Shoppers comparing orange ingredients
If you want a ready-made fizzy drink with a stated orange component, compare the ingredient percentages as well as the sugars and sweeteners. Drinks labelled orange can have different recipes.
Who might choose each drink?
Shoppers watching declared sugars
A zero-sugar orange soft drink may fit your preference for a long TV evening. Check its sweeteners and orange-juice content too, particularly if either matters to you.
People who prefer to mix orangeade
Orange juice and sparkling water let you adjust the dilution before the programme starts. Measure the juice portion if you follow the NHS guidance to limit unsweetened juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day.
What should you check?
Decide whether you want a ready-made can or to mix a drink, then compare orange ingredients, sugars and sweeteners within that choice.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Orange ingredients | Check the percentage and form of orange ingredients. Marks & Spencer lists 13% orange juice and 5% comminuted oranges; ASDA lists 16% orange juice for Sanpellegrino Aranciata; Tesco lists 4% for Fanta Orange Zero Sugar. | I want to know how much orange is declared, rather than choose by the word “orange” on the front of the pack. |
| Sugars and serving | Compare sugars per 100ml and for the amount you plan to drink. ASDA lists 4.4g per 100ml and 14.5g per 330ml can for Sanpellegrino; Tesco lists 0.4g per 100ml for Fanta Orange Zero Sugar. | If I am having a whole can during a programme, its per-can figure matters alongside the per-100ml figure. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredient list alongside any zero-sugar or sweetener claim. A low declared sugar figure does not tell you whether a drink contains sweeteners. | I may accept sweeteners to choose a drink with less declared sugar, or prefer to avoid them. |
| Texture and preparation | Tesco describes Orangina as containing citrus pulp and orange zest. For a drink you mix yourself, Ocado suggests equal parts Cawston Press orange juice and sparkling water over ice; the ratio can be adjusted. | Pulp appeals to me in a ready-made drink, or I would rather control how much juice goes into my glass. |
| Juice portion | For homemade orangeade, measure the juice separately from the sparkling water. The NHS advises a combined limit of 150ml a day for unsweetened juice and smoothies. | If I mix a drink for TV snacks, I want to keep track of the juice I pour rather than treat the whole glass as plain sparkling water. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Assuming every orange fizzy drink is mostly juice
Declared orange ingredients differ: Marks & Spencer lists 13% orange juice plus 5% comminuted oranges, while Tesco lists 4% orange juice for Fanta Orange Zero Sugar.
Check the ingredient percentage on the current pack if orange content is important to your choice.
-
Reading only the per-100ml sugar figure
ASDA lists 4.4g sugars per 100ml for Sanpellegrino Aranciata, but 14.5g for a 330ml can.
Compare the per-100ml figure for like-for-like labels, then check the figure for the amount you expect to drink.
-
Equating zero sugar with no sweeteners
Fanta Orange Zero Sugar contains sweeteners, so its sugar figure alone cannot answer a sweetener-preference question.
Read the full ingredient list before choosing a zero-sugar drink if you avoid particular sweeteners.
-
Pouring homemade orangeade without measuring the juice
Adding sparkling water changes the size and strength of the drink, but does not change how much juice you poured into it. The NHS advises limiting unsweetened juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day.
Measure the juice component first, then add sparkling water to your preferred dilution.
Brands and drink styles
M&S
Sparkling Brazilian Orange is a ready-made option for comparing declared orange juice and orange pieces.
- Marks & Spencer lists 13% orange juice from concentrate and 5% comminuted oranges in its 330ml drink.
- Check the current ingredients and local Foodhall availability before choosing it for a particular evening.
Sanpellegrino
Aranciata is a canned sparkling orange beverage with a declared orange-juice percentage.
- ASDA lists 16% orange juice from concentrate and 14.5g sugars per 330ml can.
- It is a sparkling beverage with additional ingredients, not a 100% orange juice.
Fanta
Fanta Orange Zero Sugar is one fizzy orange option when declared sugars are a deciding factor.
- Tesco lists 0.4g sugars per 100ml for its Fanta Orange Zero Sugar 8 x 330ml listing.
- That listing states 4% orange juice from concentrate and contains sweeteners. Check the variant: regular Fanta Orange is a different product.
Orangina
An option to consider if citrus pulp and zest matter more to you than a stated juice percentage.
- Tesco describes its sparkling Orangina listing as containing citrus juices, orange pulp and orange zest.
- Check the current pack for the nutrition and ingredient details you need to compare.
Cawston Press
Its orange juice offers a base for a drink mixed with sparkling water, rather than a ready-made fizzy orange drink.
- Ocado suggests mixing equal parts Cawston Press orange juice and sparkling water over ice.
- Measure the juice used in a homemade drink if following the NHS combined 150ml daily guidance for unsweetened juice and smoothies.
Ready-made options on Joybuy
These are ready-made orange fizzy drinks in cans or a bottle for a TV snack night. Check the individual variant and pack label when comparing them with the zero-sugar drink or homemade orangeade discussed above.
No image available
Tango Orange 24 x 330ml
This multipack is a ready-made option if you want cans for more than one TV snack night. Check the pack for orange ingredients, sugars and sweeteners before comparing it with other drinks.
No image available
Fanta Orange 8 x 330ml
These ready-made cans are regular Fanta Orange, not Fanta Orange Zero Sugar. If sugars or sweeteners are central to your choice, compare the label for this variant rather than using the Zero Sugar figures above.
No image available
Hankow Er Chang Orange Flavoured Soda Drink 275ml
The single 275ml bottle is worth considering if you want one ready-made drink for the programme. Read its orange ingredients and sugars on the pack before comparing it with canned options.
No image available
Bei Bing Yang Orange Juice Soda 330ml
This 330ml ready-made orange drink avoids the preparation needed for homemade orangeade. Check its pack for the orange-juice percentage and sugars if you are comparing fruit content or serving figures.
Questions about sparkling orange drinks
Does a sparkling orange soft drink count as a fruit-juice portion?
Do not treat an orange-flavoured fizzy drink as 100% juice without checking its label. The NHS guidance to limit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day concerns unsweetened fruit or vegetable juice and smoothies; the ready-made drinks discussed here have different ingredient recipes.
Should I choose Fanta Orange Zero Sugar for TV snacks?
Choose it if its declared sugars are your main consideration and its ingredients suit you: Tesco lists 0.4g sugars per 100ml, 4% orange juice from concentrate and sweeteners. If you prefer a ready-made drink with more declared orange ingredients, compare the Marks & Spencer and Sanpellegrino labels instead.
How can I make sparkling orangeade less concentrated?
Add more plain sparkling water relative to the orange juice until the flavour suits you. Ocado suggests equal parts Cawston Press orange juice and sparkling water as a starting recipe; measure the juice portion if following the NHS combined 150ml daily guidance for unsweetened juice and smoothies.
Which label figures help me compare cans?
Start with sugars per 100ml for a like-for-like comparison, then check sugars for the whole can you intend to drink. Read the ingredient list separately for orange-juice percentages and sweeteners: a sugar figure does not describe either of those features.