Gamers who want less sugar in their drink
If you snack while playing and do not need exercise carbohydrate, start with water. A labelled zero-sugar drink offers a flavoured alternative without adding sugar from the drink.
Who is this choice for?
Gamers who also exercise
A drink chosen for a workout need not be your drink for desk-based play. NHS Tayside describes isotonic drinks as containing electrolytes and carbohydrate that provides some energy during exercise.
Households buying for younger gamers
Check whether a product is a sports drink or a high-caffeine energy drink, including when it is labelled sugar free. England has announced a future under-16 sales restriction for certain high-caffeine energy drinks; it does not apply to every sports drink.
What should you check before buying?
Choose for the activity first, then compare the sugar, carbohydrate and caffeine declarations for the exact drink and serving size.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink sugar | Compare sugars per 100ml and per bottle. Check whether a flavoured option is labelled zero sugar; the NHS suggests diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar swaps for sugary drinks. | I want flavour beside my snacks without routinely adding sugar from the drink. |
| Exercise carbohydrate | Check carbohydrate per 100ml as well as the drink type. NHS Tayside describes isotonic drinks as containing 4g to 8g carbohydrate per 100ml for use during exercise; zero-sugar options do not serve the same carbohydrate purpose. | After a workout, I may want a drink containing carbohydrate. During a seated gaming session, that is not the reason I am drinking. |
| Caffeine | Read the caffeine declaration and identify whether the product is a sports drink or an energy drink. Sugar-free wording alone does not establish its caffeine content. | When buying for a younger gamer, I want to know whether the drink contains caffeine, not just whether it contains sugar. |
| Serving format | Compare the stated bottle or prepared serving size with the nutrition figures. Check whether a powder needs mixing or a drink is ready to serve. | I would rather choose a format I will actually prepare or keep to hand while playing. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating an isotonic drink as a routine gaming drink
A carbohydrate-containing drink can add sugar when it is being used beside snacks rather than for exercise. ASDA lists 4.1g sugars per 100ml for Powerade Berry & Tropical, equivalent to 20.5g in a 500ml bottle.
For sedentary play, choose water first. If you prefer a flavoured drink, compare the sugar declaration and the amount you intend to drink.
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Confusing sports drinks with energy drinks
Sugar content does not tell you whether a drink is high in caffeine. The two product categories should not be treated as interchangeable.
Check the product description and caffeine label, particularly when buying for a younger gamer.
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Expecting a zero-sugar drink to supply workout carbohydrate
A zero-sugar sports drink may suit a flavour preference, but it does not have the same carbohydrate role as the isotonic drinks described by NHS Tayside for exercise.
If the drink is for activity, compare carbohydrate per 100ml rather than relying on the words “sports drink”.
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Comparing different flavours or pack sizes as though they were identical
A nutrition figure for one flavour or serving size does not establish the contents of another product.
Check the label for the exact flavour, bottle or multipack you plan to buy, and compare figures on the same per-100ml basis.
Relevant brand ranges
These ranges illustrate different drink formats and formulations; a brand name alone does not tell you which one suits a gaming session.
Lucozade Sport
The range includes both zero-sugar and carbohydrate-containing sports drinks, so the exact variant matters.
- Sainsbury's lists Lucozade Sport Zero Sugar Orange & Peach as zero sugar and 4 kcal per serving.
- That zero-sugar variant is not a substitute for a drink chosen to supply carbohydrate during exercise.
Powerade
Powerade Berry & Tropical is an example of a ready-to-drink isotonic option to assess for exercise rather than assume is needed with gaming snacks.
- ASDA lists 4.1g carbohydrate per 100ml for this Berry & Tropical product.
- ASDA also lists 4.1g sugars per 100ml for the same product, so check the bottle size when comparing drink sugar.
Gatorade
Gatorade describes its Hydration Booster as a carbohydrate-and-electrolyte powder for mixing with water.
- A sachet format may suit someone who prefers to prepare a drink rather than carry a ready-to-drink bottle.
- Check the nutrition information for the chosen flavour and prepared serving; a lower-sugar powder should not be assumed to be zero sugar.
Joybuy drink options
These options span flavoured water for a gaming session, a ready-to-drink hydration product, and sports drinks to consider when exercise is part of the day. They do not all serve the same purpose.
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Cadence Core Citrus Hydration Drink, 12 x 330ml
A ready-to-drink citrus option if you prefer cans beside your gaming snacks. Check the current nutrition and caffeine declarations before deciding whether it meets your lower-sugar preferences.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Flavoured Water, 1.25L
A sugar-free flavoured-water option for a sedentary gaming session, rather than a sports drink selected for exercise carbohydrate. Check the current ingredients if particular sweeteners or other ingredients matter to you.
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Lucozade Sport Raspberry Isotonic Drink, 12 x 500ml
An isotonic sports drink to consider for an exercise session, rather than choosing it solely to accompany gaming snacks. Check carbohydrate, sugars and caffeine on the current pack; also read the ingredients if you need to avoid particular sweeteners.
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Lucozade Sport Orange, 4 x 500ml
A bottled sports drink to assess if you also exercise. For ordinary desk-based play, compare its sugars and carbohydrate per 100ml with a zero-sugar drink or water; check the current label for caffeine too.
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F&N 100 Plus Malaysian Carbonated Isotonic Drink, 325ml
A carbonated isotonic option if that format appeals during an exercise occasion. If you are choosing a drink just for gaming, compare its sugars per 100ml and per 325ml serving with lower-sugar alternatives, and check the caffeine declaration.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a sports drink while gaming?
A sedentary gaming session does not, by itself, call for an exercise drink. The NHS identifies water as a choice for hydration; if you want flavour alongside snacks, compare the sugar declaration on a zero-sugar or lower-sugar option.
When might an isotonic drink make sense?
Consider an isotonic drink when you are exercising and want a drink containing carbohydrate as well as electrolytes. NHS Tayside describes isotonic drinks as containing 4g to 8g carbohydrate per 100ml, with carbohydrate providing some energy during exercise. Check the specific product label rather than applying that range to every bottle.
Is a zero-sugar sports drink the same as a sugar-free energy drink?
No: “zero sugar” describes sugar content, not the drink category or its caffeine content. Check both the product description and the caffeine declaration, particularly when buying for a younger gamer.
What is changing for high-caffeine energy drinks sold to under-16s in England?
England's Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education announced in July 2026 a sales restriction intended to begin in April 2027, subject to the legislative process. The announced rule concerns drinks other than tea or coffee containing more than 150mg caffeine per litre; it is not a current ban or a rule covering all sports drinks.