If reducing added sugar matters more than choosing a particular fruit flavour, start with a cordial or squash explicitly labelled “No Added Sugar”, then compare the nutrition of the drink after dilution. That wording does not mean zero sugars: check the serving size, sweeteners and current pack label before choosing a bottle to keep alongside gaming snacks.
If you want a flavoured drink with gaming snacks, compare no-added-sugar claims with the sugars and energy shown for a prepared serving. A fruit cordial is not necessarily a lower-sugar choice because of its flavour description.
A larger bottle may suit repeated use, but check the dilution directions so everyone can prepare it consistently. Compare nutrition for the finished drink, not just the bottle size.
No-added-sugar recipes differ. Belvoir Farm’s reviewed cordials list steviol glycosides, while the reviewed Sainsbury’s lime cordial lists sucralose and sulphites; check the current pack for ingredients relevant to you.
Choose the type of drink you want, then compare labels on the basis of the diluted glass you will actually make.
Consider it when: You want a cordial explicitly labelled “No Added Sugar” rather than relying on a fruit-led description.
Bear in mind: Fruit sugars can remain, and recipes use different sweeteners; check the diluted nutrition and ingredients.
Consider it when: Your choice is led by a particular flavour rather than a no-added-sugar claim.
Bear in mind: A fruit or natural-flavouring description does not establish the sugars in a prepared glass.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and energy | Read the no-added-sugar claim alongside sugars and energy per diluted serving. Check serving sizes before comparing figures: Tesco lists 1.1g sugars per 250ml diluted for Belvoir Farm Lemon & Lime, while Waitrose lists 1.1g per 100ml diluted for Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries. | I want to know what is in the glass I drink during a gaming session, not just whether sugar was added to the concentrate. |
| Dilution | Follow the bottle’s mixing directions. The reviewed Sainsbury’s lime cordial specifies one part cordial to four parts water; the reviewed Belvoir Farm cordials give diluted values at 1 to 6. Compare nutrition on a like-for-like prepared-drink basis. | If several people use the bottle, clear mixing directions help us make consistent servings. |
| Sweeteners and ingredients | Read the exact product’s ingredient and allergen declarations. The reviewed Belvoir Farm cordials list steviol glycosides; Sainsbury’s Lime Cordial No Added Sugar lists sucralose and sulphites. | A particular sweetener may matter to me, or I may need to check for sulphites before buying. |
| Flavour versus sugar claim | Check the individual pack rather than assuming a fruit-led or premium cordial has no added sugar. Robinsons distinguishes its no-added-sugar core squash range from its classic cordials, which the brand says contain added sugar. | I may prefer a particular fruit flavour, but I still want to compare its label with a no-added-sugar option. |
The reviewed Belvoir Farm no-added-sugar cordials still list sugars in the diluted drink. The front-of-pack claim does not tell you the total sugars in a glass.
Read the sugars and energy values for the prepared serving as well as the claim.
A figure per 100ml diluted is not the same serving size as one per 250ml prepared. Mixing directions also differ between the reviewed products.
Check both the nutrition basis and the stated mixing ratio before comparing bottles.
Retailer shelves include both standard cordials and products explicitly labelled no added sugar. Robinsons also distinguishes its core squash from its classic cordials.
Choose by the individual product’s claim, ingredients and prepared-drink nutrition, not the brand or fruit description alone.
The reviewed Sainsbury’s lime cordial contains sulphites, and the reviewed products use different sweeteners. A no-added-sugar claim does not answer either ingredient question.
Check the current physical pack each time if a sweetener, allergy or intolerance is relevant to you.
These examples show why the exact range and flavour matter; a brand name alone does not establish a drink’s sugar content.
The Lemon & Lime and Cherries & Berries cordial listings at Tesco and Waitrose are labelled no added sugar.
Its reviewed 1L Lime Cordial No Added Sugar is a larger-format option with directions to mix one part cordial with four parts water.
Robinsons says it removed added sugar from its core squash range, but distinguishes that range from its classic cordials.
Tesco’s cordial selection includes standard fruit cordials and a Belvoir Farm product explicitly labelled no added sugar.
Waitrose lists no-added-sugar drinks, including Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries Cordial.
These concentrated fruit squashes are options for making a flavoured drink alongside gaming snacks. They represent the no-added-sugar route, not a product comparison with standard cordial.
No image available
A 1L orange squash for the no-added-sugar route. Follow the pack’s dilution directions when preparing a glass, and check the current label for sulphites if relevant to you.
No image available
A 1L lemon squash if you prefer a citrus flavour with a no-added-sugar claim. Check the pack’s prepared-drink nutrition and mixing directions; its label also needs checking if phenylalanine is relevant to you.
No image available
A 1.5L blackcurrant concentrate for those choosing a no-added-sugar fruit drink. Check the current pack for energy and sugars per prepared serving before comparing it with other bottles, and check the ingredients if sulphites matter to you.
No image available
An 850ml no-added-sugar squash for a pineapple and passion fruit flavour. Use the pack’s dilution and prepared-serving nutrition when comparing it with other drinks; check the label for sulphites or phenylalanine if relevant.
No. The reviewed Belvoir Farm no-added-sugar cordials still list 1.1g sugars per diluted serving, although Cherries & Berries uses a 100ml serving and Lemon & Lime uses 250ml. Read the serving size and sugars value on the drink’s current label.
Check which sweetener the particular product uses rather than assuming all no-added-sugar cordials have the same recipe. The NHS says sweeteners approved for use in Great Britain undergo safety assessment; it also notes that using a lower- or no-calorie sweetener does not, by itself, make a food or drink healthy.
Choose according to the ingredients you prefer or need to avoid, alongside the prepared-drink nutrition. The reviewed Belvoir Farm cordials list steviol glycosides from stevia, while Sainsbury’s Lime Cordial No Added Sugar lists sucralose; the sweetener alone does not establish which finished drink suits you.
You can make a flavoured drink by following the cordial’s dilution directions, but a no-added-sugar claim is not a reason to treat it as a performance drink. If you want an unsweetened drink, plain water is another option.
Read the current physical pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration for the exact flavour you are buying. The reviewed Sainsbury’s Lime Cordial No Added Sugar lists sodium metabisulphite (sulphites); do not assume another cordial has the same recipe.