For a fizzy drink after routine exercise, choose plain sparkling spring or mineral water if you want to avoid added sugar, sweeteners and fruit-derived sugars; the NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity. If you prefer a flavoured drink, check its ingredients and sugars figure: a no-added-sugar claim does not mean it is unsweetened or contains no sugar. Treat any food or drink requirements associated with longer or more demanding activity as a separate decision.
The choice depends chiefly on whether you want plain water, flavour without added sugar, or a fruit-based drink whose sugars still matter to you.
Plain sparkling spring or mineral water suits someone who wants a carbonated drink after ordinary exercise without choosing a sweetened flavour. The NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity. Check the exact bottle if its ingredients or mineral composition matter to you.
A no-added-sugar flavoured water may suit someone who would rather drink a flavoured option than plain water. It is worth reading beyond the front label: Sainsbury's Apple & Elderflower example contains sweeteners and citric acid.
If you want to avoid fruit-derived sugars as well as added sugar, compare the ingredients with the “of which sugars” figure. M&S lists a no-added-sugar apple and elderflower sparkling drink containing more than 60% juice and 6.6 g sugars per 100 g.
Start with the ingredients and sugars figure, then choose a bottle format that fits where you will drink it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and juice | Check the no-added-sugar claim, ingredients and “of which sugars” figure per 100 ml or per serving. Check for fruit juice if you want to avoid naturally occurring fruit sugars too; a drink may carry the claim and still contain sugar from juice. | I want a fizzy drink without added sugar, but I also care how much total sugar it contains. M&S lists 6.6 g sugars per 100 g for its no-added-sugar, juice-based Apple & Elderflower drink. |
| Fluid and bottle size | For fluid replacement after ordinary activity, consider plain water; the NHS identifies water as the preferred choice for replacing fluid lost through physical activity. Check whether the bottle size works for carrying after a workout or keeping at home. | A smaller bottle is easier for me to take from the gym; for drinking at home, I may prefer a larger bottle. Highland Spring lists sparkling-water formats including 500 ml bottles and 1 L bottles in a multipack. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredients rather than assuming “no added sugar” means unsweetened. Sainsbury's no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower flavoured water lists acesulfame K and sucralose. | I like flavour, but I want to know whether it comes with sweeteners. If I would rather avoid them, I will check the exact variant or choose plain sparkling water. |
| Acidic ingredients | Check flavoured drinks for citric acid and fruit or juice ingredients. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust identifies acidic drinks, including fruit juices and some sugar-free drinks, as a potential cause of tooth erosion. | If I regularly choose a flavoured fizzy drink, acidity matters to my choice as well as its sugar figure. |
Sugar can still come from an ingredient such as fruit juice. M&S lists 6.6 g sugars per 100 g for its no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower sparkling drink.
Read the ingredients and the “of which sugars” figure alongside the claim. Choose plain sparkling water if you want to avoid fruit-derived sugars as well as added sugar.
Sainsbury's no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower flavoured water lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Its claim does not mean it contains no sweeteners.
If sweeteners affect your choice, check the exact product's ingredients rather than relying on its front label.
The NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity. That does not make a bottle of sparkling water a formulated sports drink or a substitute for food after a demanding session.
Choose the drink for fluid replacement and consider any separate food or drink requirements on their own terms.
Sainsbury's flavoured-water example contains citric acid. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust warns that acidic drinks, including fruit juices and some sugar-free drinks, can contribute to tooth erosion.
Check for acids and juice ingredients when comparing flavoured options with plain sparkling water, particularly if you drink them frequently.
These ranges illustrate different kinds of sparkling drink; the label of the particular variant determines whether it fits your preference.
A plain sparkling spring-water option, with bottle formats suited to carrying or keeping at home.
Offers classic sparkling natural mineral water alongside an Essenza flavoured sparkling-water range.
A carbonated natural mineral water; Sainsbury's lists a glass-bottle 4 × 330 ml product.
Its range includes plain sparkling spring water and no-added-sugar flavoured water.
Its range includes sparkling mineral water as well as fruit-based sparkling drinks.
These products are plain sparkling-water options for a fizzy post-gym drink. Compare the listed bottle sizes according to whether you want to take one with you or keep a larger bottle at home; this selection does not cover the flavoured-drink choices discussed above.
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Plain sparkling natural mineral water for a fizzy drink after exercise. The pack contains six 0.5 L bottles, a size to consider if you want to take one with you.
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Plain sparkling spring water in a pack of eight 500 ml bottles. This format lets you take a single bottle for a post-gym drink.
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Plain sparkling water in a pack of eight 500 ml bottles. Consider this bottle size if you plan to carry a drink after exercise.
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Plain sparkling spring water in six 1 L bottles. The larger bottle format may suit drinking at home after the gym; check whether it is convenient if you intend to carry one.
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Plain sparkling natural mineral water in a pack of six 1 L bottles. This size is worth considering for drinking at home rather than taking a compact bottle to the gym.
No. A drink can contain naturally occurring sugars from ingredients such as fruit juice. M&S's no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower sparkling drink, for example, lists 6.6 g sugars per 100 g. Check the ingredients and the “of which sugars” figure if total sugar matters to you.
Choose plain sparkling spring or mineral water if you want a fizzy drink without added sugar or sweeteners. The NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity. Check the exact product label if its ingredients or mineral composition affect your choice.
Yes. Sainsbury's no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower flavoured water lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the ingredients panel if you want flavour without those sweeteners.
No. Fruit-based drinks can contain sugars from juice even when labelled no added sugar. M&S lists more than 60% juice, 6.6 g sugars and 28 kcal per 100 g for its Apple & Elderflower sparkling drink.
No. A flavoured drink may contain citric acid or fruit juice regardless of its sugar claim. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust identifies acidic drinks, including fruit juices and some sugar-free drinks, as a potential cause of tooth erosion. Check the ingredients when choosing between flavoured and plain water.