Gym-goers packing a drink for later
A separately portioned fizzy drink may be for a snack or social occasion. It is a different choice from the water the NHS recommends for replacing fluid lost through sweating.
Who is choosing?
Shoppers who specifically want four cans
For a small-can preference, both the number of items and the container matter: four bottles do not meet a four-can requirement.
Shoppers comparing sugar per drink
Different can and bottle sizes make the per-100ml figure only part of the comparison. Check it against the amount you expect to drink.
What should you check?
Decide whether the drink is for after exercise or for later, then compare the pack format, preparation directions and nutrition panel.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| After-exercise drink | The NHS advises drinking extra fluids after sweating and identifies water as the best way to replace lost fluids. Keep that purpose separate from choosing a mixer for later. | After a sweaty workout, I want a drink for replacing fluid, not a cocktail mixer chosen because it comes in a small can. |
| Pack and container | Sainsbury's lists Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer as 4 x 150ml cans. Tesco lists Fentimans Ginger Beer as 4 x 275ml bottles and Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic as 8 x 150ml cans. | Four separate cans are the requirement, so a four-bottle pack or eight-can pack would change what I am buying. |
| Sugar per portion | Compare the per-100ml value with the container size. Sainsbury's lists 12.7g sugars per 100ml for Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer; Tesco lists 4.4g for Fentimans Ginger Beer and 3.8g for Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic. | I plan to drink a whole can or bottle and want to compare the sugar in that portion, not just the figures per 100ml. |
| How it is used | Check whether the drink is intended to be consumed on its own or prepared with other ingredients. Sainsbury's directions for the non-alcoholic Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer specify 50ml rum with 150ml mixer. | For a drink straight from the pack, I would rather not buy a cocktail base expecting a prepared mojito. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating a mixer as a post-workout drink
A convenient pack format does not change the purpose of the drink. The NHS recommends water for replacing fluid lost through sweating.
Pack water for the workout and choose a mixer separately if you want one for later.
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Assuming four items means four cans
Tesco's Fentimans Ginger Beer pack contains four 275ml bottles, while Sainsbury's Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer pack contains four 150ml cans. The containers and total volumes differ.
Read the item count, volume and container type together before deciding what will fit in your bag.
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Comparing pack size instead of the drink inside
Sainsbury's lists Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer at 12.7g sugars per 100ml, while Tesco lists Fentimans Ginger Beer at 4.4g per 100ml. Their individual containers are also different sizes.
Use the nutrition panel and the amount you expect to drink when comparing portions.
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Buying a cocktail base for a ready-to-drink occasion
Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer is non-alcoholic as sold, but Sainsbury's preparation directions call for rum to make a mojito.
If you want a drink on its own, check the product description and preparation directions rather than relying on the four-can format.
Relevant brand references
Fever-Tree
The UK listings considered here include a Mojito cocktail mixer and Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic.
- Sainsbury's lists the Mojito Mixer in 4 x 150ml cans.
- That mixer's directions specify rum for a mojito, and its label lists 12.7g sugars per 100ml. Tesco lists the Refreshingly Light tonic in 8 x 150ml cans, not a four-pack.
Fentimans
Tesco describes its Ginger Beer as a ginger-flavoured carbonated soft drink.
- The Tesco listing specifies four 275ml bottles and 4.4g sugars per 100ml.
- Bottles do not meet a strict four-can requirement.
Schweppes
Tesco and Sainsbury's list Schweppes Tonic Water as a 12 x 150ml mini-can pack.
- Each can is a 150ml portion; the listings state 7.4g sugars per serving.
- The listed pack contains 12 cans rather than four and contains quinine.
Britvic
Britvic Limited includes mixers alongside juices and cordials in its UK portfolio.
- For a particular Britvic drink, check the product label for its pack count, container and intended use.
Joybuy four-can option
This four-can ginger beer option is for a separate fizzy drink later, whether consumed on its own or used as a mixer; it is not a substitute for water after exercise.
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Grace Ginger Beer, 4 x 330ml cans
For a later ginger-flavoured drink, this four-can pack can be consumed on its own or used as a mixer. Check the nutrition panel against the amount you intend to drink; for replacing fluid lost through exercise, the NHS recommends water.
Questions about four-pack mixers
Should I pack a mixer to drink after a workout?
Choose water when the purpose is to replace fluid lost through sweating; that is the NHS recommendation. A mixer can instead be a separate drink for later.
Which of these mixer listings is a four-can pack?
Sainsbury's and Ocado list Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer as 4 x 150ml cans. It is non-alcoholic as sold, but its mojito preparation directions call for rum, so check whether a cocktail base suits the occasion.
Is the Fentimans Ginger Beer four-pack made up of cans?
No. Tesco lists Fentimans Ginger Beer as four 275ml bottles. Choose that format only if bottles meet your carrying and portion preferences.
How can I compare sugar across different pack sizes?
Read the sugars figure per 100ml, then compare it with the amount you plan to drink. Sainsbury's lists Fever-Tree Mojito Mixer at 12.7g per 100ml; Tesco lists Fentimans Ginger Beer at 4.4g and Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic at 3.8g per 100ml. Their container sizes and pack counts differ.