Shoppers reducing everyday dietary fat
Compare total fat and saturates per 100ml, then check how much is in the bottle or serving you intend to drink. A smaller per-100ml figure does not tell you the amount in a full pack on its own.
Who needs to check the label closely?
People following a prescribed very-low-fat diet
A clinical fat allowance calls for a different decision from an everyday preference. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s guide addresses people instructed to have no more than 20g fat a day; follow the portion advice from your clinical team.
No-added-sugar milkshake shoppers
Check sugars and fat separately. The no-added-sugar wording does not mean a milk drink contains no sugars or establish how much fat it contains.
What should you compare?
Start with figures on the same per-100ml basis, then use the pack size or preparation instructions to work out what those figures mean for the drink you choose.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat and portion | Compare total fat and saturates per 100ml. Check bottle volume or prepared-serving size before comparing the amount you would drink. | I want to compare different pack sizes fairly, then account for the whole portion rather than just 100ml. |
| Prescribed fat allowance | Check the drink’s fat per 100ml and your permitted portion. In its guide for a prescribed 20g-a-day fat limit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says to try to avoid drinks above 1.5g fat per 100ml. | If I follow that prescribed diet, I need to check a milkshake against the plan agreed with my clinical team; an everyday lower-fat comparison is not enough. |
| Sugar wording | Read sugars per 100ml alongside total fat and saturates. Check the ingredients if a no-added-sugar claim or particular sweetener matters to you. | I might prefer no added sugar, but I still want to know how much sugar and fat the drink contains. |
| Powder preparation | Check the quantity of powder, the milk specified and whether nutrition is shown for powder or for a prepared drink. | When mixing a shake at home, I need figures that match the drink I will actually make. |
Mistakes that can change your choice
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘low fat’
Tesco Groceries lists 2.2g fat per 100ml for Mars Chocolate Flavoured Milk Drink No Added Sugar, compared with 1.2g for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry. The sugar wording does not establish the fat figure.
Compare total fat, saturates and sugars on the nutrition panels using the same per-100ml basis.
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Applying everyday shopping rules to a prescribed diet
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s 20g-a-day guide treats drink-fat levels as part of a specific clinical diet, not as permission to drink an unrestricted portion.
If you follow a prescribed plan, check the fat in the amount you intend to drink with your dietitian or clinical team.
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Comparing powder with a bottled drink without making it up
ASDA Groceries lists 3.5g fat for a prepared serving of its Strawberry Flavour Mix made with 13g powder and 200ml semi-skimmed milk. That figure applies to the stated preparation.
Check the powder quantity, milk and glass size you will use before comparing prepared-shake figures with bottled drinks.
Brand and product-line references
These figures refer to the named products and preparations, not every drink made by each brand.
Yazoo
The No Added Sugar Strawberry and Chocolate milk drinks are listed by Tesco Groceries in 6 × 200ml packs.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.2g fat and 4.6g sugars per 100ml for Strawberry, and 1.4g fat and 5.0g sugars per 100ml for Chocolate.
- Neither named drink is fat-free or sugar-free; both contain milk.
Frijj
The named Chocolate Milkshake is a ready-to-drink alternative for comparison with the portioned Yazoo products.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.9g fat and 1.1g saturates per 100ml for this product.
- Its fat figure is above the 1.5g-per-100ml level that Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises trying to avoid in its prescribed 20g-a-day diet guide.
Mars
The named Chocolate Flavoured Milk Drink No Added Sugar is a separate chocolate option, not evidence that all no-added-sugar drinks have similar fat levels.
- Tesco Groceries lists 6.5g sugars per 100ml for this drink.
- The same listing gives 2.2g fat and 1.4g saturates per 100ml; its no-added-sugar wording does not change those figures.
ASDA
Strawberry Flavour Mix is a powder for a drink prepared at home rather than a ready-to-drink bottle.
- ASDA Groceries lists 3.5g fat for a serving prepared with 13g mix and 200ml semi-skimmed milk.
- Use figures for the milk and serving you actually prepare; the stated serving figure is not a value for dry powder alone.
Joybuy milkshake and shake options
These options include a bottled milkshake yoghurt drink and powders for shakes prepared at home. Check the preparation and nutrition label before comparing a powder with a ready-to-drink bottle.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yogurt Drink, 220ml × 3
A bottled option when you do not want to mix a shake. Check the current nutrition panel for the fat in a 220ml bottle. If a no-added-sugar claim matters to you, check the ingredients: the listed fruit preparation contains sugar. Contains milk.
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Slimfast Meal Replacement Meal Support Shake, Chocolate Flavour, 375g
A chocolate-flavoured powder for preparing a shake at home, rather than an ordinary bottled milkshake. Check the label’s preparation liquid and serving size before comparing its nutrition figures with ready-to-drink options. Contains milk.
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Slimfast Meal Replacement Meal Support Shake, Strawberry Flavour, 365g
A strawberry-flavoured powder if you are comparing shakes prepared at home. Check the nutrition for the prepared serving and the milk you use, rather than treating a powder figure as a per-100ml drink figure. Contains milk and soya.
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Slimfast Meal Replacement Meal Support Shake, Banana Flavour, 365g
A banana-flavoured powder for a shake mixed at home. Check the preparation liquid and portion on the current label before comparing it with a bottled milkshake. Contains milk.
Questions about fat, sugar and servings
Is a no-added-sugar milkshake necessarily lower in fat?
No. Tesco Groceries lists 2.2g fat per 100ml for Mars Chocolate Flavoured Milk Drink No Added Sugar, against 1.2g for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry and 1.4g for Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate. All three also list sugars, so check the nutrition panel rather than interpreting ‘no added sugar’ as ‘no sugars’.
Can I have a milkshake on a prescribed very-low-fat diet?
Check the particular drink and portion against your clinical plan. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s guide addresses a prescribed limit of 20g fat a day and advises trying to avoid drinks with more than 1.5g fat per 100ml; a lower per-100ml figure does not make a serving unrestricted.
Which label figures help me compare different bottles?
Start with total fat, saturates and sugars per 100ml, then check the bottle size and the amount you expect to drink. NHS food-labelling guidance explains that nutrition information is given per 100ml for drinks and sometimes per portion; those are different quantities.
How should I compare milkshake powder with a bottled drink?
Compare the powder as a prepared drink using the stated powder quantity and milk. ASDA Groceries gives 3.5g fat for a serving of its Strawberry Flavour Mix made with 13g powder and 200ml semi-skimmed milk; using a different preparation changes the basis of that comparison.