Hikers limiting sugar or calories
If you want a fizzy drink with your snacks, compare a no-sugar option with a light tonic rather than assuming both labels mean the same thing.
Who is this for?
Hikers checking ingredients
If you monitor carbohydrate intake or need to avoid a particular ingredient, read the sugars, energy and ingredient list on the exact variant you plan to pack.
Long-walk snack planners
Plan water and food for the route before adding a mixer for flavour. The British Mountaineering Council advises carrying enough food, snacking regularly and bringing emergency food on a hill walk.
What should you check?
Set aside enough water and food for the walk, then choose the optional drink by its label and the amount you intend to carry. A Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland survey interviewed 611 people between 16 September and 23 November 2024; its traffic-light-label finding concerns food shopping, not hikers or mixers specifically.
Soda water or a no-sugar mixer
Choose it when: You want a fizzy extra drink without choosing a sugary tonic; Fentimans lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Soda Water.
Keep in mind: Fentimans Soda Water also lists 0 kcal per 100ml, so it cannot take the place of food for the walk.
Light tonic
Choose it when: You want tonic flavour while reducing, rather than necessarily eliminating, its calorie contribution. Fever-Tree lists 15 calories per 100ml for its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic, against 30 for its regular Indian Tonic.
Keep in mind: Light does not mean sugar-free: Fentimans lists 3.4g sugars per 100ml for its Naturally Light Tonic.
Regular tonic
Choose it when: You prefer the regular variant and its labelled sugar and energy values fit what you want to carry and drink.
Keep in mind: Carry water and hiking food separately; do not plan to use a tonic as your food supply.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Water and food | Plan water for the route. Pack enough food for the day and emergency food, as advised by the British Mountaineering Council. | I want a flavoured drink with my snacks, but I will carry water and food independently of it. |
| Nutrition labels | Compare sugars and energy per 100ml on the exact variants. Check the amount you expect to drink, and use traffic-light labels where shown. | I want to compare light, regular and no-sugar drinks without confusing pack sizes. In the Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland’s 2024 survey of 611 Northern Ireland respondents, 49% reported actively using traffic-light labelling when shopping for food. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredient list for sugar, fructose or sweeteners. Check any ingredient that matters to your dietary requirements on the current pack. | A no-sugar description alone does not tell me which sweetener a drink uses. |
| Pack format | Check the volume of each unit, how many you would take and whether the container works for your route. | For a longer walk, I would rather plan the amount I can carry than choose by multipack size alone. |
Common mistakes
-
Treating a mixer as hiking food or your only drink
Fentimans lists 0 kcal per 100ml for its Soda Water. The British Mountaineering Council advises carrying enough food, emergency food and plenty of water for a hill walk.
Plan your water and snacks for the route first; add a mixer only if you want it as another drink.
-
Assuming light and no-sugar mean the same thing
Fentimans lists 3.4g sugars per 100ml for its Naturally Light Tonic, despite the light name.
Compare sugars and energy per 100ml, then read the ingredients on the exact variant you are buying.
Brand and retailer references
These ranges illustrate different mixer labels and formats; a brand name alone does not establish the nutrition values of every variant.
Fever-Tree
Its Indian tonic range includes regular and Refreshingly Light variants.
- Fever-Tree lists 15 calories per 100ml for Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic and 30 for its regular Indian Tonic.
- The light formulation lists fructose; check the exact pack’s sugars rather than treating light as a no-sugar label.
Fentimans
Its Soda Water and Naturally Light Tonic provide two distinct fizzy-drink choices.
- Fentimans lists 0 kcal and 0g sugars per 100ml for Soda Water.
- Its Naturally Light Tonic lists 18 kcal and 3.4g sugars per 100ml, so the tonic is not a no-sugar alternative.
Schweppes
The Slimline tonic variant is a relevant label to compare with regular tonic.
- The Slimline name helps identify the variant when comparing packs.
- Check its current nutrition and ingredients if a particular sugar value or sweetener matters to you.
Britvic
Britvic announced classic and zero-sugar Indian Tonic Water variants in a 330ml can format in September 2023.
- The announced variants distinguish a regular route from a zero-sugar route.
- That launch announcement does not establish the nutrition or availability of a current pack; check its label when buying.
Tesco
Tesco lists an own-label Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water in a 1-litre format.
- The stated bottle size can help you decide how much you would take on a walk.
- Check the current pack’s sugars, energy and container details before relying on the low-calorie description.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists an own-label Diet Indian Tonic Water in a 1-litre format.
- The diet variant offers another labelled tonic to compare by its current nutrition panel.
- Diet on the product name does not identify every ingredient; read the exact bottle’s label if that affects your choice.
Joybuy product options
These options cover light and regular tonic, Slimline tonic and sparkling mineral water that you could consider as an extra drink with hiking snacks. Choose the amount you would carry alongside your planned water and food.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Premium Indian Tonic Water, 15 × 150ml
Consider this light tonic if you want tonic flavour but do not assume light means no sugar. Fever-Tree lists 15 calories per 100ml for its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic; check the sugars and ingredients on the exact pack.
The multipack contains 15 × 150ml units.
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Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml
If you are considering Slimline tonic instead of a regular variant, check the current pack’s sugars, energy and sweeteners against your requirements.
The multipack contains 12 × 150ml units; decide how many you would actually carry.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 × 0.5L
Choose sparkling mineral water if you want a fizzy drink rather than tonic alongside your hiking snacks.
The pack contains six 0.5L units. Check the container details and how much you intend to carry.
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Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water, 8 × 150ml
If you prefer a regular tonic to a light variant, compare this exact pack’s sugars and energy per 100ml before deciding how much to bring.
The multipack contains 8 × 150ml units. Carry water and food for the walk separately.
Questions about hiking mixers
Can a zero-sugar mixer replace water on a hike?
Carry water as your main drink rather than relying on a zero-sugar mixer. The NHS says water is the best way to replace lost fluids, and the British Mountaineering Council advises bringing plenty of water and enough food for a hill walk.
Does light tonic mean sugar-free?
No. Fentimans lists 3.4g sugars and 18 kcal per 100ml for its Naturally Light Tonic. Compare the sugars and energy per 100ml on the exact tonic you are considering.
What if a mixer contains sweeteners?
Read the ingredient list to identify the sweetener in that variant, particularly if you need to avoid a specific ingredient. Do not assume two no-sugar or light drinks use the same formulation.
How can I compare different pack sizes?
Start with sugars and energy per 100ml so that different bottle or can sizes are comparable. Then check the volume you expect to drink and the number of units you would carry; front-of-pack traffic-light labels, where present, can provide another way to read the nutrition information.