Shop Talk: So wht's really in carton drinks?

SO school's back and it's back to the lunchboxes. One of the most important items you put in there is something to drink. And here's your first test of the term. Do you know the difference between fruit juice and a fruit juice drink?

The answer could be a lot of water and sugar that will rot your children's teeth, make them fat and do them no good at all. But at a quick glance on the supermarket shelves, it's not always easy to tell the difference.

The amount of actual fruit juice in many carton of "juice drinks" can vary from 90 per cent down to absolutely nothing. Most are around ten per cent. Yet they are sold in similar cartons, identically packed as pure juice and are usually mixed up on the shelves. You have to be Hawkeye or have your wits about you to spot the difference.

Fruit juice is clearly best for your child. It also counts towards those five portions of fruit and veg they're meant to be eating a day and is probably more appealing than broccoli.

Here are some pure fruit juices to look out for - cheapest first.

PURE FRUIT JUICES

* Tesco Value Pure Fruit Juice

38p for 3 x 200ml

Our Best Buy because it was the cheapest and, while not tasting exactly freshly squeezed, it was quite acceptable.

* Aldi Del Rivo Pure Juice

49p for 3 x 250ml

* Calypso Pure Apple Juice

65p for 3 x 200ml

* Morrison's Pure Apple Juice

69p for 3 x 200ml

* Sainsbury's Organic Fruit Juice

99p for 3 x 200ml

* Libby Organic Apple Juice

£1.39 for 3 x 200ml

* Fruits of Nature Organic Juice

69p for 330ml

JUICE DRINKS

In order of most juice first. Many of these have added vitamins. This rarely makes up for the amount of sugar.

* Marks & Spencer Organic Orange Juice Drink

£1.19 for 3 x 250ml

Fruit juice: 90 per cent

What else: water

* Ocean Spray Cranberry and Raspberry

£1.09 for 3 x 200ml

Fruit juice: 21 per cent

What else: water, sucrose citric acid, natural flavourings, vitamin C

* Libby Orange C

99p for 3 x 250ml cartons

Fruit juice: 15 per cent

What else: water, sugar, citric acid, vitamin C, flavour, colouring

* Del Monte Fruit Burst

89p for 3 x 250ml

Fruit juice:10.7 per cent

What else: water invert syrup and sugar, flavourings, vitamins C, E, B6 and A

* Capri-Sun

£ 1.98 x 10 20ml pouches

Fruit juice: 10.6 per cent

What else: water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavours. The bonus with these is that they are easy to freeze, so keep nice and cold in lunch boxes.

* Co-op Apple and Strawberry Juice Drink

83p for 3 x 250ml

Fruit juice: 10 per cent

What else: water, citric acid, flavourings, acidity regulator, antioxidant, sweeteners, vitamin E.

* Five Alive

£2.53 for9 x 250ml

Fruit juice: 10 per cent

What else: water, sugar, citric acid, flavourings, vitamin C

* Morrison's Blackcurrant Juice Drink

69p for 3 x 250,ml

Fruit juice: 10 per cent

What else: flavourings, acidity regulator. sweeteners, antioxidant

* Ribena Toothkind

£3.18 for 12 x 288ml

Fruit juice: 10 per cent

What else: water, acidity regulator, vitamin C, sweeteners, flavouring

* Scooby Doo Tropical Juice Drink

69p for 3 x 200ml

Fruit juice: 10 per cent

What else: citric acid, vitamin c, flavourings, colour

* Tesco Juice Drink

66p for 3 x 288ml

Fruit juice: 10 per cent

What else: water, citric acid, flavourings, acidity regulator, ascorbic acid, sweeteners

* Aldi Solesta Juice Drink

49p for 3 x 250ml

Fruit juice: 5 per cent

What else: water, sugar, citric acid, flavouring, antioxidant, Ascorbic Acid

* Ribena Light

£3.18 for 12 x 288ml

Fruit juice: 5 per cent

What else: water, glucose syrup, citric acid, vitamin C, sweeteners

* Vimto

99p for 3 x 250ml

Fruit juice: 3 per cent

What else: water, glucose syrup, flavourings including natural extracts of fruits, citric acid, colour, preservatives, vitamin C, sweetener

* Lucozade Sport ("Keep going 33 per cent longer")

Mixed Berry Body Fuel

£1.73 for 3 x 330ml pouches

Fruit juice: Nil

What else: water, carbohydrate blend citric acid, acidity regulator, flavouring, preservative, antioxidant, sweeteners, stabilisers, vitamins, colour

* Rugrats Orange Flavour Drink

99p for 6 x 200ml cartons

Fruit juice: Nil

What else: mineral water, glucose syrup, citric acid, flavouring, vitamin C, sweeteners, colour

BEST FOR FLAVOUR

Strictly on taste, our testers voted.

1. Capri Sun Juice drink

2. Sainsburys Organic Apple Juice

3. Morrisons Blackcurrant

REMEMBER

Even if the sweeteners don't make your children fat, some of them might still have side effects. But, more importantly, they get children accustomed to drinking sweet drinks. Maybe you should send them with bottled water. You could always try.