Late-night snackers comparing labels
If you want a small drink without choosing solely by an 'unsweetened' label, compare fat, energy and sugars per 100ml. A soya drink should not be treated as a way to induce sleep.
Who is this choice for?
People regularly replacing dairy
Check the exact carton for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iodine, as well as protein. The NHS recommends fortified dairy alternatives for people following a vegan diet; fortification differs between drinks.
Shoppers choosing chilled or long-life cartons
Choose a format that fits where you will store it before opening and how quickly you will finish it afterwards. Check the carton's refrigeration and after-opening instructions.
What should you check on the carton?
Start with the nutrition panel per 100ml so that carton sizes do not obscure the comparison. Then check whether the drink fits your usual storage routine and, if relevant, your use of it in place of dairy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and energy | Compare both figures per 100ml, not just the word 'unsweetened'. ASDA Groceries lists 1.1g fat and 19kcal per 100ml for its Plant Based Unsweetened Soya; Sainsbury's lists 1.3g and 26kcal for its chilled Unsweetened Soya Drink. | I want a small late-night drink and would rather compare the figures than assume the front label tells me which is lower in fat. |
| Sugars | Read the sugars value per 100ml on the exact carton. Tesco lists 0.4g for its Unsweetened Soya Drink, while Waitrose & Partners lists 0g for Alpro No Sugar Chilled Soya Drink. | A declared 0g sugars value matters to me, or I want to see how much sugar an unsweetened option contains. |
| Fortification and protein | Check the ingredients or nutrition information for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iodine; compare protein per 100ml if it matters to your choice. The NHS recommends fortified dairy alternatives for a vegan diet. | If this regularly replaces dairy for me, I need to check more than fat alone. Iodine is worth checking on the particular carton. |
| Bedtime routine | Consider the serving alongside the rest of your snack. NHS sleep guidance says large meals close to bedtime may make falling asleep harder; it does not identify a particular soya drink as a sleep remedy. | I want something small late at night without relying on a drink to change how I sleep. |
| Allergens and storage | Check soya and any nut or peanut statements, whether the carton needs chilling before opening, and its instructions once opened. Check age guidance if buying for a child. | My choice needs to fit the person drinking it and the time my household takes to finish an opened carton. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming all unsweetened drinks have similar fat and energy
Unsweetened describes sweetness, not a fixed nutrition profile. The ASDA, Sainsbury's and Tesco product listings give different fat values per 100ml.
Compare fat and energy on the same per-100ml basis, then look at sugars and protein.
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Assuming every plant drink has the same fortification
The UK government's SACN and COT assessment notes that nutrient content varies considerably between plant-based drinks. A low-fat label does not tell you which nutrients have been added.
If the drink regularly replaces dairy, check the particular carton for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iodine.
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Choosing a drink as a sleep remedy
A soya drink is a food choice, not an insomnia treatment. NHS guidance notes that large meals close to bedtime may make falling asleep harder.
Think about the size of the whole late-night snack rather than expecting a particular carton to affect sleep.
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Overlooking allergens and after-opening instructions
Soya drinks contain soya, and some product labels carry additional nut or peanut warnings. Chilled and long-life cartons also have instructions that apply after opening.
Read the current pack for allergens, age guidance, refrigeration and its stated use period.
A carton may go to waste if its after-opening use period does not fit how quickly your household finishes it.
Brand and own-label examples
These figures refer to the named drinks, not every carton made by each brand. Compare the current pack when choosing between chilled and long-life versions.
Alpro
Waitrose & Partners lists Alpro No Sugar Chilled Soya Drink with 1.8g fat, 0g sugars and 3.3g protein per 100ml.
- A declared 0g sugars value distinguishes this chilled carton from unsweetened examples that list a small sugars value.
- Check the chilled carton's storage instructions; do not assume a long-life Alpro variant is the same product.
Tesco
Tesco lists 1.5g fat, 0.4g sugars and 3.5g protein per 100ml for Tesco Soya Drink Unsweetened.
- Its listing also specifies iodine; check the current carton for the full fortification details.
- This is a chilled option, so check its refrigeration and after-opening instructions.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists 1.3g fat, 26kcal and 2.2g protein per 100ml for its chilled Unsweetened Soya Drink.
- Its separate Unsweetened Long Life Soya Drink listing describes a UHT drink fortified with calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12.
- Check which version you are buying: the chilled drink's nutrition figures should not be applied to the long-life carton.
Asda
ASDA Groceries lists 1.1g fat, 19kcal and 2.0g protein per 100ml for Plant Based by ASDA Unsweetened Soya.
- Its declared fat and energy are lower than the Sainsbury's and Tesco examples listed here on a per-100ml basis.
- Read the current carton's allergen and storage statements before buying.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists 1.4g fat and 2.8g protein per 100ml for its Unsweetened Soya Drink.
- The product is a long-life option for storage before opening.
- M&S warns that this product is not suitable for people with nut or peanut allergy; check the current pack.
Waitrose
Waitrose & Partners describes Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink as a UHT option with added calcium, iodine and vitamins D, B12 and B2.
- The listing identifies iodine alongside its other added nutrients.
- Follow the carton's refrigeration instructions after opening and check its age guidance if buying for a child.
Soya drink at Joybuy
This long-life Alpro soya drink comes as an 8 × 1L pack. If you want just a small late-night pour, consider whether you will use the cartons within their stated after-opening period.
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Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink, 8 × 1L
The long-life format may suit a household that wants to store unopened cartons before using them for occasional late-night drinks. Check the current carton's fat and sugars per 100ml, fortification, soya allergen statement and instructions after opening; the pack contains eight 1L cartons.
Questions about choosing soya drink
Is the lowest-fat carton always the right late-night choice?
No. If fat is your main criterion, ASDA Groceries lists 1.1g per 100ml for Plant Based by ASDA Unsweetened Soya, but sugars, energy, protein and fortification may also matter to your choice. NHS sleep guidance cautions against large meals close to bedtime; it does not recommend a particular soya drink as a sleep remedy.
Does unsweetened mean zero sugars?
Not necessarily. Tesco lists 0.4g sugars per 100ml for its Unsweetened Soya Drink, while Waitrose & Partners lists 0g for Alpro No Sugar Chilled Soya Drink. Read the nutrition panel on the exact carton.
What should I check if soya drink regularly replaces dairy?
Check the exact product for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iodine, and compare protein if it is relevant to your choice. The NHS recommends fortified dairy alternatives for a vegan diet, while the UK government's SACN and COT assessment notes that nutrient content varies considerably between plant-based drinks.
How should I store soya drink after opening?
Refrigerate it and follow the use period printed on that carton. Long-life storage before opening does not remove the need to follow its after-opening instructions; chilled cartons need refrigeration before opening too.
Can an ordinary soya drink replace infant formula?
No. The NHS says first infant formula is the only suitable alternative to breast milk during the first 12 months. Check product-specific age statements when choosing a drink for an older child as well.