Ready-to-drink milkshake shoppers
If you want a packaged drink for a low-fat diet, the fat figure per 100ml is a more useful starting point than front-of-pack wording.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing the whole nutrition panel
Two drinks can both meet the low-fat criterion yet list different amounts of sugars and energy. Bottle size matters too.
People making milkshakes from powder
The finished drink depends on the milk and quantities used, so check prepared-drink figures rather than judging the powder alone.
What should you check?
Compare fat per 100ml first, then read the sugars, energy, serving size and ingredients for the drink you would actually have.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | Check total fat per 100ml. Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust gives no more than 1.5g per 100ml as the low-fat criterion for liquids. | I want to assess a liquid milkshake against a clear low-fat criterion, not its name. |
| Sugars | Read total sugars as well as any no-added-sugar claim. Tesco Groceries lists 4.7g sugars per 100ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate and 6.5g for Mars No Added Sugar. | If I am comparing sugars too, I need the nutrition panel: no added sugar does not mean sugar free or low fat. |
| Amount consumed | Use per-100ml figures for comparison, then account for the amount you drink. Tesco Groceries lists Müller FRijj Chocolate in a 330ml bottle, with 75kcal and 11.4g sugars per 100ml. | A whole bottle may be more than one 100ml measure, so I want to consider the portion I would pour or finish. |
| Ingredients | Check the ingredient and allergen declaration separately from nutrition figures. For a powder, also check the stated preparation method and the milk you use. | Fat and sugar figures alone cannot tell me whether the ingredients suit my requirements. |
Common label mistakes
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Choosing by “no added sugar” alone
No added sugar is not the same as sugar free or low fat. Tesco Groceries lists 2.2g fat per 100ml for Mars No Added Sugar, above the 1.5g-per-100ml liquid criterion given by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Compare total fat and total sugars per 100ml alongside the claim.
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Reading a per-100ml figure as a whole-bottle figure
A bottle or prepared glass can contain more than 100ml, so its total fat, sugars and energy depend on how much you drink.
Compare products per 100ml, then use the bottle size or your poured amount to assess your serving.
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Judging a milkshake powder before mixing it
Tesco Groceries lists 1.8g fat per 100ml for its No Added Sugar Chocolate Milkshake Mix when prepared with semi-skimmed milk. That finished drink exceeds the liquid low-fat criterion used here.
Check the prepared-drink panel and the milk specified; reassess the figures if you make it differently.
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Using nutrition figures to judge allergens
A fat figure does not describe the ingredients. Tesco Groceries identifies milk ingredients in the checked Yazoo drink.
Read the ingredient and allergen declaration on the product you intend to buy, particularly if you need to avoid an ingredient.
Brands and product lines
These examples describe specific products, not every drink made by each brand.
Yazoo
The checked No Added Sugar Chocolate milk drink comes in a 6 × 200ml pack.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.4g fat, 4.7g sugars and 48kcal per 100ml. Its fat figure meets the liquid low-fat criterion given by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
- No added sugar does not mean sugar free; the listed drink contains milk.
Müller FRijj
The checked Chocolate milkshake is sold in a 330ml bottle.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.3g fat per 100ml, within the liquid low-fat criterion given by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
- It also lists 11.4g sugars and 75kcal per 100ml; consider the 330ml bottle size when assessing an amount to drink.
Mars
The checked Chocolate Flavoured Milk Drink carries a no-added-sugar claim.
- Tesco Groceries lists its sugars and fat per 100ml, allowing comparison with other drinks.
- At 2.2g fat and 6.5g sugars per 100ml, it does not meet the liquid low-fat criterion used here; no added sugar does not mean sugar free.
Tesco
The checked No Added Sugar Chocolate Milkshake Mix is a powder to prepare with milk.
- The prepared-drink figures give a basis for assessing the specified method using semi-skimmed milk.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.8g fat and 5.0g sugars per 100ml when prepared with semi-skimmed milk, so that preparation exceeds the liquid low-fat criterion used here.
Joybuy product options
This bottled avocado, kale and chia seed yoghurt drink is listed as a milkshake. Check its current per-100ml nutrition and ingredients before choosing it for a low-fat diet.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink 220ml × 3
The 220ml × 3 pack offers individual bottled drinks. The product is also described as a smoothie and yoghurt drink, so check the format if you want a conventional milkshake. Read the current ingredients and per-100ml nutrition rather than interpreting “Zero Control” as a fat or sugar claim.
Questions about low-fat milkshakes
What fat figure should I check for a liquid milkshake?
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust gives no more than 1.5g fat per 100ml as the low-fat criterion for liquids. Find total fat per 100ml on the nutrition panel, then consider how much you will drink.
Does no added sugar mean sugar free?
No. Naturally occurring sugars may still be present. Read the total sugars figure per 100ml; a no-added-sugar claim does not establish that a drink is low fat either.
Which of the checked ready-to-drink milkshakes meet the low-fat criterion?
Tesco Groceries lists 1.4g fat per 100ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate and 1.3g for Müller FRijj Chocolate, both within the 1.5g-per-100ml liquid criterion given by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Its listing for Mars No Added Sugar gives 2.2g per 100ml, above that criterion.
Is Tesco No Added Sugar Chocolate Milkshake Mix low fat once prepared?
Not when prepared with semi-skimmed milk on the basis shown by Tesco Groceries: the finished drink lists 1.8g fat per 100ml. Check the resulting drink if you use different milk or quantities.
Can the fat figure tell me whether a milkshake contains milk?
No. Tesco Groceries identifies milk ingredients in the checked Yazoo drink, but nutrition figures are not an allergen declaration. Check the full ingredients and allergen information for each product you consider.