Who is this for?

Afternoon-tea hosts comparing fat content

If you want to offer almond drink with tea, a fat figure per 100ml is more useful for a low-fat comparison than an unsweetened label alone.

Tea drinkers concerned about separation

If you add almond drink to hot tea, the pouring order and water temperature on the exact carton can affect how it looks in the cup.

Shoppers comparing ingredients

If fortification or a short ingredient list matters to you, compare those details separately from total fat; one does not establish the other.

What should you check?

Check fat using the same unit of measurement, then consider preparation directions, ingredients and the needs of anyone you are serving.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fat content Read total fat per 100ml. Business Companion gives 1.5g per 100ml as the UK low-fat claim threshold for liquids. Marks & Spencer lists its Unsweetened Almond Drink per 100g, so its 0.9g figure is not directly comparable with the per-100ml figures. I want a low-fat choice for the tea table, so I need a fat figure in a comparable unit rather than relying on an unsweetened label.
Hot-tea preparation Follow the exact carton. Tesco Groceries advises adding its Unsweetened Almond Drink before the hot liquid and not mixing it with boiling water; Sainsbury's advises letting water cool slightly before adding its own Unsweetened Almond Drink. When I serve hot tea, I want to reduce visible separation without assuming every almond drink has the same pouring instructions.
Recipe and fortification Read the sugar statement and ingredient list separately from fat. The Sainsbury's listing for Plenish Organic Almond Drink gives three ingredients and 2.2g fat per 100ml; check each carton for any added nutrients that matter to your choice. A shorter recipe may appeal to me, but I would not treat it as proof that the drink is low fat.
Guest allergens Check the current almond and precautionary allergen statements on the exact carton. Keep it available for guests to read, including any warnings about peanuts or other nuts. If someone has a nut or peanut allergy, I need to offer a suitable alternative rather than assuming a dairy-free drink will suit them.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Equating no added sugar with low fat

    These are separate label details. Sainsbury's lists Plenish Organic Almond Drink at 2.2g fat per 100ml, above the 1.5g-per-100ml liquid threshold given by Business Companion.

    Compare total fat per 100ml first if a low-fat claim matters to you; then consider sugar and ingredients.

  • Adding almond drink to boiling tea without checking the carton

    Preparation can affect separation in the cup. Tesco Groceries gives a pouring order for its Unsweetened Almond Drink, while Sainsbury's tells buyers to let water cool slightly for its own version.

    Use the directions for the carton you bought: Tesco says to add its drink before hot liquid and avoid boiling water.

  • Assuming dairy-free means suitable for every guest

    Almond drink contains almond, and product labels may carry further nut or peanut warnings. Its dairy-free status does not resolve a guest's nut-allergy concern.

    Ask guests about allergies, retain the carton for them to check and provide a suitable alternative where needed.

  • Assuming a barista formulation is a low-fat plain almond drink

    Rude Health lists oats, sunflower oil and gellan gum in its Barista Almond formulation, alongside almonds. Its recipe differs from a plain almond drink.

    If low fat is your priority, check that barista carton's total fat per 100ml independently rather than choosing by the name.

Brand and range references

These details concern the named products and ranges, not every almond drink sold under each brand.

Alpro

Alpro Almond No Sugar Long Life is listed by Sainsbury's for use in tea and coffee.

  • The listed product has 1.1g fat per 100ml.
  • Check preparation directions and allergens on the carton you buy; the fat figure does not describe every Alpro variant.

Rude Health

Rude Health presents its No Sugars Organic Almond Drink for use in tea and coffee and also makes a separate Barista Almond formulation.

  • The No Sugars Organic Almond Drink ingredient list names 3% organic almonds.
  • Barista Almond contains oats, sunflower oil and gellan gum; check its own nutrition panel for a low-fat comparison.

Plenish

The Plenish Organic Almond Drink listed by Sainsbury's has a three-ingredient recipe.

  • Its listed ingredients are spring water, 4% organic almonds and sea salt.
  • At 2.2g fat per 100ml, this product exceeds the low-fat liquid threshold given by Business Companion. Plenish's barista product is a separate formulation.

Tesco

Tesco Unsweetened Almond Drink provides specific directions for adding it to hot drinks.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g fat per 100ml and advises adding the drink before hot liquid.
  • The product contains almond; check its current carton for other allergen warnings and do not mix it with boiling water.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's Unsweetened Almond Drink is a chilled option with guidance for hot drinks.

  • The listed product has 1.4g fat per 100ml.
  • Sainsbury's warns that separation can occur in hot drinks and advises letting water cool slightly before adding it.

M&S

Marks & Spencer lists an Unsweetened Almond Drink among its dairy alternatives.

  • Its product information lists 0.9g fat per 100g.
  • That per-100g figure cannot be directly compared with the low-fat liquid threshold expressed per 100ml; check the carton's units and preparation advice.

Joybuy product options

This long-life Alpro multipack is an option for serving almond drink with afternoon tea. Check the exact carton's fat figure, hot-drink directions and allergen statement for your needs.

Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink, eight 1L cartons

Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink, 8 × 1L

A long-life almond drink multipack to consider for the tea table. Compare total fat per 100ml and follow the carton's directions for hot tea; check its allergen statement before serving guests.

View on Joybuy

Questions about almond drink for tea

What counts as low fat for an almond drink in the UK?

Business Companion gives no more than 1.5g fat per 100ml as the threshold for a low-fat claim on a liquid. Compare the total-fat figure in that unit; unsweetened and no-added-sugar wording addresses sugar, not fat.

Which of the reviewed drinks are listed below that threshold?

Tesco Groceries lists Tesco Unsweetened Almond Drink at 1.1g fat per 100ml; Sainsbury's lists Alpro Almond No Sugar Long Life at 1.1g and Sainsbury's Unsweetened Almond Drink at 1.4g per 100ml. Sainsbury's lists Plenish Organic Almond Drink at 2.2g per 100ml. Marks & Spencer gives 0.9g for its Unsweetened Almond Drink per 100g, which cannot be directly assessed against a per-100ml threshold.

How can I reduce separation when adding almond drink to tea?

Follow the instructions for the drink you bought. Tesco Groceries advises adding its Unsweetened Almond Drink before the hot liquid and avoiding boiling water; Sainsbury's advises letting water cool slightly before adding its own Unsweetened Almond Drink. Neither instruction guarantees the same result with every tea or formulation.

Does dairy-free almond drink suit a guest with a nut allergy?

Do not assume it does: almond drink contains almond, regardless of whether it is dairy-free. Check the exact carton for almond and any peanut or other-nut warnings, and offer a suitable alternative for a guest with a relevant allergy.

How should I store a carton after opening it?

Use the storage and consumption instructions on the exact carton. The reviewed products give different periods after opening, so check the label before preparing drinks for guests rather than applying one period to every almond drink.