A diet or zero-sugar fizzy drink is a refreshment choice, not carbohydrate fuel for a 5K: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml. The UK Sports Institute says a carbohydrate-containing drink can be useful if you have missed breakfast, but is probably unnecessary after a carbohydrate-based breakfast. Choose water when you need to replace fluid, as the NHS advises; if you want sugar-free fizz instead, check caffeine on the exact variant and remember that sugar-free fizzy drinks can still be acidic to teeth, according to Derbyshire County Council.
If you enjoy a fizzy drink around a run, separate the choice of refreshment from the need for fuel. The Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max nutrition panels list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml, so those drinks do not provide carbohydrate for the run.
Check the full variant name rather than relying on “zero sugar”. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine and Pepsi Max Caffeine-Free are named caffeine-free options; their standard zero-sugar counterparts list caffeine.
A switch to a sugar-free fizzy drink does not remove the acidity consideration. Derbyshire County Council notes that sugar-free fizzy drinks can still contribute to dental erosion.
Choose it when: You need a drink around an ordinary 5K and have no need for carbohydrate from that drink. The NHS recommends water to replace fluid lost through sweating.
Bear in mind: Water does not supply carbohydrate if you have missed a meal and need food or drink for fuel.
Choose it when: You want fizzy refreshment without sugar, rather than a drink to fuel the run.
Bear in mind: The cited zero-sugar colas provide little or no carbohydrate; standard variants can contain caffeine, and sugar-free fizz remains acidic.
Consider it when: You have missed breakfast or do not want solid food before running. The UK Sports Institute says a carbohydrate-containing drink can be an option in that situation.
Bear in mind: The same guidance says a sports drink is probably unnecessary if you have already had a carbohydrate-based breakfast.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Read carbohydrate per serving as well as sugars. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max each list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml on their manufacturer panels. | If I have missed a meal, I want to know whether my food or drink supplies carbohydrate, rather than assuming fizzy cola will fuel my run. |
| Fluid | Consider the conditions and how much you have sweated. The NHS recommends water for replacing fluid lost through sweating. | For an ordinary 5K, I want a drink for fluid replacement without choosing a sports drink just because I am exercising. |
| Caffeine | Check the exact variant name and ingredients. Standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list caffeine; separately named caffeine-free variants are available. | I would choose an explicitly caffeine-free variant if avoiding caffeine matters to me. |
| Acidity | Do not equate “sugar-free” with “non-acidic”. Derbyshire County Council says sugar-free fizzy drinks can still cause dental erosion. | If I regularly sip a drink during training, I would use water as my main fluid and keep fizzy drinks for when I want their flavour. |
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml. That does not address a need for carbohydrate after missing a meal.
Check carbohydrate on the exact drink label. For food or drink before a run, the UK Sports Institute distinguishes between having had a carbohydrate-based breakfast and having missed one.
Standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list caffeine, while separately named caffeine-free variants do not.
If you want to avoid caffeine, check the full product name and ingredients before choosing a can or multipack.
Removing sugar does not remove acidity. Derbyshire County Council says sugar-free fizzy drinks can contribute to dental erosion.
Use water when your main aim is fluid replacement, as the NHS advises, and choose diet fizz for its flavour rather than as a continuous hydration habit.
The Coca-Cola Zero Sugar range illustrates why the precise cola variant matters when choosing around a run.
Pepsi Max and Pepsi Max Caffeine-Free offer a similar distinction between standard and caffeine-free zero-sugar cola.
Tesco Groceries lists branded diet, zero-sugar and caffeine-free colas together, making the variant names useful to compare.
These are fizzy-drink options to consider for refreshment around a 5K, not a selection of drinks to supply carbohydrate fuel. Check the exact variant when caffeine avoidance matters.
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A lemonade option if you want fizzy refreshment rather than cola. The pack contains 24 × 330ml cans; check the nutrition and ingredient label if carbohydrate or caffeine affects your choice.
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The named no-caffeine variant is an option if you want diet cola flavour while avoiding caffeine. The pack contains 24 × 330ml cans; check its carbohydrate information separately if you are choosing a drink for fuel.
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Choose this named variant if you want Pepsi Max flavour without caffeine, rather than carbohydrate fuel. PepsiCo UK lists 0g sugars and 0.2g carbohydrate per 330ml can; the pack contains 24 cans.
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This standard variant is for cola refreshment, not carbohydrate fuel. PepsiCo UK lists 0g carbohydrate and 0g sugars per 100ml and includes caffeine in the ingredients; the pack contains 24 × 330ml cans.
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This standard zero-sugar cola is a refreshment choice rather than carbohydrate fuel. The Coca-Cola Company Great Britain lists 0g carbohydrate and 0g sugars per 100ml for this variant and identifies caffeine in its ingredients; the pack contains 24 × 330ml cans.
Not as a source of carbohydrate when choosing Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Pepsi Max: both list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml. The UK Sports Institute says a carbohydrate-containing drink can be useful if you missed breakfast or do not want solid food before running, but is probably unnecessary after a carbohydrate-based breakfast.
Water is the default for replacing fluid lost through sweating, according to the NHS. How much you need depends on the run and conditions; a 5K does not by itself mean you need a carbohydrate sports drink.
Choose an explicitly named caffeine-free variant, such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine or Pepsi Max Caffeine-Free. The standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max variants list caffeine, so check the exact name and ingredients.
No. Derbyshire County Council says sugar-free fizzy drinks remain acidic and can contribute to dental erosion. If fluid replacement is your main aim, the NHS recommends water rather than repeatedly sipping fizzy drinks.
Check the exact label for sweeteners, caffeine and any phenylalanine statement. The Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max product information includes a “contains a source of phenylalanine” statement; if phenylketonuria (PKU) is relevant to you, follow your clinical dietary advice.