People who want orange juice with dinner
If the fruit-juice format matters to you, compare 100% juices and plan the amount you pour. NHS guidance sets a combined daily limit of 150ml for juice and smoothies.
Who is each option for?
Households looking for an orange drink with less sugar
A diluted squash or juice drink may suit this preference, but it is a different product from 100% juice. Check the prepared drink’s sugars, fruit content and sweeteners.
Shoppers comparing supermarket own-label drinks
Compare whether each product is juice, concentrate or a ready-to-drink juice drink. Use the ingredients, sugars per serving and preparation instructions rather than the orange flavour alone.
What should you compare?
Start with the kind of drink you want beside dinner, then compare nutrition figures for the amount you will actually serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Read sugars per 100ml and per serving, using prepared-drink figures for squash. For context, Tropicana lists 13g per 150ml of Smooth Orange; Sainsbury’s lists 2.4g per prepared 250ml serving of its no-added-sugar orange squash. | I want to know how much sugar is in the glass I will drink, not assume that ‘no added sugar’ means sugar-free. |
| Drink type | Check whether the label says 100% juice, juice from concentrate, squash or juice drink. Read the fruit percentage and ingredients where the product is not 100% juice. | Pure orange juice matters to me, or I am happy to choose an orange-flavoured drink with a different fruit content. |
| Portion | For fruit juice, measure 150ml. NHS guidance says juice and smoothies count as one 5 A Day portion and should be limited to a combined 150ml a day; it advises having them at mealtimes. | If I pour juice with dinner, I want a portion that fits NHS guidance rather than assuming a larger glass counts as more fruit portions. |
| Preparation | Check whether the drink needs diluting and compare its prepared serving with ready-to-drink products. Sainsbury’s instructs shoppers to dilute its orange high-juice squash one part squash to four parts water. | I would rather open a ready-to-drink bottle, or I do not mind mixing squash for dinner. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
A drink can contain fruit sugars even when no sugar has been added. Tropicana lists 13g sugars per 150ml of its Smooth Orange juice.
Read the sugars line for the portion you intend to drink, alongside the ingredients and front-label wording.
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Comparing undiluted squash with ready-to-drink juice
Squash is prepared with water, so the amount in the finished glass differs from the concentrate. Sainsbury’s specifies one part squash to four parts water for its orange high juice.
Follow the dilution instructions and use the prepared-serving nutrition figures when comparing drinks.
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Assuming a larger glass counts as more fruit portions
NHS guidance says juice and smoothies count only once towards 5 A Day, even if you drink more than 150ml.
Measure a 150ml juice serving with dinner; choose water if you want more to drink without another serving of juice.
Orange-drink brand references
Tropicana
Tropicana Smooth Orange is a 100% pressed juice, not from concentrate.
- Tropicana describes it as having no added sugar.
- Its label lists 13g naturally occurring sugars per 150ml, so it is not sugar-free.
Innocent
Innocent Smooth Orange is a 100% orange juice option.
- The Tesco listing describes it as pure orange juice with no added sugar.
- The same listing gives 12g sugars per 150ml; ‘no added sugar’ does not mean zero sugar.
Tesco
Tesco’s Whole Orange Juice Drink No Added Sugar is a juice drink rather than 100% orange juice.
- Its listing gives 2.2g sugars per 250ml carton.
- The product contains a sweetener. Check its current listing and label before choosing it for dinner.
Sainsbury’s
The cited Sainsbury’s products illustrate two distinct choices: Pure Orange Juice and no-added-sugar orange high-juice squash.
- Pure Orange Juice is labelled 100% fruit juice and lists 12g sugars per 150ml.
- The squash contains sweeteners and must be diluted; its 2.4g sugars figure applies to a prepared 250ml serving.
Asda
Asda Smooth Orange Juice is an orange juice from concentrate.
- The Asda listing describes it as 100% pure juice.
- It lists 13g sugars per 150ml; being own label does not make it a sugar-free drink.
M&S
The cited M&S range includes Smooth Orange Juice and a separate Mediterranean Orange High Juice.
- M&S lists 9.3g sugars per 100g for the smooth juice and 1.1g per 100g for the high juice.
- The high juice contains sucralose and requires dilution, so its figures are not a like-for-like ready-to-drink juice serving.
Joybuy orange-drink options
These options are orange-flavoured juice drinks and squash for shoppers considering a drink other than 100% orange juice with dinner. Compare their prepared or ready-to-drink labels before choosing.
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Fruitshoot Orange Low Sugar 8 × 200ml
Eight ready-to-drink 200ml bottles offer individual orange-drink portions for dinner. Compare the sugars and ingredients on the label with 100% juice; the product information warns that its small caps are unsuitable for children under 36 months.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
This squash suits a dinner drink you are willing to dilute rather than drink straight from the bottle. Follow its preparation instructions and check the prepared serving’s sugars if you need a precise comparison with juice.
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Capri-Sun Zero Orange 8 × 200ml
Eight ready-to-drink 200ml pouches provide individual orange-drink portions. Do not take ‘Zero’ in the name as confirmation of zero sugars: check the on-pack nutrition declaration. The product information warns that the straw is a choking hazard for children under three.
Questions about orange drinks
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean an orange drink is sugar-free?
No. It does not mean the drink contains no sugars. Tropicana Smooth Orange says it has no added sugar but lists 13g naturally occurring sugars per 150ml; check the nutrition declaration for the drink you choose.
How much orange juice should I pour with dinner?
NHS guidance limits fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day. A 150ml serving of juice counts as one 5 A Day portion; drinking more does not make it count twice.
Should I have orange juice with dinner or between meals?
If you choose juice, NHS guidance advises having it at mealtimes rather than between meals. Juicing releases sugars, which can increase the risk of tooth decay.
Is orange squash the same as 100% orange juice?
No. Sainsbury’s Pure Orange Juice is labelled 100% fruit juice, while its no-added-sugar orange high-juice squash is a concentrate containing sweeteners. Sainsbury’s instructs shoppers to mix one part squash with four parts water; its stated 50% fruit-juice content applies before dilution.
What should I check on an orange-drink label?
Check the product type and ingredients, then compare sugars for the amount you will drink, using prepared-serving figures for squash. UK government guidance says front-of-pack traffic-light labelling can help compare calories, fat, sugars and salt across pre-packed products.