Choose a no-added-sugar cordial if you want to flavour your carried water without relying on the drink for hiking energy; a sugar-containing drink is not automatically needed. For activity lasting more than 60 minutes, University College London Hospitals says snacks may be needed for energy. Choose food for the length of the walk, then check the cordial’s prepared-drink nutrition, dilution instructions and ingredients.
No-added-sugar cordial is a drink choice, not a replacement for the food you may need during a longer walk.
If you prefer flavoured water but do not want to rely on the drink for energy, compare cordials as diluted rather than as concentrates. The NHS advises diluting squash and cordial well; pack food separately when the walk calls for it.
For activity lasting more than 60 minutes, University College London Hospitals says snacks may be needed for energy. Its guidance suggests considering carbohydrate-containing snacks and, for an all-day hike, a mixture of carbohydrate and protein. Choose your drink and snacks for their different roles.
No-added-sugar does not mean free from sweeteners or sulphites. Check the exact bottle’s ingredients and warnings before packing it, particularly if aspartame or sulphites matter to you. The NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU).
Choose a cordial by how you will dilute and drink it, then plan food separately for the walk’s duration. The NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity; a sugary drink is not a prerequisite for carrying enough fluid.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink choice | Check whether the cordial is a concentrate and how much water the bottle directs you to add. Compare sugar and energy figures for the prepared drink, using the same serving size. | I want flavour in the water I carry, without assuming the drink has to provide energy. The NHS advises diluting squash and cordial well. |
| Food for the walk | Consider the walk’s duration and effort alongside your snack plan. University College London Hospitals says activity beyond 60 minutes may require snacks; for an all-day hike, it discusses a mixture of carbohydrate and protein. | On a longer walk, I need to plan food rather than count on a no-added-sugar cordial as my snack. |
| Diluted nutrition | Read the serving size and whether the nutrition panel describes concentrate or prepared drink. For example, Tesco lists Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar at 3 kcal and 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving; Waitrose lists Vimto No Added Sugar at 5 kcal and 0.8 g sugars per 250 ml. | If I am comparing drinks, I want the figures to describe what will actually be in my bottle, not different amounts of concentrate. |
| Ingredients | Check sweeteners, sulphites and any phenylalanine warning on the exact pack. Waitrose lists aspartame and a phenylalanine warning for Ribena Blackcurrant Squash No Added Sugar; the NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU. | A particular ingredient may affect my choice, so I need to read the bottle rather than rely on its no-added-sugar wording. |
| Water for the route | Work out how you will carry and dilute the cordial. If a route depends on refilling outdoors, assess the water source and any suitable treatment before setting off; Mountaineering Scotland warns against assuming that every stream is safe. | I need enough water for both drinking and mixing my cordial, with a practical plan for any refill. |
A flavoured, low-energy drink does not serve the same purpose as planned food. University College London Hospitals says activity lasting more than 60 minutes may require snacks for energy.
Choose food with the walk’s duration and effort in mind; choose cordial for the drink you want to carry.
A nutrition figure for undiluted cordial is not directly comparable with one for a diluted serving. The amount of concentrate used also changes the drink you make.
Follow each bottle’s mixing instructions and compare nutrition figures on a like-for-like prepared-serving basis.
Retailer listings for no-added-sugar cordials include sweeteners and, in some cases, sulphites. The NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU.
Read the current bottle’s ingredients and warnings, especially if you need to avoid a particular ingredient.
Water from a stream is not automatically suitable for drinking or mixing cordial. Mountaineering Scotland advises avoiding visibly muddy sources and places with substantial livestock, and describes treatment methods for water that may not be safe.
Plan the water you will carry and check refill options before departure. If treatment is part of that plan, understand the method and its limitations.
Relying on a refill can add the practical burden of carrying and using water-treatment equipment.
These examples illustrate differences between particular UK-listed cordials; check the exact flavour and bottle rather than applying one product’s figures to a whole brand.
Orange and Apple & Blackcurrant No Added Sugar squashes offer two fruit-flavour examples with nutrition stated for diluted servings.
Vimto No Added Sugar Squash is a mixed-fruit option for buyers comparing flavour and prepared-drink nutrition.
Ribena Blackcurrant Squash No Added Sugar provides explicit mixing guidance for buyers who prefer a blackcurrant flavour.
Sainsbury’s Lime Cordial No Added Sugar is a lime option with a stated prepared-serving nutrition figure.
These no-added-sugar squash concentrates are options for flavouring water carried on a hike. Choose any snacks separately according to the walk; compare each bottle’s preparation instructions and ingredients before packing it.
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An orange squash concentrate for flavouring carried water; pack food separately if the walk calls for snacks. Check the bottle’s dilution directions and ingredients before mixing.
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The six-bottle pack is an option for planning drinks across several outings; decide how much concentrate to carry on an individual hike. Follow the pack’s dilution and ingredient information.
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A lemon squash concentrate for hikers who prefer a citrus-flavoured drink. Check how the bottle directs you to dilute it, and use prepared-drink figures when comparing it with other cordials.
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A blackcurrant concentrate to mix with water for the walk. Check the exact bottle’s mixing directions, ingredients and prepared-drink nutrition rather than treating a no-added-sugar name as an energy figure.
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A pineapple and passion-fruit squash concentrate if you prefer those flavours in your carried water. Read the bottle’s dilution instructions and compare nutrition for the drink as prepared.
No-added-sugar cordial can be part of what you drink, but do not use it as your only plan for energy. University College London Hospitals says activity lasting more than 60 minutes may require snacks and discusses a mixture of carbohydrate and protein for an all-day hike. Choose food for the activity rather than assuming a flavoured drink will do the same job.
Not necessarily: check the sugars figure for the prepared drink. Waitrose lists Vimto No Added Sugar Squash at 0.8 g sugars per 250 ml, while Tesco lists Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar at 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving. The wording on the front of the bottle does not replace its nutrition panel.
Follow the instructions on the bottle you pack. Tesco lists four parts water to one part Robinsons Orange concentrate, while Waitrose directs at least four parts water to one part Ribena Blackcurrant squash. The NHS also advises diluting squash and cordial well; check that any nutrition comparison refers to the prepared drink.
Read the exact bottle for sweeteners, sulphites and any phenylalanine warning relevant to you. Waitrose lists aspartame, acesulfame K and sodium bisulphite for Ribena Blackcurrant Squash No Added Sugar, alongside a phenylalanine warning. The NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU).
Do not assume a stream is safe to drink from. Mountaineering Scotland advises choosing flowing rather than still water, avoiding visibly muddy sources or areas with substantial livestock, and considering an appropriate treatment method where water may not be safe. Plan your carried water and any refill before the walk.