Who is this for?

5k runners choosing a lower-sugar drink

If you want something fizzy around a short run but do not expect the drink to provide energy, compare its sugars and carbohydrate per 100ml. The NHS recommends water for replacing lost fluids.

Runners looking for something to eat before a 5k

If you have missed a meal and want pre-run food, a zero-sugar drink is a different choice from a carbohydrate-based snack. The NHS suggests a light carbohydrate-based snack 1–2 hours before running.

Cola drinkers avoiding caffeine

Standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list caffeine in their ingredients. If caffeine matters to you, check the exact variety: Coca-Cola GB also describes a separate Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine Free product.

What should you check?

Decide whether you want a drink for taste, water for hydration or food before the run, then compare the exact drink labels.

Priority What to check Your needs
Pre-run food Check carbohydrate per 100ml rather than relying on the drink’s name. The NHS suggests a light carbohydrate-based snack 1–2 hours before running; University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says energy snacks during activity may be needed when it lasts longer than 60 minutes. If I want something to eat before a 5k, I need to choose food separately from a zero-sugar fizzy drink.
Hydration Decide what you will drink during and around the run. The NHS recommends water for replacing lost fluids. I want a drink to take on the run, rather than expecting a fizzy drink to supply energy.
Sugar wording Read both the front-of-pack wording and sugars per 100ml. Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml for its No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade, while its Sprite Zero Sugar listing gives 0g per 100ml. If I want zero sugar, a “no added sugar” label alone does not answer my question.
Caffeine and ingredients Check the exact variety’s ingredient list. Coca-Cola GB and Pepsi UK list caffeine in standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max; the NHS notes that caffeine sensitivity varies. I prefer to know whether my chosen drink contains caffeine or sweeteners before having it near a run.
Flavour and pack Compare the flavour and pack size you want, then read that pack’s current nutrition and ingredient information. Tesco Groceries notes that formulations can change. Cola, lemon-and-lime and fruit-flavoured drinks appeal to me for different reasons, but I still want to check the specific variety.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Buying a zero-sugar drink as 5k fuel

    Coca-Cola GB, Pepsi UK and Tesco Groceries respectively list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Pepsi Max and Sprite Zero Sugar. Those drinks do not provide carbohydrate in place of a pre-run snack.

    If you need something to eat before running, follow the NHS suggestion of a light carbohydrate-based snack 1–2 hours beforehand; choose a fizzy drink separately for taste.

  • Reading “no added sugar” as “zero sugar”

    A drink can carry a no-added-sugar label and still contain sugars. Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml for Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade.

    Check the sugars figure per 100ml on the product you are buying, rather than relying on the wording on the front.

  • Assuming every sugar-free cola is caffeine free

    Standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list caffeine in their ingredients. The NHS notes that people differ in their sensitivity to caffeine.

    Read the exact variety name and ingredient list if you want to avoid caffeine; a caffeine-free version is a distinct choice.

  • Relying on an older ingredient listing

    Tesco Groceries notes that recipes, nutrition information and allergens can change, so a previous listing may not describe the pack in your hand.

    Check the current pack’s nutrition table, ingredients and allergen information before buying.

Relevant drink brands

These examples show why the exact variety matters more than the brand name alone.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is a cola option, with a separately named Caffeine Free variety.

  • Coca-Cola GB lists 0g sugars and 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.
  • The standard variety lists caffeine flavouring and sweeteners. Check which variety you have selected if avoiding caffeine.

Pepsi

Pepsi Max is another zero-sugar cola to compare by its specific ingredient list.

  • Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars and 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for standard Pepsi Max.
  • Standard Pepsi Max lists caffeine and sweeteners; its nutrition figures do not make it a carbohydrate snack.

Sprite

Sprite Zero Sugar offers a lemon-and-lime alternative to cola.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 0g sugars and 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for Sprite Zero Sugar.
  • The listing names sweeteners. Read the current pack if its ingredients or caffeine status affect your choice.

Fanta

Fanta Zero Orange and Fanta Zero Fruit Twist are fruit-flavoured varieties named in Tesco Groceries’ fizzy-drink listings.

  • The named varieties give shoppers alternatives to cola and lemon-and-lime flavours.
  • Check the selected pack for its sugars, carbohydrate, caffeine and ingredients rather than applying one variety’s details to another.

Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper Zero is a named zero-sugar variety in Tesco Groceries’ fizzy-drink listings.

  • It offers the Dr Pepper flavour profile as an alternative to the other listed varieties.
  • Read the particular pack’s carbohydrate, caffeine and ingredient information before deciding whether it suits your requirements.

Tesco

Tesco’s own-label no-added-sugar drinks include Cloudy Lemonade.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars and 0.2g carbohydrate per 100ml for Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade, making the label distinction concrete.
  • “No added sugar” does not mean 0g sugars. Tesco also advises checking packs because product information can change.

Joybuy fizzy drink options

These fizzy drinks are options for taste around a 5k, not replacements for carbohydrate-based pre-run food. Compare the exact pack if sugar or caffeine content matters to you.

7 Up Lemonade Zero, 24 × 330ml

7 Up Lemonade Zero 24 × 330ml

A lemonade option if you want fizz separately from pre-run food. Compare sugars, carbohydrate and ingredients per 100ml on the pack.

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Pepsi Max Caffeine Free, 24 × 330ml

Pepsi Max Caffeine Free 24 × 330ml

Consider this separately named cola variety if you want to avoid caffeine. Check its own nutrition and ingredients rather than using figures for standard Pepsi Max.

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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, 24 × 330ml

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 24 × 330ml

A cola option for taste rather than carbohydrate fuel. Coca-Cola GB lists 0g sugars and 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar; the standard variety lists caffeine flavouring and sweeteners.

View on Joybuy
7UP Zero, 24 × 330ml

7UP Zero 24 × 330ml

A lemon-and-lime option if you prefer fizz to cola around a run. Check this variety’s sugars, carbohydrate and caffeine information on the pack before choosing it for a specific requirement.

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Tango Apple Sugar-Free, 24 × 330ml cans

Tango Apple Sugar-Free 24 × 330ml cans

An apple-flavoured choice for fizz rather than pre-run food. Read the pack’s carbohydrate figure even when its name says sugar-free, and check its ingredients if avoiding caffeine.

View on Joybuy

Questions about drinks and 5k runs

Can a no-added-sugar fizzy drink fuel a 5k?

Do not count on the drink’s label as evidence that it supplies carbohydrate. Coca-Cola GB, Pepsi UK and Tesco Groceries respectively list 0g carbohydrate per 100ml for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Pepsi Max and Sprite Zero Sugar. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describes carbohydrate snacks as a source of energy for activity lasting longer than 60 minutes.

What can I have before a 5k if I want something to eat?

The NHS suggests a light carbohydrate-based snack 1–2 hours before running, such as a banana or a slice of toast. It recommends water for replacing lost fluids; a zero-sugar fizzy drink serves a different purpose from the snack.

Does “no added sugar” mean “zero sugar”?

No. Check the sugars figure on the nutrition panel: Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml for Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade, compared with 0g per 100ml in its Sprite Zero Sugar listing.

Are zero-sugar colas caffeine free?

Not necessarily. Coca-Cola GB and Pepsi UK list caffeine in standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max, while Coca-Cola GB describes Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine Free as a separate variety. Check the exact product name and ingredients if you want to avoid caffeine.