Shoppers choosing a ready-to-drink milkshake
If you are watching fat intake, compare fat and saturated fat per 100ml, then check how much the whole bottle or carton contains. A no-added-sugar claim answers a different question.
Who needs to check what?
People making shakes at home
Powders and syrups let you choose the preparation liquid, but the finished drink is the relevant comparison. Check the nutrition for the recipe you will actually make.
Shoppers also checking total sugars
If you want to avoid added sugars, read the claim alongside the “of which sugars” figure and your intended serving size. Milk-based drinks can still contain naturally occurring sugars.
What matters on the label?
Compare drinks per 100ml first, then check the amount you intend to pour or drink. For a mix, use figures for the prepared shake rather than the powder or syrup alone.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | Compare total fat and saturated fat per 100ml. Check both figures for the amount you will drink, especially when bottle sizes differ. | I want a drink that fits my low-fat eating pattern, rather than assuming “no added sugar” tells me anything about its fat content. |
| Total sugars | Read “of which sugars” per 100ml and per portion alongside the no-added-sugar claim. Tesco Groceries lists 4.6g sugars per 100ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry; Sainsbury’s lists 6.1g per 100ml for Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate. | Avoiding added sugar matters to me, but I also want to know how much total sugar is in the drink I choose. |
| Portion size | Check whether the nutrition is given for 100ml, a serving or the entire container. Sainsbury’s lists 8.7g fat and 5.9g saturated fat for the 400ml Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate bottle. | If I drink the whole bottle, its full-bottle figures matter more to my decision than the smaller per-100ml figures alone. |
| Preparation | For powders and syrups, check the stated liquid and quantities, then assess any changes to your recipe. Tesco Groceries gives its strawberry mix figures for a drink prepared with semi-skimmed milk; Sainsbury’s does the same for Crusha’s stated shake. | Making a shake at home lets me choose the liquid, so I need to compare the finished drink I will make. |
| Ingredients and storage | Read the current allergen statement. If buying a multipack or large carton, check the pack’s storage and after-opening instructions. | I need to know whether the drink contains milk and whether I can store the amount I plan to buy as directed. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Treating “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Milk drinks can contain naturally occurring sugars. Tesco Groceries lists 4.6g sugars per 100ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry, despite its no-added-sugar claim.
Read “of which sugars” and check the figure for the amount you expect to drink.
-
Comparing a dry mix or syrup with a finished drink
Adding milk or another liquid changes the nutrition of a powder or syrup shake. The prepared figures for Tesco’s strawberry mix and Crusha’s syrup are based on semi-skimmed milk.
Start with the manufacturer’s prepared-drink figures, then reassess them if you change the liquid or quantities.
-
Stopping at the per-100ml figure
A larger bottle contains more than a 100ml comparison measure. Sainsbury’s lists 2.2g fat and 1.5g saturated fat per 100ml for Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate, compared with 8.7g fat and 5.9g saturated fat for its 400ml bottle.
Check the figures for the portion you will actually have.
-
Assuming no added sugar means no milk
No-added-sugar milk drinks may still contain milk. A reduced-lactose description does not mean a product is dairy-free.
Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration for the exact variant before buying.
Brand and product references
These examples show why the exact variant and its preparation matter more than the brand name alone.
Yazoo
The No Added Sugar Strawberry milk drink comes in 200ml cartons in the Tesco Groceries listing.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.2g fat, 0.9g saturated fat and 4.6g sugars per 100ml for this variant.
- It contains milk, and its no-added-sugar claim does not mean it contains no sugars.
Pro Mlk
The Vanilla Protein Shake is a no-added-sugar drink sold in a 1L carton in the Sainsbury’s listing.
- Sainsbury’s lists less than 0.5g fat and less than 0.5g saturated fat per 100ml for this variant.
- It contains 6.3g sugars per 100ml; check the amount you pour from the multi-serve carton.
Crusha
The No Added Sugar Strawberry syrup is mixed into a drink at home.
- The preparation directions on Sainsbury’s allow semi-skimmed milk or a preferred milk alternative.
- The stated 200ml shake made with semi-skimmed milk contains 3.1g fat and 1.9g saturated fat. A different recipe needs its own check.
Tesco
Tesco No Added Sugar Strawberry Flavoured Milkshake Mix is a powder prepared with milk.
- Tesco Groceries provides nutrition for the mix prepared as directed with semi-skimmed milk.
- That prepared drink lists 1.7g fat, 1.1g saturated fat and 6.1g sugars per 100ml; the powder alone is not a like-for-like comparison with a ready-to-drink shake.
FRijj
The Chocolate Reduced Sugar variant is a ready-to-drink milkshake described as having no added sugar in the Tesco Groceries listing.
- Its nutrition panel gives per-100ml figures for comparison with other ready-to-drink options.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.9g fat and 1.2g saturated fat per 100ml for this variant, so check those figures rather than relying on the sugar claim.
Joybuy shake options
These Joybuy options include ready-to-drink protein shakes and a powder for home preparation. Check each exact product’s no-added-sugar statement, nutrition panel and intended portion when deciding whether it fits your low-fat diet.
No image available
REP Vanilla Protein Shakes, 8 × 250ml
The individual cans offer a defined portion without mixing. The Joybuy product description states no added sugar and lists 2.8g fat, 1.8g saturated fat and 10.8g sugars per 250ml can. It contains milk.
No image available
Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake Strawberries & Cream, 8 × 330ml
This bottled shake offers a ready-to-drink alternative to mixing at home. For a low-fat diet, compare the current label’s fat and saturated fat per 100ml and for a 330ml bottle; check total sugars and allergens as well.
No image available
Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake Double Chocolate, 8 × 500ml
The 500ml bottle makes the full-container nutrition particularly relevant if you plan to drink it all. Compare both per-100ml and whole-bottle fat, saturated fat and sugars on the current label, and check the allergen statement.
No image available
Slimfast Strawberry Meal Replacement Meal Support Shake, 365g
This is a meal-replacement powder for home preparation, not a ready-to-drink milkshake. Assess the finished serving made with your chosen liquid rather than comparing the dry powder with bottled drinks; check its sugars, fat and allergens on the current label.
Questions about choosing a shake
Does “no added sugar” mean a milkshake is sugar-free?
No. A milkshake can contain naturally occurring sugars even when it states that none have been added. For example, Tesco Groceries lists 4.6g sugars per 100ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry. Read “of which sugars” for both 100ml and the portion you will drink.
Which fat figures should I compare for a low-fat diet?
Compare total fat per 100ml to account for different pack sizes, then check saturated fat and the figures for your intended serving. The NHS advises comparing like with like and paying attention to serving size; a large bottle can contain considerably more than its per-100ml figures.
Is a no-added-sugar powder or syrup automatically low in fat?
No. The finished drink depends on what you add. Tesco Groceries lists 1.7g fat per 100ml for its strawberry mix prepared as directed with semi-skimmed milk; Sainsbury’s lists 3.1g fat for a 200ml Crusha shake made with semi-skimmed milk. Check the prepared recipe you intend to use.
Can someone with a milk allergy rely on the no-added-sugar label?
No. A sugar claim does not establish whether a drink contains milk. Tesco Groceries declares milk for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry; check the current allergen declaration for every exact product before buying.