Shoppers comparing fat content
If you want a ready-to-drink milkshake while keeping fat low, the per-100ml figure lets you compare drinks without relying on flavour or front-of-pack wording.
Who is this for?
People who prefer familiar flavours
Vanilla, strawberry and chocolate give you familiar options to consider. Their names cannot tell you how mild or sweet a drink will taste, so compare the nutrition panel as well as the flavour.
People following a prescribed minimal-fat diet
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust addresses its minimal-fat guidance to people advised by a healthcare professional to consume no more than 20g of fat a day. Check the amount you would drink against your individual plan with your clinical team.
What should you check?
Compare the nutrition panels on a per-100ml basis first, then consider the amount you would drink and the flavour you prefer.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat | Read total fat per 100ml, not a sugar-related claim. Department of Health and Social Care guidance on GOV.UK sets no more than 1.5g fat per 100ml for a liquid ‘low fat’ claim, apart from its separate semi-skimmed milk allowance. | I want to compare drinks on the same basis before choosing a familiar flavour. |
| Flavour and sugars | Compare sugars per 100ml alongside the flavour and product style. Tesco lists Müller FRijj Chocolate at 11.4g sugars per 100ml, while Sainsbury’s lists Yazoo Chocolate at 8.6g per 100ml; those figures do not establish which tastes milder. | Chocolate might appeal to me, but I also want to know how the labelled sugars differ between the drinks I am considering. |
| Amount consumed | Check the bottle volume and any per-portion figures. The NHS explains that nutrition information appears per 100ml and may also appear per portion; use the amount you expect to drink when considering your total intake. | If I plan to drink the whole bottle, the per-100ml number alone will not tell me the amount in that serving. |
| Individual fat limit | If a clinician has set a daily fat allowance, calculate the fat in the amount you intend to drink and follow your prescribed plan. Oxford University Hospitals’ guidance for a diet of 20g fat or less per day is intended for people given that advice by a healthcare professional. | A general low-fat label cannot tell me whether a whole drink fits a restriction set for me. |
Buying mistakes to avoid
-
Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means low fat
Sugar wording and fat content describe different things. Tesco lists Mars No Added Sugar at 2.2g fat per 100ml, above the general UK liquid threshold of 1.5g per 100ml for a low-fat claim given by the Department of Health and Social Care.
If low fat is your priority, check total fat per 100ml before looking at sugars and ingredients.
-
Stopping at the front label
A per-100ml figure helps with comparison, but the amount in your bottle or serving determines how much fat you consume.
Read the nutrition panel and bottle volume, then work out the figure for the amount you expect to drink.
-
Letting a creamy description stand in for the nutrition panel
Tesco describes Müller FRijj Chocolate as thick and smooth and lists 1.3g fat and 11.4g sugars per 100ml. Texture wording does not tell you either figure.
Compare fat first for a low-fat choice, then check sugars and flavour among the drinks you are considering.
-
Applying a general label to a prescribed diet
A drink meeting the general low-fat claim threshold may still account for part of an individual daily allowance. Oxford University Hospitals’ minimal-fat guidance is for people advised to consume no more than 20g of fat per day.
Use your clinical plan and calculate the fat in the amount you would drink before deciding whether it fits.
Brand and product-line references
These examples illustrate different labelled products and styles; a brand name alone does not establish the nutrition of every flavour or bottle.
Arla Protein
Its Vanilla flavoured milk shake is a dairy protein-shake option rather than a conventional dessert-style milkshake.
- Tesco lists 0.9g fat, 4.7g sugars and 5.7g protein per 100ml for the Vanilla product, plus 26g protein per bottle.
- It contains milk. Check the current bottle if its ingredients or flavour are decisive for you.
Yazoo
Strawberry and chocolate milk drinks offer familiar flavour choices with different nutrition figures.
- Yazoo lists Strawberry at 1.1g fat and 8.7g sugars per 100ml; Sainsbury’s lists Yazoo Chocolate at 1.4g fat and 8.6g sugars per 100ml.
- The checked drinks contain milk. Compare the label for the flavour and bottle you actually choose.
Müller FRijj
The checked Chocolate milkshake is described by Tesco as thick and smooth.
- Tesco lists 1.3g fat per 100ml for Müller FRijj Chocolate, below the general UK liquid low-fat claim threshold stated by the Department of Health and Social Care.
- The same listing gives 11.4g sugars per 100ml, and the product contains milk.
Mars
The checked chocolate, malt and caramel flavoured milk drink is labelled ‘no added sugar’, which addresses a different consideration from fat content.
- Tesco lists 6.5g sugars per 100ml and notes that the no-added-sugar drink contains naturally occurring sugars.
- Tesco lists 2.2g fat per 100ml, above the general UK liquid low-fat claim threshold. The checked product also contains milk, barley and sweeteners.
Joybuy shake options
These Applied Nutrition strawberry and chocolate protein-shake packs offer familiar flavours to consider alongside milkshakes. Check each current nutrition label for fat per 100ml and consider whether the flavour suits your preference for a mild taste.
No image available
Applied Nutrition Strawberries & Cream Protein Nutrition Shake, 8 x 330ml
The strawberries-and-cream flavour is an option to consider if you prefer a familiar fruit flavour, though its name does not tell you how mild it tastes.
The pack contains 8 x 330ml. Check the current fat-per-100ml figure and milk allergen information before choosing it for your needs.
No image available
Applied Nutrition Double Chocolate Protein Nutrition Shake, 8 x 500ml
Double Chocolate gives you another familiar flavour to consider, but it may not match a preference for a mild taste.
The pack contains 8 x 500ml. Check fat per 100ml on the current label and take the bottle size into account; the shake contains milk.
Questions about low-fat milkshakes
How can I tell whether a milkshake is low fat in the UK?
Check total fat per 100ml: Department of Health and Social Care guidance on GOV.UK sets a maximum of 1.5g per 100ml for a liquid product making a ‘low fat’ claim, with a separate 1.8g allowance for semi-skimmed milk. Check the bottle size too, because the amount you drink determines your total fat intake from it.
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a milkshake is low fat?
No. Tesco lists Mars No Added Sugar at 2.2g fat per 100ml, above the general 1.5g-per-100ml UK liquid threshold for a low-fat claim given by the Department of Health and Social Care. Tesco also notes that the drink contains naturally occurring sugars.
Can I use a low-fat milkshake on a prescribed minimal-fat diet?
Do not assume that the general low-fat claim threshold makes a full bottle suitable. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s guidance for people advised to consume no more than 20g of fat a day is intended for a clinically directed diet; calculate the amount in what you would drink and follow your individual clinical plan.
What if I need to avoid milk or other allergens?
Check the current ingredient and allergen statement on the exact bottle. The checked Arla Protein, Yazoo, Müller FRijj and Mars drinks contain milk, and the checked Mars drink also lists barley; a familiar flavour name does not establish allergen suitability.