and aiming for a more healthy relationship with meals and with myself. Breast most cancers in youthful girls is usually extra aggressive and meaning going via extra therapies, not solely to do away with the most cancers, however to assist forestall a recurrence a long time down the highway.  After studying that I might be going via chemo, immunotherapies, radiation, lumpectomy, and lymph node surgical procedure, I made a decision I additionally wished to take an energetic position in my remedy journey.

I researched your suggestions, in addition to The Anti-Most cancers Life-style, The Blue Zones, and my oncologist’s and integrative physician’s suggestions. I aimed to hearken to my physique greater than I ever had earlier than. 

I dedicated to consuming an anti-inflammatory eating regimen 80% of the time and ate natural when it got here to the Soiled Dozen, meat, and grains.

I additionally centered on the issues I may eat and drink to assist my physique struggle most cancers. There are such a lot of scrumptious most cancers combating meals – matcha, turmeric, broccoli sprouts, cruciferous veggies, natural berries – the checklist goes on! I centered on incorporating these into each meal I may.

I gave myself the grace to be imperfect…

I wished to be variety to myself. I went via chemo for over 5 months. That’s a very long time! I instructed myself to not anticipate perfection. I nonetheless ate darkish chocolate day by day, had natural sourdough bread weekly, and loved pasta from time to time.

For me, I knew that I wished to have a constructive relationship with meals, and that placing myself on a strict, restrictive eating regimen, would really feel like I used to be punishing myself. 

The largest adjustments I made have been slicing out nearly all dairy, slicing out cane sugar (besides on particular events and my birthday), and somewhat than slicing all carbs, attempting to eat carbs and something that spikes blood sugar after consuming protein and wholesome fat.

For me, it’s all about stability and excited about what’s going to make my physique really feel higher, but in addition not punishing myself if I’m craving one thing that isn’t as wholesome. I’ve discovered after I’m kinder to myself and I inform myself I can have chocolate and sourdough bread tomorrow in addition to right this moment – I don’t eat as a lot indulgent meals at anybody sitting. I attempt to keep away from telling myself ‘that is the final day I can ever have this!’

The expertise additionally compelled me to reevaluate how I prioritize my psychological well being as an entrepreneur/founder…

As a founder, it’s simple to search out your self working on a regular basis. It could possibly really feel like you possibly can be – and needs to be – doing extra for the enterprise each minute of each hour. That may make it extraordinarily tough to carve out time for the issues that provides you with extra vitality and can help you get extra out of your day. I consider the narrative that it’s essential work continually, get little sleep, and run your self ragged to be a profitable entrepreneur isn’t solely false however harmful. To be there for the enterprise, your group, and your prospects, you need to additionally maintain your self.

After I used to be recognized, I made a decision to prioritize exercises nearly on daily basis, in addition to journaling and meditation. Then I assumed, ‘why am I solely allowing myself to carve out time for these actions on daily basis as a result of I’m going via a well being emergency?’ Well being ought to all the time be a precedence.

Now, regardless of how busy I’m, I work out 4 – 6 days week, do weekly remedy, and begin my day with day by day 5-minute meditations on Headspace. These actions are blocked out on my calendar and non-negotiable.

A shift in my relationship with my physique…

Most cancers is tough to wrap your head round. I saved having ideas like ‘why is my physique attempting to kill me?!’ Probably the most useful antidotes to those feelings are additionally confirmed to assist create higher outcomes from remedy.

My surgeon and oncologist shared that figuring out helps your physique course of the chemo and might result in higher outcomes. My neighbor is a most cancers researcher and she or he shared that exercises after remedy – even simply strolling on a treadmill – assist the chemo get processed via your complete physique. You need it to pump via your complete physique as a result of, sadly, most breast most cancers recurrences occur exterior of the breast. Within the UK, they even attempt to elevate sufferers’ physique temperature after chemo for related causes.

Understanding made me really feel extra ‘in my physique’ versus separate from it. Exercises additionally jogged my memory that my physique and I are on the identical group! Analysis reveals that even getting out for brief walks can have a profound affect in your psychological and bodily well being.

‘Forest bathing’ has additionally been confirmed to assist sufferers cope and have higher outcomes. I like mountain climbing so my husband would drive us as much as the Hudson Valley straight after chemo therapies to go mountain climbing. It made such a distinction in my psychological and bodily well being.

Equally, I used to be feeling such a flood of feelings that I began journaling on daily basis to assist me course of what was taking place.

I acknowledge that maintaining a healthy diet, figuring out, and getting access to nature aren’t obtainable for everybody. I’ve been extraordinarily lucky to have a supportive household, care group and assist system. There’s a lot we as a society must do to higher assist well being, notably womens’ well being.  

With Willa’s, this expertise solidified our dedication to having a internet constructive affect on the well being of individuals and the planet. 

My expertise with most cancers impressed us to double down on Willa’s use of natural elements. Glyphosate, the energetic ingredient in Roundup, is used on all the pieces from grains to chickpeas. It’s a recognized carcinogen and never one thing we wish in our oat milk! Willa’s makes use of licensed natural oats. Willa’s can also be glyphosate-free licensed. Natural oat growers can’t use artificial pesticides or herbicides. 

Natural oats have prebiotic fiber which helps intestine well being, your immune system, in addition to your general well being. Additionally they assist the soil well being, which has its personal microbiome. 

With each ingredient we supply and each resolution we make, we ask a easy query: does this dwell as much as our values and our Grandmother Willa’s identify?

With Willa’s, we intention to create merchandise that folks can belief and luxuriate in each single day. 

After this interview you may see why after I eat oat milk that I select Willa’s. It simply is sensible on so many ranges. I hope you loved this inspiring dialog with a breast most cancers survivor and first time entrepreneur! And now you don’t need to be apprehensive about having fun with oat milk once more.

Discover Willa’s in a retailer close to you utilizing their retailer listing… 

Willa’s Fb: https://www.fb.com/willaskitchen/

Willa’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/willas_kitchen/

Web site: https://willaskitchen.com/

Moreover take a look at this dwell television interview the place I carry Willa’s oat milk on as one of many High 6 Pure Merchandise of Expo West 2024 and why due to how distinctive it’s: Watch right here on KTLA