Runners avoiding gluten
If you need a strict gluten-free diet, look for an explicit claim on the exact carton. Dairy-free or plant-based wording does not answer the gluten question.
Who needs to check what?
Runners making breakfasts and smoothies
If almond drink is part of a meal around training, compare its carbohydrate content with the other ingredients rather than treating the drink as a complete fuelling plan.
Buyers choosing a no-sugar drink
A no-sugar almond drink may suit an everyday preference, but check its carbohydrate figure separately when planning food or drink for a longer session.
What matters when choosing?
Start with the gluten-free claim and allergens, then compare the exact variant’s carbohydrate figure and other ingredients for the way you intend to use it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free assurance | Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the current pack. The Food Standards Agency states that UK food labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg gluten as sold; Coeliac UK says its Crossed Grain certification adds checks of gluten-analysis certificates and manufacturing audits. | I need more than a dairy-free claim when avoiding gluten. In Coeliac UK’s 2025 shopping survey, 74.7% of 3,785 responding members said they trusted the Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; that measures trust among respondents, not product safety. |
| Carbohydrate | Compare carbohydrate per 100 ml on the exact variant and consider the amount you would use. Sports Science Exchange (2022) discusses 30–90 g per hour during exercise lasting over 60 minutes; a drink’s label figure alone is not a fuelling plan. | For a long training session, I want to know what the whole meal or on-run plan provides, not assume that adding almond drink to a smoothie covers it. |
| Ingredients and fortification | Read the ingredient list and check the carton for any added calcium, iodine or vitamins you want from the drink. No-added-sugar wording and a short ingredient list answer different questions. | I may prefer a fortified drink for everyday use, or a shorter ingredient list for a particular recipe. Neither choice establishes gluten-free status or carbohydrate suitability. |
| Nut allergens | Check the current ingredient list and any product-specific precautionary statement. GOV.UK says allergens in prepacked food or drink must be clearly labelled in the ingredients list. | If almond or another relevant nut is an allergen for someone drinking it, I need to check the complete declaration rather than relying on the front of the carton. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming dairy-free means gluten-free
These claims describe different properties. A plant-based almond drink is not automatically a confirmed choice for strict gluten avoidance.
Check the current carton for an explicit gluten-free claim; if you want Coeliac UK’s additional certification checks, look for its Crossed Grain symbol.
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Using an unsweetened drink as the main long-run fuel
Carbohydrate varies between almond drinks. Sainsbury’s lists less than 0.1 g per 100 ml for Alpro Almond No Sugar, which makes the drink a small carbohydrate contributor.
Read the exact carton’s carbohydrate figure and plan suitable gluten-free food or sports nutrition separately for the session.
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Overlooking the nut declaration
An almond drink contains an allergen relevant to anyone with an almond allergy. Sainsbury’s also lists a possible trace of other nuts for Rude Health Almond Drink.
Read the full current allergen statement, including any precautionary wording, before choosing a drink for someone with a relevant allergy.
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Relying on an older listing instead of the carton
Ingredients, nutrition information and allergen statements can change. Marks & Spencer advises customers to read the label of its Unsweetened Almond Drink.
Recheck the physical pack, particularly when switching flavour, format or chilled and long-life variants.
Brand and retailer references
Use these named variants as points of comparison, then check the carton you are actually buying.
Alpro
Almond Original and Almond No Sugar illustrate how carbohydrate can differ between explicitly gluten-free almond drinks.
- Alpro UK lists 2.4 g carbohydrate per 100 ml for Almond Original; Sainsbury’s lists less than 0.1 g per 100 ml for Almond No Sugar.
- Check the exact format and carton rather than applying one variant’s nutrition or claims to another.
Rude Health
Its Almond Drink is an option to compare when you want a gluten-free claim and a larger carbohydrate contribution in a breakfast or smoothie.
- Sainsbury’s lists Rude Health Almond Drink as gluten-free, with 10 g carbohydrate per 100 ml.
- It contains almond and may contain traces of other nuts; its carbohydrate figure does not make it a complete long-run fuelling plan.
Plenish
Plenish describes its Almond M*lk as made with almonds, spring water and salt.
- Its stated ingredient list is useful if those ingredients suit the drink or recipe you are choosing.
- Ingredient simplicity does not establish gluten-free status; check the current pack for an explicit claim if you need one.
Tesco
Tesco lists an own-label Unsweetened Almond Drink alongside branded almond drinks in its grocery range.
- The own-label option gives shoppers another exact carton to compare for ingredients and nutrition.
- A filtered grocery listing is not a substitute for checking that carton’s gluten-free and allergen statements.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists its Unsweetened Long Life Almond Drink alongside branded plant drinks in its Free From range.
- The listing identifies an own-label variant to compare with the specific branded drinks.
- Check the own-label carton itself for its full allergen information and an explicit gluten-free claim.
M&S
M&S Unsweetened Almond Drink is a fortified own-label option for everyday drinks or recipes.
- Marks & Spencer lists added calcium, iodine and vitamins D and B12, plus 0.8 g carbohydrate per 100 g.
- M&S says this product is unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy. Check the current label for gluten-free status rather than inferring it from fortification.
Almond drinks on Joybuy
This option is an Alpro No Sugars long-life almond drink for use in cereal or smoothies. Check its current carton for the gluten-free claim and plan long-run carbohydrate separately.
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Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink 8 x 1L
A long-life almond drink for cereal or smoothies; its product information describes it as gluten-free. Check the current carton’s gluten-free statement and carbohydrate figure, and plan long-run fuel separately. Contains almond.
Frequently asked questions
Is almond drink enough fuel for a marathon long run?
Do not assume it is enough on its own. Sports Science Exchange (2022) discusses 30–90 g carbohydrate per hour during exercise lasting over 60 minutes, while Sainsbury’s lists less than 0.1 g per 100 ml for Alpro Almond No Sugar and 10 g per 100 ml for Rude Health Almond Drink. Check your exact drink and plan the rest of your tolerated gluten-free food or sports nutrition around the session.
What does gluten-free mean on a UK almond-drink label?
The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg gluten as sold to the consumer. Coeliac UK’s Crossed Grain symbol is a separate certification route involving checks of gluten-analysis certificates and manufacturing audits.
Is a dairy-free almond drink automatically gluten-free?
No. Dairy-free and gluten-free are different claims, so check the exact current carton for an explicit gluten-free statement if you need one. An almond-based ingredient list alone does not establish that claim.
What if someone drinking it has a nut allergy?
Do not choose an almond drink for someone with an almond allergy. Read the current ingredients and any precautionary statement for other relevant nuts: Sainsbury’s lists a possible trace of other nuts for Rude Health Almond Drink, while Marks & Spencer says its Unsweetened Almond Drink is unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.
How should an opened carton be stored during training?
Follow the storage and use-after-opening instructions on that exact carton. Check them again when changing brand or format rather than assuming another almond drink has the same instructions.