Who might pack a mixer?

Hikers wanting an occasional fizzy drink

A small tonic can suit a rest stop alongside water and trail food. Check the ingredients as well as sugars per 100ml: a light tonic is not necessarily free of added sugar.

Walkers checking sweeteners

Zero-sugar tonics can use different sweeteners. If you avoid a particular ingredient or need to avoid phenylalanine, read the label of the exact product you plan to carry.

Groups sharing drinks after a walk

A 1L tonic bottle may suit a picnic or car-accessible campsite better than a lightweight day pack. Tesco lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water; bring water separately for the walk.

What should you check?

Check the sugar claim and ingredients first, then choose a pack size that fits how you will carry and serve the drink.

Priority What to check Your needs
Added sugar Read the ingredients for sugar, fructose or other sweetening ingredients, and compare sugars per 100ml. Do not treat “light” as a no-added-sugar claim. I want to avoid added sugar, not just choose a tonic with fewer calories. Fever-Tree lists fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic Water, so its name alone would not settle that choice.
Water and food Plan water for the route and conditions; the NHS recommends it for replacing fluid lost through activity. Check carbohydrate per 100ml before treating a drink as trail fuel. A fizzy drink would be an extra at my rest stop. Tesco and Schweppes list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for the tonics discussed here, so I would pack food separately.
Sweeteners Compare the exact ingredient lists. Tesco lists acesulfame K and sucralose; Schweppes Slimline lists aspartame and carries a phenylalanine warning. If I avoid a particular sweetener or need to avoid phenylalanine, the label matters more to me than the words “zero sugar”.
Pack size Compare a 150ml single-serve can with a 1L bottle, including how you will carry and serve it. Neither format establishes how much water to take. For one drink at a stop, a small can may fit my plans. If several people are sharing near the car or campsite, a larger bottle may be easier to serve.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming “light” means no added sugar

    Fever-Tree lists fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic Water, and Fentimans lists fructose and 4.4g sugars per 100ml in Premium Indian Tonic Water.

    Check both the ingredients and the nutrition panel of the particular tonic rather than relying on its range name.

  • Counting tonic as a trail snack

    Tesco Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water and Schweppes Slimline list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml, so neither supplies carbohydrate from the drink.

    Pack food separately if you want something to eat during the walk.

  • Taking one small can as your water supply

    A 150ml can is a small serving. The NHS advises extra fluids after sweating from physical activity and recommends water to replace lost fluid.

    Plan your water for the walk first, then decide whether an additional can is worth carrying.

  • Overlooking the sweetener label

    Tesco lists acesulfame K and sucralose in its Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water. Schweppes Slimline lists aspartame and carries a warning that it contains a source of phenylalanine.

    Check the exact product label against any ingredients you need to avoid.

Brand and range references

These examples show why a tonic’s range name is not enough to establish its sugar or sweetener content.

Schweppes

Slimline Tonic Water appears in a 1L bottle and a 12 × 150ml can pack.

  • Tesco lists 0g sugars and 2kcal per 100ml for the 1L Slimline tonic.
  • Check the exact pack’s ingredients: Slimline contains aspartame and carries a phenylalanine warning.

Tesco

Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water is a 1L own-label option that may suit a shared drink.

  • Tesco lists 0g sugars, 0g available carbohydrate and 2kcal per 100ml.
  • It contains acesulfame K and sucralose; a 1L bottle may be less convenient to carry on foot than a small can.

Britvic

Britvic announced a zero-sugar Indian Tonic Water in 330ml cans for UK grocery in September 2023.

  • The announced can format offers a useful pack-size comparison.
  • Check the current pack’s ingredients and nutrition information before choosing it for a hike.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s lists Diet Indian Tonic Water and diet lemon and lime tonic variants in its mixer range.

  • The listed variants give shoppers different flavours to check.
  • “Diet” does not by itself establish the ingredients or sugars per 100ml; read the chosen pack.

Fever-Tree

The brand lists both Premium Indian Tonic Water and Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic Water.

  • Fever-Tree’s ingredient information distinguishes the two tonic lines.
  • It lists sugar in Premium Indian Tonic Water and fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic Water, so neither cited product meets a strict no-added-sugar ingredient preference.

Fentimans

The brand offers Premium Indian Tonic Water and a Naturally Light tonic.

  • Fentimans publishes ingredients and per-100ml nutrition information for Premium Indian Tonic Water.
  • That product lists fructose and 4.4g sugars per 100ml. Do not use the Naturally Light name alone as evidence of no added sugar.

Joybuy tonic options

This small-can Schweppes Slimline pack is an option for an occasional tonic at a rest stop, alongside water and food packed for the walk.

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml cans

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml

The 150ml cans offer a portioned tonic for an occasional stop. The product information lists 0g sugars, 0g carbohydrate and 2kcal per 100ml; it also lists aspartame and warns that the drink contains a source of phenylalanine. Pack water and food separately for the walk.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Can zero-sugar tonic replace water on a hike?

Treat tonic as an optional drink, not your planned water supply. The NHS recommends water to replace fluid lost through physical activity and advises extra fluids if you have been sweating.

Is zero-sugar tonic a hiking snack?

It is a drink rather than a substitute for food. Tesco Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water and Schweppes Slimline each list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml, so pack food separately if you want something to eat on the trail.

Does “light” tonic mean no added sugar?

No. Fever-Tree lists fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic Water. Check the ingredients and sugars per 100ml of the exact product instead of relying on “light” wording.

Why does Schweppes Slimline mention phenylalanine?

Schweppes Slimline contains aspartame and is labelled as containing a source of phenylalanine. If you need to avoid phenylalanine, check that warning on the exact pack before choosing it.