Choose a no-added-sugar cordial or squash if reducing sugar in your lunch drink is the priority, but check its sweeteners and the sugars value for the drink as diluted. If avoiding non-sugar sweeteners matters more to you, a sweetener-free cordial is another option; check its sugar content and follow the bottle’s dilution instructions.
If you want a flavoured drink with a quick desk lunch, compare no-added-sugar options using the sugars value for the diluted drink. The NHS names sugar-free, diet and no-added-sugar drinks as alternatives to sugary squash.
A no-added-sugar label does not mean sweetener-free. Check the ingredients if you prefer a cordial without non-sugar sweeteners, and compare its sugar content before choosing.
Some cordial recipes list sulphites. If these ingredients matter to you, check the current bottle’s ingredient and allergen declaration; the Food Standards Agency identifies sulphur dioxide and sulphites as allergens.
Consider it when: reducing sugar in your lunch drink takes priority and you are comfortable with the ingredients listed.
Trade-off: no added sugar does not necessarily mean no sugars or no sweeteners.
Consider it when: avoiding non-sugar sweeteners matters more to you than choosing a no-added-sugar recipe.
Trade-off: a sweetener-free cordial can contain sugar; check the diluted drink’s nutrition.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content | Read the sugars value for the prepared drink. Check the stated serving size and dilution before comparing bottles. | I’d like a flavoured lunch drink while keeping track of its sugar content. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredient list for named sweeteners. Do not treat “no added sugar” and “no sweeteners” as interchangeable claims. | I prefer to know what gives the drink its sweetness before I choose. |
| Dilution | Follow each bottle’s water-to-concentrate instructions. Compare nutrition figures on the same prepared-drink basis. | I want to make a glass at my desk and understand what the stated serving represents. |
| Ingredients and storage | Check the current pack for allergens, ingredients and instructions after opening. Recheck the label when buying a replacement bottle. | Sulphites or another ingredient may matter to me, and I may keep an opened bottle for later lunches. |
A drink can contain sugars from its ingredients, and no-added-sugar cordials can use non-sugar sweeteners.
Check both the ingredients and the sugars value for the drink as diluted.
Values for undiluted cordial and a diluted glass describe different amounts of concentrate.
Use the stated dilution instructions and compare figures given on the same serving basis.
Some no-added-sugar lime cordial listings name sodium metabisulphite. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphur dioxide and sulphites as allergens.
If you need to avoid them, check the current pack’s allergen declaration rather than relying on the front-of-pack sugar claim.
A previously viewed listing may not describe the bottle you are about to use.
Check its current label for ingredients, dilution and storage instructions.
Compare individual products rather than assuming every cordial or squash from a brand has the same sugar or sweetener profile.
Robinsons says it removed added sugars from its core squash range, while identifying its classic Barley Waters and Cordials as ranges with added sugar.
Tesco lists an own-label lime cordial described as a concentrated no-added-sugar drink with sweeteners.
Sainsbury’s lists an own-label Lime Cordial No Added Sugar with nutrition expressed per prepared serving.
Waitrose lists a no-added-sugar lime cordial and suggests diluting it with one part cordial to four parts water.
M&S describes cordials intended for dilution with still or sparkling water; its Sicilian Lemon and Mexican Lime product listing gives a sugars value.
Belvoir Farm has a no-added-sugar lemon-and-lime cordial described as sweetened with stevia, while a separate lime cordial listing says it has no sweeteners.
These no-added-sugar squashes are options for preparing a flavoured drink with water at lunch. Check each bottle’s ingredients and diluted-serving information against your own priorities.
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An orange squash to dilute for a lunch drink. Check the current pack for sweeteners and sulphites if those ingredients matter to you, and follow its dilution and opened-bottle storage instructions.
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A concentrated blackcurrant option for a drink made when needed. Dilute according to the bottle’s instructions, and check the prepared-drink nutrition and current ingredient label if you are comparing sugars or avoiding sulphites.
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A pineapple-and-passion-fruit squash to dilute with water for a lunch drink. Check the nutrition for your prepared serving and the current pack’s sweetener, sulphite and storage information.
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A lemon squash to prepare with water at lunch. Its product information identifies aspartame and a source of phenylalanine; check the current label and diluted-serving nutrition before choosing it for a specific dietary requirement.
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A summer-fruits squash to dilute for a lunch drink. Check the current pack for its prepared-serving sugars value, dilution instructions, sweeteners and sulphites.
No. A no-added-sugar cordial can still contain sugars from its ingredients. Check the sugars value for the drink as diluted, not just the claim on the front of the bottle.
Not necessarily. No-added-sugar recipes can use non-sugar sweeteners; read the ingredient list if you want to identify or avoid a particular one.
Dilution determines how much concentrate goes into the glass. Follow each product’s instructions and compare sugars and calories using equivalent prepared-drink servings rather than mixing concentrate and diluted-drink values.
Yes, if you need to avoid sulphites. Some lime cordial listings name sodium metabisulphite, and the Food Standards Agency identifies sulphur dioxide and sulphites as allergens. Check the current bottle’s allergen declaration.