Movie-night hosts serving several people
Decide whether you would rather dilute a concentrate as you serve guests or open a carton that is ready to pour. Check the preparation directions before planning how many glasses to make.
Who is choosing?
Shoppers seeking all-orange juice
If you want 100% orange juice rather than a juice drink or squash, check the ingredient list as well as the front-of-pack wording. No added sugar does not mean that naturally occurring sugars are absent.
Households checking ingredients for guests
Check the exact pack for sweeteners and sulphites before serving an orange drink to anyone who needs to avoid particular ingredients.
What should you check?
Start with the drink type and how it will be served, then compare sugar information on the basis of the drink that will actually go into a glass.
100% orange juice
Choose when: You want orange juice rather than a diluted juice drink; Ocado lists Tropicana Pure Smooth as 100% pure pressed orange juice.
Bear in mind: It still contains naturally occurring sugars, and the NHS advises limiting juice and smoothies to 150ml combined per day.
Orange high juice or squash
Choose when: You are happy to mix a concentrate to make drinks for several guests.
Bear in mind: Follow the directions for the specific bottle and check its sweeteners and allergens before serving.
Ready-to-drink orange juice drink
Choose when: You want to pour straight from a carton without a dilution step.
Bear in mind: A juice drink is not necessarily 100% juice: Sainsbury’s lists its Stamford Street Co. example as 50% orange juice from concentrate, with water and sucralose.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink type | Read the product description and ingredients. Distinguish 100% orange juice from a juice drink and a squash intended for dilution. | I want to know whether I am buying orange juice itself or an orange-flavoured drink to prepare or pour. |
| Sugars and portions | Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure for the drink as served. The NHS advises limiting fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies to 150ml combined per day. | If I choose 100% juice, I want to plan a measured serving rather than assume ‘no added sugar’ means sugar-free. |
| Preparation | Check whether the drink is ready to pour. For a concentrate, follow its dilution ratio and use nutrition figures for the prepared drink when comparing labels. | For several guests, I may prefer to mix drinks as needed; otherwise, I want a carton I can serve immediately. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredient and allergen information for sweeteners and sulphites. Asda’s listed orange high juice, for example, declares both. | Before sharing a drink, I need to check whether its ingredients work for everyone I am serving. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
No added sugar describes what has been added, not the total sugars in the drink. Ocado’s Tropicana listing and M&S’s orange high-juice listing both note naturally occurring sugars.
Read the ingredients and the ‘of which sugars’ figure for the amount you intend to serve.
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Comparing concentrate with a drink ready to pour
A figure for undiluted squash is not on the same serving basis as one for ready-to-drink juice.
Mix concentrate according to its own directions, then compare nutrition per prepared 100ml or prepared glass where the labels provide those figures.
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Overlooking ingredients when serving guests
A no-added-sugar claim does not tell you whether a drink contains sweeteners or sulphites. Asda’s listed orange high juice declares both.
Check the ingredient and allergen information on the exact pack before serving it to someone who needs to avoid an ingredient.
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Pouring 100% juice without considering the serving size
The NHS advises limiting fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day; that amount counts as one 5 A Day portion.
If serving 100% orange juice, plan the pour accordingly and have another drink available for guests who want more.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples show why the wording on a particular orange drink matters more than the brand name alone.
Tropicana
Ocado lists Tropicana Pure Smooth as 100% pure pressed orange juice, not from concentrate.
- An example to consider when 100% orange juice is the deciding requirement.
- The listing notes naturally occurring sugars despite its no-added-sugar wording.
Innocent
Innocent says on its UK site that it does not add sugar to its drinks. That brand statement does not describe the ingredients or nutrition of every individual orange product.
- The brand’s statement may prompt a closer look at a drink you are considering.
- Check the exact product label to establish its drink type, ingredients and sugars.
Tesco
Tesco No Added Sugar High Juice Orange is a concentrated orange juice drink with sweeteners, rather than a ready-to-pour juice.
- Tesco directs shoppers to mix one part squash with four parts water.
- Use the prepared-drink figures when comparing its label with drinks served straight from a carton.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists Stamford Street Co. Orange Juice Drink as a no-added-sugar drink that is ready to pour.
- Its listed ingredients include 50% orange juice from concentrate.
- It also contains water and sucralose, so it should not be confused with 100% orange juice.
Asda
Asda’s listed No Added Sugar High Juice Orange is another dilute-at-home option.
- Its directions specify one part squash to four parts water.
- The listing declares sweeteners and sulphites; check the pack for guests with ingredient restrictions.
M&S
M&S describes Mediterranean Orange High Juice as a concentrate made with 50% fruit juice.
- Its label explicitly distinguishes no added sugar from naturally occurring sugars.
- Check the preparation directions and current ingredients before comparing it with a ready-to-drink option.
Joybuy orange drink options
This Joybuy option is an orange squash to dilute at home, rather than 100% juice or a ready-to-drink carton.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Squash Orange 1L
A dilute-at-home orange option for serving guests. Follow the directions on the bottle when mixing it, and check the current ingredient and allergen information before sharing.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean an orange drink is sugar-free?
No. Naturally occurring sugars may remain: Ocado’s Tropicana 100% orange-juice listing notes them, as does M&S’s no-added-sugar orange high-juice listing. Check the total sugars on the label for the drink you will serve.
How much 100% orange juice should I plan to serve?
The NHS advises limiting fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day, which counts as one 5 A Day portion. Bear that serving size in mind when pouring 100% orange juice at movie night.
Do no-added-sugar orange high juices need diluting?
Check the directions on the specific bottle. Tesco’s and Asda’s listed orange high juices both instruct shoppers to mix one part squash with four parts water; use nutrition figures for the prepared drink when comparing them with ready-to-drink options.
What should I check before serving an orange drink to guests with ingredient restrictions?
Read the ingredient and allergen information on the exact pack, particularly for sweeteners and sulphites. Asda’s listed orange high juice declares both, but ingredients must be checked for the product you actually buy.