Who is this choice for?

Runners using dairy-free porridge or smoothies

If soya drink regularly replaces dairy milk in your meals or snacks, compare the pack’s protein and added nutrients rather than relying on the dairy-free description alone.

Runners choosing between sweetened and unsweetened drinks

Consider the whole meal when choosing a drink. An unsweetened soya drink may go into porridge made with oats and fruit, but the drink itself is not a complete long-run or race-fuelling plan.

Plant-based runners considering organic soya

If organic certification matters to you, check the particular drink’s ingredient and nutrition labels for the nutrients you expect from a regular dairy replacement.

What should you check?

Choose the drink for the meal it will go into, then consider long-run and race fuelling separately.

Priority What to check When it matters
Added nutrients Look for calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12 on the current pack. The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities notes that plant-based drinks vary considerably in nutrient content. “I use soya drink instead of dairy milk most days and want to know which nutrients this particular carton provides.”
Protein Compare protein per 100 ml on like-for-like labels. Alpro UK lists 3.3 g per 100 ml for Soya Original; check the rest of the meal as well as the drink. For a post-run snack, I want to see what the drink contributes alongside the food I am eating.
Sugars and carbohydrate Read both carbohydrate and sugars per 100 ml, not just a front-of-pack name. Waitrose lists 0 g sugars per 100 ml for Alpro Soya No Sugars; check the carbohydrate supplied by the whole meal. “My porridge already contains oats and fruit, so I can choose the drink according to how I want that meal to taste.”
Long-run fuelling Keep a drink used in meals separate from your carbohydrate-and-fluid plan for running. World Athletics describes carbohydrate intake of up to 90 g per hour for endurance events lasting over 2.5 hours. When planning a long run or race, I need to consider fuelling beyond the soya drink in breakfast or a recovery snack.
Organic choice Check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the specific organic drink, including whether it lists added calcium, iodine or vitamins. “I prefer an organic product, but I still want to know how it compares with the fortified drink I usually add to cereal.”
Allergens Read the current ingredient and allergen information. Dairy-free soya drink still contains soya. If I need to avoid soya, a dairy-free label does not make a soya drink suitable for me.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming dairy-free means nutritionally equivalent to dairy milk

    The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities reports considerable variation in the nutrient content of plant-based drinks. Two soya cartons may list different added nutrients.

    If the drink regularly replaces dairy milk, compare calcium, iodine, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and protein on the current packs.

  • Using soya drink as the only marathon fuel

    A drink chosen for porridge or a snack does not, by itself, address carbohydrate and fluid intake throughout a long event. World Athletics describes carbohydrate intake of up to 90 g per hour for events lasting over 2.5 hours.

    Plan and practise your approach to long-run and race fuelling separately from choosing an everyday soya drink.

  • Choosing unsweetened without considering the rest of the meal

    Choosing a drink with no sugars does not tell you how much carbohydrate the complete breakfast or snack contains.

    Consider the oats, cereal, fruit, bread or other foods you are having with it when planning a training meal.

  • Confusing dairy-free with free from all allergens

    A soya drink contains soya, even when it contains no dairy. GOV.UK identifies soya beans among the allergens that food businesses must declare when used as ingredients.

    If you need to avoid soya, do not choose a soya drink; read the current ingredient and allergen label.

Brand and retailer references

These examples show label details worth comparing; a brand or retailer name alone does not establish the composition of every variant.

Alpro

Alpro lists original and no-sugars soya drinks, giving shoppers two different sugars labels to compare.

  • Alpro UK lists 3.3 g protein, 120 mg calcium and 22.5 µg iodine per 100 ml for Soya Original.
  • Waitrose lists 0 g sugars and 3.3 g protein per 100 ml for Alpro Soya No Sugars.
  • Check the current pack for the exact variant and its complete nutrient declaration.

Waitrose Essential

Waitrose describes its Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink as a UHT drink with added nutrients.

  • Its product listing names added calcium, iodine and vitamins D, B12 and B2.
  • Check the current carton before using its nutrient details to compare it with another drink.

Tesco

Tesco lists an own-label unsweetened long-life soya drink alongside branded choices.

  • The own-label listing provides another unsweetened product to compare by its pack label.
  • Use individual product labels, rather than the category listing, to compare nutrition and added nutrients.

Soya drinks on Joybuy

These soya drink options cover a no-sugars long-life drink for everyday meals and an organic option. Check each pack against the nutrients and meal ingredients that matter to you.

Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink, eight 1 L cartons

Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink, 8 × 1 L

A no-sugars soya drink to consider for cereal or smoothies. If it will regularly replace dairy milk, check the current pack for its added nutrients, including iodine; soya is an allergen.

View on Joybuy
Alpro Organic Soya Drink, variant marked 6

Alpro Organic Soya Drink (6)

An organic soya option to consider with cereal or in shakes. Compare the current pack’s protein and added-nutrient declarations if it will regularly replace dairy milk; soya is an allergen.

View on Joybuy

Questions about soya drinks and training

Is soya drink enough to fuel a marathon?

No: use a soya drink as part of a meal or snack, not as your sole race-fuelling plan. World Athletics describes carbohydrate intake of up to 90 g per hour for endurance events lasting over 2.5 hours, so plan and practise carbohydrate and fluid intake separately.

Should I choose unsweetened or original soya drink for training meals?

Choose according to the whole meal and your taste preference. An unsweetened drink may suit porridge or a smoothie that already contains oats or fruit; if you prefer an original drink, check its sugars and carbohydrate per 100 ml. Neither choice replaces long-run fuelling planning.

What matters if soya drink regularly replaces dairy milk?

Check the particular drink’s protein and whether it lists added calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12. The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities reports that the nutrient content of plant-based drinks varies considerably, so do not assume every soya drink supplies the same nutrients.

Can I assume an organic soya drink has the same added nutrients?

No. Check its own ingredients and nutrition panel rather than transferring the details of a fortified drink to an organic variant. This matters particularly when you use it regularly instead of dairy milk.

Can someone who needs to avoid soya drink dairy-free soya milk?

No. Dairy-free does not mean soya-free: a soya drink contains soya. GOV.UK identifies soya beans as an allergen that food businesses must declare when used as an ingredient; always check the current label.