Compare protein and total fat on the same per-100ml basis: Tesco Groceries lists 3.5g protein and 1.5g fat for its Unsweetened Soya Drink, while ASDA Groceries lists 2.0g protein and 1.1g fat for its unsweetened drink. Tesco’s carton contributes more protein at the same volume; ASDA’s has less total fat. The better fit depends on which difference matters for the amount you usually pour.
The useful comparison changes with the role soya milk plays in your meals and with any ingredient restrictions.
If you use soya milk in porridge, cereal or shakes, compare both figures per 100ml and then consider your usual serving. A small splash contributes less protein than a full glass, whatever the carton’s per-100ml figure.
If soya milk regularly takes the place of dairy milk, look for an unsweetened drink with the added nutrients you want. The NHS says unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant alternatives can count within the dairy-and-alternatives food group.
Soya is an allergen, and individual cartons can carry other ingredient or precautionary warnings. Read the current pack rather than relying on a previous purchase. If a clinician has set your protein intake, use that guidance when deciding how the drink fits your meals.
Start with protein and total fat at the same stated volume, then check whether the carton suits how you use and store it. M&S lists its figures per 100g, so do not place them in a per-100ml order without a comparable measure.
| Priority | What to check | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Protein contribution | Read protein per 100ml and calculate it for the amount you normally pour. Tesco Groceries lists 3.5g per 100ml for its Unsweetened Soya Drink; ASDA Groceries lists 2.0g per 100ml for Plant Based by ASDA Unsweetened Soya. | I use enough soya milk in a bowl or shake for its protein figure to matter, so I want to compare the contribution from my usual serving. |
| Total fat | Compare total fat, not just saturated fat, on the same label basis. Tesco lists 1.5g per 100ml and ASDA lists 1.1g per 100ml for those drinks. | If keeping total fat lower is my main reason for changing cartons, the lower fat figure may matter more to me than the protein difference. |
| Added nutrients | Check the current label for calcium and any listed vitamin D, vitamin B12 or iodine. Fortification differs between products. | I regularly use soya milk instead of dairy milk and want to know which added nutrients are actually in the carton I buy. |
| Sweetness and ingredients | Read the product name, sugars per 100ml and ingredient list rather than treating every unsweetened drink as the same formulation. | For porridge or savoury cooking, I want a drink whose sweetness and ingredients suit the recipe. |
| Allergens | Check the current ingredient declaration and any precautionary warnings for soya, nuts or peanuts. GOV.UK identifies soya beans as an allergen that must be declared when present as an ingredient in prepacked food. | With an allergy in the household, the current pack information takes priority over a familiar product name. |
| Opened-carton use | Check refrigeration instructions and the stated period for use after opening. The Joybuy-listed Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink says to refrigerate after opening and use within 5 days. | I only use a little at a time, so I need a carton I can finish within its stated opened-storage period. |
A low saturated-fat description does not give you the total-fat figure. Joybuy lists 1.8g total fat per 100ml for Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink; Waitrose & Partners lists 1.9g per 100ml for Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink.
If you are comparing cartons against a total-fat limit, use the total-fat row per 100ml on each current label.
Unsweetened describes sweetness, not protein content. Tesco Groceries lists 3.5g protein per 100ml for its unsweetened drink, while ASDA Groceries lists 2.0g for its unsweetened drink.
Compare protein on the same label basis and work out what your usual serving contributes.
Soya is an allergen, while ingredient lists and precautionary warnings are product-specific.
Read the current carton each time an allergy affects your choice, including any nut or peanut warning.
A long-life carton still has storage instructions once opened. The Joybuy-listed Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink specifies refrigeration and use within 5 days after opening.
Consider how quickly you will use the pack, particularly if you add only a small amount to drinks.
An unfinished carton may need to be discarded when its stated opened-storage period has passed.
These examples show why the nutrition panel matters more than the brand name alone; they do not establish that every drink from a brand has the same formulation.
Alpro Soya No Sugars is an unsweetened soya drink. Joybuy’s listing for the long-life drink gives figures per 100ml.
Tesco Soya Drink Unsweetened is an own-label option with protein and fat stated on Tesco Groceries’ product page.
Sainsbury's Unsweetened Soya Drink is another own-label carton to assess against your usual serving and ingredient needs.
Plant Based by ASDA Unsweetened Soya has a lower listed total-fat figure than the Tesco drink discussed here, alongside a lower protein figure.
M&S Plant Kitchen Unsweetened Soya Drink is an own-label option whose published nutrition figures use a per-100g basis.
Waitrose Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink shows why an unsweetened name alone does not settle a lower-fat choice.
This Alpro long-life multipack offers an unsweetened soya drink for cereal, shakes or cooking. Compare its total-fat figure with your own limit before choosing it for a lower-fat routine.
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For cereal, shakes or cooking, the listing gives 3.3g protein and 0g sugars per 100ml. It also lists 1.8g total fat per 100ml, so compare that with your lower-fat limit. The drink contains soya; refrigerate after opening and use within 5 days.
Read total fat per 100ml on each current carton, rather than comparing a total-fat figure with a saturated-fat figure. For example, Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g total fat per 100ml for its Unsweetened Soya Drink, while ASDA Groceries lists 1.1g per 100ml for Plant Based by ASDA Unsweetened Soya.
Its contribution depends on the product and how much you use. University Hospitals Sussex lists about 5g protein for a 200ml portion of fortified soya milk in its renal diet guide; check your carton’s figure and consider it alongside the other foods in your meal. If your protein intake has been set by a clinician, follow that individual guidance.
Choose according to which figure matters more for your usual serving. ASDA Groceries lists 1.1g fat and 2.0g protein per 100ml for Plant Based by ASDA Unsweetened Soya; Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g fat and 3.5g protein per 100ml for Tesco Soya Drink Unsweetened.
Check the nutrients on the particular carton if soya milk regularly replaces dairy milk for you. The NHS says unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant alternatives can count within the dairy-and-alternatives food group; vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iodine should each be checked on the product label rather than assumed.
If you have a soya allergy, do not choose a soya drink. GOV.UK identifies soya beans as an allergen that must be declared when present as an ingredient in prepacked food. Read the current ingredient declaration and any nut or peanut precautionary warning on each carton you consider.