Is 'fake' milk fit for drinking? 

Supermarket chiller cabinets are awash with new products to pour into your coffee and over cereal. 

But are these ‘new’ non-dairy milks any better for you? Dietitian Noor Al Refae assesses four of the latest offerings. We then rated them. 

QWRKEE UNSWEETENED PEA M’LK

1l, £3, health food shops and amazon.co.uk.

Per 100ml: Calories, 53; saturated fat, 0.3g; sugar, 0.3g; salt, 0.25g

Made from water, 3.9 per cent pea protein, rapeseed oil and fortified with vitamins, 250ml of this unsweetened plant ‘milk’ provides 8g of protein and a third of your daily calcium — plus the same again of iron, vital to make red blood cells; iodine, for thyroid function; and vitamins B2 and B12, for energy. 

Rapeseed oil gives omega 3 fats for brain and heart health, with 2g fibre in a 250ml glass. Nutritious choice.

4/5

ALPRO SOYA GROWING UP DRINK

1l, £1.45, most supermarkets.

Per 100ml: Calories, 64; saturated fat, 0.3g; sugar, 2.5g; salt, 0.04g

This soya ‘milk’ is made with water and 6.6 per cent soya beans. Marketed for toddlers, it’s lactose, dairy and gluten-free and has added calcium and vitamin D, iodine and iron (needed for mental development). 

Added fructose and cane sugar means a 250ml serving will give your child two-and-a-half teaspoons of the sweet stuff — significantly more than regular, unsweetened soya milk. 

1/5

GOOD HEMP BARISTA SEED MILK

750ml, £1.50, goodhemp.com. Per 100ml: Calories, 45; saturated fat, 0.3g; sugar, 4.6g; salt, trace

A blend of water, malt extract and 4 per cent hemp seed, this was devised to create an airy foam for frothy coffees. 

A small glass can contain as much omega 3 as a portion of fresh tuna. 

Contains almost three teaspoons of added sugar in 250ml — 37 per cent of the recommended daily limit for an adult.

2/5

KOKO DAIRY FREE SUPER

1l, £2, widely available. 

Per 100ml: Calories, 44; saturated fat, 2.3g; sugar, 2.5g; salt, 0.1g

Made with water, 8 per cent coconut milk, grape juice concentrate, rapeseed oil and broad bean protein, this is fortified so it has the same amount of calcium as dairy — plus eight other nutrients including vitamin D, potassium and magnesium. 

On the downside, it has much less protein than semi-skimmed dairy, and double the saturated fat.

3/5