People with diabetes comparing everyday drinks
If you add soya drink to cereal, tea or coffee, the amount you use matters alongside the figures per 100ml. Diabetes UK advises paying attention to carbohydrate in food and drinks, not just sugars.
Who is this choice for?
Vegan or dairy-free shoppers replacing dairy
For regular use, compare the nutrients added to each carton. Diabetes UK advises choosing an unsweetened dairy alternative fortified with calcium and vitamin B12 and checking whether it contains added iodine.
Households buying long-life cartons
A single carton and a multipack present different storage decisions. Consider how much you will use after opening each carton, and follow its own refrigeration and use-by instructions.
What should you check?
Compare the nutrition panel first, then check fortification and whether the carton format fits your routine.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total carbohydrate | Read total carbohydrate and sugars per 100ml. Work out the figures for the volume you actually pour; Diabetes UK notes that the back-of-pack panel provides carbohydrate information for comparing products. | I use different amounts in drinks and cereal, so a sugars claim alone does not tell me how much carbohydrate is in my portion. |
| Fortification | Look for added calcium and vitamin B12, and check iodine and vitamin D on the individual carton. Diabetes UK specifically advises checking calcium, B12 and iodine when choosing a dairy alternative. | If soya drink replaces dairy regularly, I want to know which nutrients this particular product has added. |
| Carton quantity | Check whether the listing is for one carton or a multipack. Read the storage and use-by instructions for each carton after opening. | A larger purchase suits me only if I can use each opened carton within its stated period. |
| Hot drinks | Read the product’s preparation advice before adding it to tea or coffee. Tesco advises adding its unsweetened soya drink before hot liquid and not mixing it with boiling water. | I mainly use soya drink in tea or coffee, so its preparation instructions matter as much as cupboard storage. |
| Soya allergen | Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement. The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen. | If anyone using the carton has a soya allergy, I need a different drink rather than another soya variety. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading sugars but overlooking total carbohydrate
The two figures answer different questions. Diabetes UK advises people with diabetes to be aware of carbohydrate in food and drinks, so a sugars figure alone is not enough for comparing portions.
Check total carbohydrate per 100ml, then apply that figure to the volume you expect to use.
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Assuming all plant drinks have the same added nutrients
Fortification varies between products. A plant-based name does not tell you whether a carton contains added calcium, vitamin B12 or iodine.
If it will regularly replace dairy, follow Diabetes UK’s advice to look for an unsweetened alternative fortified with calcium and vitamin B12, and check for iodine on the carton.
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Picking up an original version instead of unsweetened
Waitrose & Partners describes Essential Original Soya Drink as sweetened and Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink as unsweetened. The names do not indicate interchangeable products.
Read the full variant name and compare both sugars and total carbohydrate on the nutrition panel.
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Buying several cartons without planning for opened ones
Long-life packaging before opening does not replace the storage instructions that apply once a carton is open.
Choose a quantity that fits your household’s usage, and refrigerate and use each opened carton as its label directs.
An opened carton left beyond its stated use-by period may go to waste.
Relevant brand references
These examples describe specific soya drinks, not every product made by each brand.
Alpro
Waitrose & Partners lists Alpro Soya Long Life No Sugar as a long-life option with 0g total carbohydrate and 0g sugars per 100ml.
- The same listing gives 3.3g protein per 100ml and lists iodine.
- Check the amount you pour and the storage directions on the carton you buy; figures per 100ml are not portion figures.
Tesco
Tesco lists its Longlife Soya Drink Unsweetened as a UHT drink with added calcium, potassium iodide, vitamin B12, riboflavin and vitamin D2.
- The listing identifies a 1L long-life, unsweetened carton.
- Check its current total carbohydrate and sugars panel rather than treating “unsweetened” as a carbohydrate figure.
Waitrose Essential
Waitrose & Partners lists Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink as UHT and fortified with calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin B2 and iodine.
- Its unsweetened name distinguishes it from the separately listed sweetened Essential Original Soya Drink.
- Confirm the exact variant and read its current nutrition and opened-carton storage instructions.
Joybuy soya drink options
This multipack is an option for households considering long-life, no-sugars soya drink. Check whether eight separate 1L cartons suit how you will use and store them.
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Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink, 8 x 1L
For a household considering several long-life cartons, check how quickly each 1L carton will be used after opening. Joybuy lists this as an 8 x 1L pack and gives 0.0g total carbohydrate and 0.0g sugars per 100ml. It contains soya; follow the individual carton’s storage instructions.
Questions about choosing soya drink
Is “unsweetened” enough when choosing a soya drink for diabetes?
No. Compare total carbohydrate per 100ml and the amount you will actually use as well as checking sugars. Diabetes UK advises paying attention to carbohydrate in food and drinks; if you follow an individual carbohydrate-counting plan, use its agreed approach.
What should I check if soya drink regularly replaces dairy?
Look for an unsweetened carton fortified with calcium and vitamin B12, and check whether iodine is added. This follows Diabetes UK’s advice on choosing dairy alternatives; vitamin D is another detail to compare on individual product labels.
Can I add long-life soya drink to hot tea or coffee?
Check the directions for the product you buy. Tesco advises adding its unsweetened soya drink before the hot liquid and not mixing it with boiling water; do not assume every carton has identical preparation advice.
How long can I use a carton after opening it?
Follow that carton’s refrigeration and use-by instructions rather than applying another product’s directions. This is worth checking before buying a multipack if you use soya drink only occasionally.
Is soya drink suitable for someone with a soya allergy?
No. The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen; check the current pack’s allergen statement and choose a non-soya alternative for someone with a soya allergy.