People taking water to the gym
If you want a drink alongside a pre-workout snack, consider whether you prefer plain or flavoured water and which bottle size and closure you can carry.
Who is this for?
People who prefer a fruity flavour
If avoiding added sugar matters to you, compare the wording on the bottle with its sugars line and ingredients list. Flavoured waters do not all have the same ingredients.
People considering food as well as fluid
Water is a separate choice from a snack. In its exercise-and-diabetes guidance, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust discusses carbohydrate-and-protein snacks when training follows a longer gap since a meal; individual clinical plans need to be followed where applicable.
What should you check?
Start with the type of water you want, then check the exact bottle label and whether you need food alongside it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and ingredients | For flavoured water, read the exact claim, sugars per 100 ml and ingredients. Check for sweeteners if you prefer to avoid them. | I would like fruit flavour without added sugar, but I also want to know what makes the drink taste sweet. |
| Bottle format | Check the volume and whether the bottle has a screw cap or sports cap. Choose a format you can carry and use during your routine. | A bottle that fits in my bag matters more to me than a larger format I would leave behind. |
| Food alongside water | Keep the drink and snack decisions separate. Consider meal timing, the activity and any individual clinical plan rather than treating zero-sugar water as food. | If I have not eaten for some time, I need to consider a snack as well as something to drink. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating zero-sugar water as a pre-workout snack
Water provides fluid, not the carbohydrate and protein in food. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust discusses a separate pre-workout snack in its exercise-and-diabetes guidance when a meal was not eaten 2 to 3 hours before training.
Choose your drink for fluid and consider food separately, taking account of meal timing and any advice in an individual clinical plan.
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Assuming all flavoured waters have the same ingredients
“No added sugar” and “sugar-free” are different label claims. A flavoured water can also contain sweeteners: Volvic lists acesulfame K and sucralose in its Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5 L product.
Read the claim, sugars per 100 ml and ingredients on the particular bottle you are buying. If you want to avoid sweeteners, check the ingredients rather than relying on the front label alone.
Brand references
These ranges illustrate differences in flavour, ingredients and bottle format; check the particular product label before choosing.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring lists plain still water alongside a separate flavoured still range.
- Its plain still range includes 330 ml, 500 ml and 750 ml bottles with screw-cap or sports-cap options, according to Highland Spring.
- Highland Spring describes its flavoured still range as having no added sugar and lists 0 g sugars per 100 ml; check the flavour and format on the pack you select.
Evian
Evian publishes the mineral composition of its natural mineral water.
- Evian lists calcium at 80 mg/L, magnesium at 26 mg/L and sodium at 6.5 mg/L.
- Mineral figures do not tell you whether you need a separate pre-workout snack.
Volvic
Volvic offers plain water and flavoured products, including a Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free variant.
- Volvic lists 0 g sugars per 100 ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5 L.
- That product lists acesulfame K and sucralose; check its ingredients if you prefer not to drink sweetened flavoured water.
Buxton
Buxton lists plain still natural mineral water in several bottle sizes.
- Its still-water range includes 500 ml, 750 ml, 1 L and 1.5 L formats, according to Buxton Water.
- Choose food separately if you need a pre-workout snack; plain water is a drink, not a snack.
Tesco
Tesco lists own-label British natural mineral water in single larger bottles and multipacks.
- Tesco Groceries has listed a 5 L still bottle and a 12 × 500 ml still-water multipack.
- Check the current pack details and availability if you need individual bottles to take out.
Joybuy bottled-water options
These options include plain still water and strawberry-flavoured water in different bottle formats. Compare the named variant and current pack label against your sugar and ingredient preferences.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free Water, 6 × 500 ml
The six individual bottles offer a flavoured option to take alongside a snack. Check the current pack ingredients if you avoid sweeteners.
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Icelandic Glacial Natural Mineral Water, 750 ml Sports Cap
This plain-water option has a sports-cap bottle for taking to training. Consider a snack separately if you need food before exercising.
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FIJI Water Natural Artesian Still Water, 700 ml Sports Cap, Pack of 12
The pack contains individual plain-water bottles with sports caps. If you want to confirm a particular sugars value, check the nutrition information on the current bottle.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Water, 1.25 L
This larger strawberry-flavoured bottle is an option when you want flavour alongside a snack. Check the current pack for its sugars line, ingredients and storage instructions.
Frequently asked questions
What does “no added sugar” tell me about flavoured water?
It tells you about sugars or foods added for sweetening, not that every flavoured water has the same ingredients. The nutrition-claim definition published by legislation.gov.uk distinguishes this wording from “sugar-free”; read the sugars line and ingredients on the bottle as well.
Is sugar-free flavoured water the same as plain water?
No: flavoured water can contain other ingredients even when its sugars line reads 0 g. For example, Volvic lists acesulfame K and sucralose in Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5 L. Check the particular product if sweeteners matter to you.
Can bottled water replace a pre-workout snack?
Water provides fluid, not a food-based snack. In exercise-and-diabetes guidance, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust discusses carbohydrate-and-protein snacks 60 to 90 minutes before exercise when a meal was not eaten 2 to 3 hours beforehand. Follow an individual clinical plan where one applies.
Does one bottle size suit every training session?
Choose a size you can carry and use, rather than assuming one format fits every session. The NHS advises extra fluid after sweating from physical activity and notes that people active for long periods may need more fluid.