Gamers comparing fat content
If a ready-to-drink snack needs to meet your low-fat criterion, start with fat per 100 ml. Then look at the bottle size so you know what drinking the whole pack would mean.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers considering a protein shake
A protein shake may appeal if protein content or a lactose-free formulation matters to you. Compare its fat, sugars and bottle size as well; a protein label does not settle those questions.
Shoppers looking for no-added-sugar drinks
Keep no-added-sugar and low fat as separate checks. A drink can carry the first description without meeting the fat benchmark you are using.
What should you compare?
Use the per-100-ml panel to compare drinks of different sizes, then check the figures for the portion you expect to drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Read fat per 100 ml. The nutrition-claims annex on legislation.gov.uk gives 1.5 g per 100 ml for liquids and a separate 1.8 g allowance for semi-skimmed milk; check which description applies. | I want a drink that meets my low-fat criterion, rather than assuming its flavour or no-added-sugar label tells me its fat content. |
| Sugars and portion | Compare sugars and energy per 100 ml, then check the bottle volume and number of servings. ASDA Groceries lists two servings in the Yazoo Strawberry 400 ml bottle. | If I plan to drink the whole bottle during a session, the full-bottle figures matter more to me than a single serving alone. |
| Protein and ingredients | Compare protein on the same per-100-ml basis. If relevant, read the lactose-free statement, sweetener ingredients and milk allergen declaration separately. | I may prefer a protein shake, but I still need to know whether its ingredients and stated allergens suit me. |
| Storage | Check the pack for storage instructions before and after opening, and for its use-by or best-before information. | A bottle I might leave unfinished needs storage instructions I can follow after opening. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Equating no added sugar with low fat
ASDA Groceries lists the no-added-sugar Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink at 2.2 g fat per 100 ml, above the 1.5 g liquid benchmark in the nutrition-claims annex published on legislation.gov.uk.
Read fat per 100 ml independently of any sugar-related claim.
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Comparing bottles without checking their servings
ASDA Groceries lists the Yazoo Strawberry 400 ml bottle as two 200 ml servings. One serving is not the same amount as the full bottle.
Compare drinks per 100 ml first, then check the figures for the amount you intend to drink.
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Assuming protein determines the whole nutrition profile
ASDA Groceries lists 10 g protein, 7.9 g sugars and 91 kcal per 100 ml for Arla Protein Chocolate Brownie Flavour Milkshake. Its protein figure does not replace the other figures.
Choose protein content if it matters to you, while checking fat, sugars, energy and serving size separately.
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Skipping the physical label
Ingredients and nutrition information can change, so an online description may not match the pack in hand.
Before drinking, check that pack’s nutrition panel, allergen declaration and storage instructions.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show why the fat figure, sugar figure and serving size deserve separate checks; a retailer listing is not a substitute for the pack label.
Yazoo
Flavoured milk drinks include the Strawberry 400 ml bottle and a no-added-sugar Chocolate 200 ml drink.
- ASDA Groceries lists 1.1 g fat per 100 ml for Strawberry and 1.4 g per 100 ml for the no-added-sugar Chocolate drink.
- The Strawberry listing also gives 8.7 g sugars per 100 ml and two servings per 400 ml bottle.
Müller FRijj
The Fudge Brownie milkshake is an option for shoppers choosing that flavour.
- ASDA Groceries lists 1.3 g fat per 100 ml for Fudge Brownie.
- The same listing gives 10.9 g sugars per 100 ml, so check sugars as well as fat.
Mars
The listed Chocolate Milk Shake Drink carries a no-added-sugar description.
- ASDA Groceries lists 2.2 g fat per 100 ml for this drink. Its sugar-related label does not make it a match for the 1.5 g liquid-fat benchmark.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists For Goodness Shakes Protein Chocolate 330 ml alongside other drink choices.
- The Tesco Groceries listing gives 0.3 g fat and 10.6 g protein per 100 ml and labels the drink lactose free.
- Check the exact pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration; lactose-free does not mean milk-free.
Asda
ASDA Groceries listings include flavoured milk drinks, no-added-sugar variants and protein milkshakes.
- The listings give per-100-ml figures that let you compare products with different bottle sizes.
- Check the physical pack for current nutrition and allergen information.
Joybuy protein-shake options
These Joybuy options are multipacks of protein shakes for readers considering that type of gaming-break drink. Compare each bottle’s current label with your fat criterion and intended portion; the standard flavoured milk drinks discussed above are a separate choice.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Vanilla Ice Cream Flavour, 8 × 500 ml
Consider the 500 ml bottle size against how much you intend to drink during a break. Check its current per-100-ml fat figure and full-bottle nutrition; it contains milk, so read the allergen declaration.
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REP Protein Shakes, Vanilla Flavour, 8 × 250 ml
The 250 ml size is worth considering if that is the portion you want. Compare fat on a per-100-ml basis with other drinks, and check the current pack’s milk allergen declaration.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Strawberries & Cream Flavour, 8 × 330 ml
This 330 ml bottle offers a different portion and flavour from the other Applied Nutrition option shown here. Check fat per 100 ml, the nutrition for the amount you will drink and the pack’s milk allergen information.
Questions about low-fat milkshakes
What fat figure should I use to compare milkshakes?
Use fat per 100 ml. The nutrition-claims annex published on legislation.gov.uk gives no more than 1.5 g per 100 ml for liquids labelled low fat, with a separate 1.8 g allowance for semi-skimmed milk. Check the type of drink and its pack label rather than comparing bottles of different sizes by their totals alone.
Does no added sugar mean low fat?
No. ASDA Groceries lists the no-added-sugar Yazoo Chocolate drink at 1.4 g fat per 100 ml, but its no-added-sugar Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink at 2.2 g per 100 ml. Read the fat figure separately.
Should I compare per 100 ml or per bottle?
Use per-100-ml figures to compare different drinks, then check the figures for the amount you will actually have. ASDA Groceries lists the Yazoo Strawberry 400 ml bottle as two 200 ml servings, so a serving and the whole bottle are different portions.
Does lactose-free mean a shake is milk-free?
No. Lactose-free refers to lactose, not necessarily the absence of milk ingredients. If you need to avoid milk, check the exact product’s allergen declaration rather than relying on its lactose-free wording.
What if I do not finish the milkshake during a gaming session?
Follow the pack’s instructions for storage after opening and for when the drink must be consumed. Check those directions on the bottle or carton before saving an unfinished portion.