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★ Over 1,000,000 thirsts quenched
Pairs nicely with
Water, made less boring.
What can I add to water instead of squash?
Fruit, herbs, fizz, tea or a sachet. Ten swaps, a two-minute sugar check and a glass you can build yourself.
Reviewed 21 October 2026 by the Spruce team. General information, not medical advice.
The short answer.
Fresh fruit, herbs, cold herbal tea, sparkling water or a real-fruit water flavouring sachet all add taste to water without reaching for squash. If you want flavour plus a few minerals, a sugar-free electrolyte sachet like Spruce does both in one tear.
Ten easy swaps.
Find your
squash swap.
Filter by what matters to you. Every card shows the free sugar, the effort and whether it travels.
10 swaps
The two-minute sugar check.
How much sugar is
in your squash habit?
Grab your bottle and find the sugar per 100ml “as diluted” on the label. Or pick a band below.
01Sugar per 100ml
02Your glass and your day
03What that adds up to
Swap to a sugar-free sachet
0gadded sugar a glass
Same three glasses a day, with real fruit and vitamins instead.
Bands: “sugar free” and “low sugar” are the legal claim limits for drinks (no more than 0.5g and 2.5g per 100ml). Soft drinks with added sugar pay the UK levy from 5g per 100ml, and a higher rate from 8g. One sugar cube here is 30g ÷ 7, as the NHS describes 30g as roughly 7 sugar cubes. The sugar in fruit juice counts as free sugar too: the NHS suggests no more than 150ml of juice and smoothies a day.
Two minutes. One jug.
Build a glass
worth sipping.
An everyday glass, a Spruce Session for the evening, or something warm. Pick your bits and we’ll write the recipe.
Spruce Sessions. An evening serve with a sachet as the flavour: mocktail, zero-proof G&T or the real thing.
Something warm. For cold evenings when a cold glass won’t do. Warm, not boiling: let the kettle sit for a few minutes first.
Know what’s in the bottle.
Squash, cordial
or sachet?
Squash and cordial are concentrates you dilute. Many sugar-free squashes use sweeteners, and traditional cordials can be high in sugar. Spruce is not a cordial. It is a powdered sachet with real cherry, lemon or pomegranate fruit powders, sweetened with stevia, with four electrolytes added.
Show the comparison table
| Feature | Regular squash or cordial | No-added-sugar squash | Fresh fruit infusion | Spruce sachet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Liquid concentrate | Liquid concentrate | Fruit and herbs in water | Powder in a single sachet |
| Sugar | Added sugar. Check the label | No added sugars, but fruit juice can add some naturally | None added | Sugar free |
| Sweetened with | Sugar | Often sweeteners. Check the label | Nothing | Stevia |
| Something extra | Rarely | Sometimes | Whatever you add | Vitamins in water enhancers; four electrolytes in daily electrolytes |
| On the go | Bottle to carry | Bottle to carry | Best made at home | Pocket-sized, one per glass |
| Same taste every time | Depends on your pour | Depends on your pour | Depends on the fruit | Yes, one sachet in 300–500ml |
“No added sugars” means no sugars or sweetening foods were added. Sugars naturally present, such as from fruit juice, can still be there, and the label should say so. “Sugar free” means no more than 0.5g per 100ml.
Myth, meet fact.
Four things people
get wrong about water.
Tap a card to flip it.
Make it a habit.
Enjoying it is
half the battle.
Keep a bottle on your desk, add flavour to your first glass of the day, and pick a taste you actually look forward to. Enjoying it is half the battle.
- MorningFlavour your first glass. A sachet or a squeeze of citrus gets the day going.
- At your deskKeep a bottle in sight. Refill it when you get up.
- With mealsIf you have juice, keep it to one small glass, 150ml, with food.
- AfternoonSwitch flavours so it still feels like a treat.
The Eatwell Guide suggests 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. You may need more if it’s hot, you’re active, pregnant or breastfeeding, or unwell.
Where Spruce fits.
Little sachet.
Big glass energy.
Made for squash swappersRevive: Lime & MintZero sugar, sweetened with stevia, with vitamins B1, B6, B12 and C in every glass. Thiamin, B6 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism.Try Revive ↗
Pineapple & GrapefruitVitamin D + CVitamins D and C contribute to the normal function of the immune system.
Black CherryFocusPantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance. No caffeine.
Raspberry & ElderflowerGlowBiotin and zinc contribute to the maintenance of normal hair and skin.
Want minerals too?
Less wondering. More water.
Quick
questions.
The things people ask before they ditch the squash.
Is flavoured water as good as plain water?
Plain water is the simplest choice, and the NHS counts sugar-free drinks towards your daily fluid. Flavour can help if it means you drink more.
What is the healthiest squash alternative?
Water with fresh fruit or a sugar-free flavouring. Check the label for sugar and ingredients you are happy with.
Does flavoured water count towards my 6 to 8 glasses?
Yes. The Eatwell Guide suggests 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day, and water, lower-fat milk and lower-sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.
How much sugar is too much?
The NHS says adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, roughly 7 sugar cubes. Sugar added to squash and the sugar in fruit juice both count. Try the sugar check.
Is no-added-sugar squash the same as sugar free?
Not quite. “No added sugars” means none were added, but sugars naturally present, such as from fruit juice, can still be there. “Sugar free” means no more than 0.5g per 100ml.
Is Spruce a squash or a cordial?
Neither. Spruce is a powdered sachet you tip into 300 to 500ml of water. It uses real fruit powders, is sweetened with stevia and is sugar free.
Can I add Spruce to sparkling water?
Yes. Spruce works with still or sparkling water. Tip the sachet into a dry glass first, then pour slowly.
How much does Spruce cost per glass?
A single box is 12 sachets for £8.99. Bigger packs and subscription bring it down: about 45p a glass on a 6-box subscription, or about 39p with the 12-box Variety Box on subscription.