Students choosing a drink for revision
If you want flavour alongside a snack without choosing a sugary squash, compare the sugars listed for the diluted drink. The NHS includes no-added-sugar drinks among its alternatives to sugary drinks.
Who is this for?
Households checking ingredients
If sweeteners, sulphites or barley matter to your household, read the ingredient and allergen information for the particular bottle. Recipes differ between products, including within squash ranges.
Shoppers deciding between cordial and squash
A lime cordial, a fruit-led cordial and an orange or blackcurrant squash offer different flavours and mixing instructions. Choose the type you want to drink, then compare its prepared-drink label.
What should you check?
Start with the nutrition information at the stated dilution; then check ingredients and the directions you will use to make a glass.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Read “of which sugars” for the prepared drink. Check whether the figure is per 100ml, per 100g or per serving before comparing products. | I want to compare what will be in my glass, not assume that “no added sugar” means no sugars. Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Belvoir Farm Sicilian Lemon & Lime Cordial. |
| Ingredients | Check the sweetener names and the product-specific allergen statement, including any sulphites or barley. | If an ingredient matters to me, I need the label for the exact flavour and variant. Tesco Groceries lists barley and sulphites for Robinsons Fruit & Barley Peach Squash. |
| Dilution | Follow the bottle’s concentrate-to-water directions. Compare nutrition figures only on equivalent prepared-drink bases. | I want a mixing routine I can follow during a study session. Tesco Groceries specifies one part concentrate to four parts water for Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash; another bottle may give different directions. |
| Drink type | Decide whether you want a lime or fruit-led cordial, or are happy to choose squash. Check the flavour and declared fruit content where these affect your choice. | I might prefer a citrus cordial, while someone else wants an orange squash. Sainsbury’s describes its No Added Sugar Lime Cordial as containing 30% fruit juice from concentrate; that figure alone does not tell me how it will taste. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars to a drink with no added sugar. Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Belvoir Farm Sicilian Lemon & Lime Cordial.
Check “of which sugars” for the prepared drink, along with the unit and serving size.
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Comparing bottles without checking dilution
The amount of concentrate used affects the prepared drink, while labels may state nutrition on different bases.
Follow each bottle’s mixing directions and compare like-for-like prepared-drink figures. The NHS advises diluting squash and cordial well.
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Assuming similar flavours have similar ingredients
Sweeteners and listed allergens vary between diluting drinks. Tesco Groceries lists barley and sulphites for Robinsons Fruit & Barley Peach Squash.
Read the current ingredient and allergen label for the exact product, particularly if you need to avoid an ingredient.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples show differences worth checking on individual bottles; a brand name alone does not establish a drink’s nutrition or ingredients.
Robinsons
Its listed no-added-sugar orange and Fruit & Barley products are squash options for shoppers willing to look beyond cordial.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0g sugars and 3kcal per 250ml diluted serving for Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash.
- Its Fruit & Barley Peach Squash lists barley and sulphites; check the exact variant’s label.
Tesco
Tesco Lime Cordial is an own-label no-added-sugar lime option.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars for the drink diluted according to its instructions.
- Check its current ingredient and allergen label if sweeteners or sulphites matter to you.
Sainsbury's
Its No Added Sugar Lime Cordial is another own-label citrus option.
- Sainsbury’s describes it as containing 30% fruit juice from concentrate and lists less than 0.5g sugars per 250ml serving.
- It contains a sweetener; check the current label for ingredients and allergens.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists its own No Added Sugar Lime Juice Cordial alongside other squash and cordial products.
- Waitrose describes its lime cordial as a concentrated drink with sweetener.
- Waitrose states that the cordial contains naturally occurring sugars, so compare its nutrition panel rather than relying on the front-label wording.
M&S
Its no-added-sugar High Juice examples are squash rather than traditional cordial.
- Marks & Spencer describes the Apple & Mango and Pink Grapefruit High Juice examples as containing 50% fruit juice.
- The listed examples still contain sugars; compare their stated nutrition basis before comparing them with a cordial.
Joybuy squash options
These Joybuy options are no-added-sugar squash concentrates for a drink alongside revision snacks. If you specifically want a product labelled cordial, check that distinction before choosing from this selection.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
An orange squash to dilute for a drink alongside snacks. Check the bottle’s mixing directions and prepared-drink sugars; its product information also flags sweeteners and sulphites.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L
A summer-fruits squash option if you prefer a mixed-fruit flavour to lime cordial. Use the current bottle to check mixing directions and prepared-drink sugars before comparing it with other products; product information flags sulphites.
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Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit No Added Sugar Squash 850ml
A pineapple-and-passion-fruit squash alternative to citrus cordial. Check the current dilution directions and prepared-drink nutrition; its product information flags sulphites and a source of phenylalanine.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Real Fruit Lemon Squash
A lemon squash for shoppers considering a citrus-flavoured alternative to cordial. Confirm the pack quantity, dilution directions and prepared-drink nutrition before ordering; its product information flags a source of phenylalanine.
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Ribena Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Concentrate 1.5L
A blackcurrant concentrate if that flavour appeals more than lime or orange. Follow its bottle directions and check the prepared-drink sugars; its product information flags sodium bisulphite and says it is not recommended for children under 3.
Questions about cordial and squash
Does “no added sugar” mean a cordial is sugar-free?
No. Sugars can still come from fruit ingredients. Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Belvoir Farm Sicilian Lemon & Lime Cordial; check the prepared-drink figure on the bottle you choose.
How should I mix cordial or squash during revision?
Follow the directions on the exact bottle rather than using one ratio for every drink. Tesco Groceries specifies one part concentrate to four parts water for Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash, while Waitrose lists a 1:6 dilution for Belvoir Apple & Blackcurrant Cordial. The NHS advises diluting squash and cordial well.
Can cordial take the place of a revision snack?
Treat cordial as a drink alongside a snack, not as the snack itself. For context, Tesco Groceries lists 3kcal per 250ml diluted serving for Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash; choose food separately rather than expecting the drink to serve that purpose.
Which ingredients deserve a closer look?
Check the sweeteners and the allergen statement for your exact bottle. Tesco Groceries lists barley and sulphites in Robinsons Fruit & Barley Peach Squash, so a no-added-sugar label alone cannot answer an ingredient or allergen question.