I tend to look out for lighter versions of food and drinks, or those that claim to have lower sugar, even if I don't really think they're any healthier in any way because of the other sweeteners/additives they pour in to them. Oasis is a drink I really like, but unlike many lighter versions that I find to still be very tasty, this isn't one I'm too keen on.

Oasis Summer Fruits Light comes in a clear plastic bottle with blue label and light blue lid, with the Oasis logo clearly on the front. It looks summery with the colour and strawberry image design, so it's quite tempting when you want something a bit fruity and refreshing. It has a twist off lid that reads 'shake your butty', as for why it says that, I don't have a clue! It's described as a 'still low calorie summer fruit juice drink with sweeteners'.

This contains natural flavours and no artificial colours, which is always good to know. Per 250ml serving, half the bottle, you get 8 calories and 0g fat, with 1.3g of sugar (1% GDA) which is pretty good. Usually a drink like this can rack up around 100 calories per serving, so my train of thought is usually to go for lighter versions to save on 'empty calories', as they say.

It's best served chilled, and once opened, it should be drunk within 3 days. How does it taste? You can tell it's supposed to be fruity and it's light in the sense that it's a still drink without fizz, with a consistency pretty much like water. It's very refreshing (because it's water-like fluid) and quenches your thirst well, but it's the taste itself that I'm not so keen on. Yes, it's fruity, but there's something I can't quite put my finger on; the sweetness and fruit isn't particularly strong or easy to distinguish, it's more an essence of the flavours. It has an almost tangy taste to it that makes it taste somewhat less natural. It's supposed to have the fruity goodness of mixed fruits like strawberry, cherry and apple, but I couldn't easily pick them apart because, overall, it tasted bland. It's more a flavoured water with a hint of fruit, especially when compared to a regular Oasis drink.

A small 'tagline' on the bottle reads: 'I'll go with anything'. I'd pretty much agree if you're looking for flavoured water that isn't particularly easy to drink. It's a shame that the lighter version just doesn't taste particularly good, even though it's still okay when you need refreshment, so perhaps Oasis is a drink I'll splash out a little on next time and stick with the regular version!

Retails for around £1.08 (Tesco)
[Also reviewed by me, gothic_moon, on Ciao]