For a quick breakfast on the go, plain sparkling water is the simplest choice if you want to avoid added sugar, fruit juice and sweeteners. If you prefer flavour, check the exact drink: a no-added-sugar fruit drink can still contain sugars from its fruit ingredients, while a sugar-free flavoured water may contain a sweetener. Compare the ingredients and sugars per container as well as the pack format.
If you want a drink to take with breakfast on the journey or at your desk, start with plain sparkling water and choose a container you can carry. For a flavoured or fruit-based drink, check the ingredients and total sugars on the exact pack.
Flavoured sparkling drinks take different approaches to sweetness. Decide whether a sweetener is acceptable to you, then read the ingredient list rather than relying on a sugar-free or no-added-sugar label alone.
If a fruit-based sparkling drink appeals to you, compare its total sugars with those of the plain water or flavoured water you are considering. Fruit juice or purée can contribute sugars even when no sugar has been added.
Choose the type of drink first, then check its label and container size against how you will use it at breakfast.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink type | Distinguish plain sparkling water from flavoured water and fruit-based sparkling drinks. Check the product description and ingredients, not just the front-of-pack claim. | I want a straightforward fizzy drink with breakfast, without choosing a fruit- or sweetener-containing variant by mistake. |
| Total sugars | For fruit-based drinks, compare total sugars per 100 ml or 100 g as labelled, then check the container size and the ingredients. Marks & Spencer lists 7.3 g sugars per 100 g for its no-added-sugar Pineapple & Passion Fruit drink. | “No added sugar” is not enough for me if I am also trying to avoid sugars from juice or purée. |
| Sweeteners | Look for named sweeteners in the ingredient list. Tesco lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Apple & Raspberry drink; M&S lists steviol glycosides in its sugar-free Lemon & Lime sparkling water. | I enjoy a flavoured drink, but I want to decide for myself whether its sweetener is one I would choose. |
| Pack format | Check the volume of each can or bottle, whether it can be resealed, and the directions for storage after opening. A multipack size is not the size of one serving. | For a journey, I may want one container I can carry; if I will drink it later, resealing and the pack’s storage directions matter too. |
A fruit-based sparkling drink can carry a no-added-sugar claim and still contain sugars from juice or purée. M&S lists 7.3 g sugars per 100 g for its Pineapple & Passion Fruit sparkling drink.
Read the total-sugars figure and ingredients together, and use the container size to work out which labelled quantity you would actually drink.
These are different label questions: Tesco’s no-added-sugar Apple & Raspberry drink lists sucralose, while M&S’s sugar-free Lemon & Lime sparkling water lists steviol glycosides.
If you want flavour without a sweetener, check the exact variant’s ingredient list and any no-sweetener statement.
A multipack may contain conveniently sized individual drinks, while a larger bottle means carrying a larger container. A can and a resealable bottle also work differently if you will not finish the drink at once.
Check the size and closure of each container, then follow that product’s storage instructions after opening.
These examples show why it is worth comparing individual ranges and variants rather than treating every drink under a brand name alike.
A plain sparkling-water range with several container sizes; Highland Spring describes its water as having nothing added but bubbles.
Its cited Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry variant offers flavour without a listed sweetener.
Perrier describes its carbonated mineral water as sugar-free and lists Original and flavoured varieties on its international site.
Its cited Apple & Raspberry product illustrates a no-added-sugar flavoured drink that contains both fruit ingredients and a sweetener.
The cited M&S drinks show how much recipes can differ within a retailer’s sparkling-drink range.
These are plain sparkling-water packs to consider for the no-added-sugar breakfast route. Compare the size of each individual container: the smaller bottles and cans suit carrying one drink, while the 1 L bottles serve a different pack-size preference.
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A plain sparkling-water option with an individual 500 ml bottle to take with breakfast. This is a pack of eight, rather than a single bottle.
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Plain sparkling mineral water in individual 0.5 L bottles for taking one with breakfast. Check the bottle’s directions if you expect to keep it after opening.
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Plain sparkling water in a pack of eight individual 500 ml bottles. If you may not finish a bottle during your journey, check its post-opening directions.
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A plain sparkling-water option in individual 500 ml resealable cans. Resealing may matter if you will not finish one at breakfast; follow the can’s storage directions after opening.
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A plain sparkling-water pack with six 1 L bottles. Each bottle is larger to carry than the 500 ml options above, so consider whether you want it for a single journey or for breakfast at home.
No. A fruit-based drink can have no added sugar yet contain sugars from its fruit ingredients. Compare total sugars on the nutrition panel with the ingredients list; M&S, for example, lists 7.3 g sugars per 100 g for its no-added-sugar Pineapple & Passion Fruit sparkling drink.
Choose plain sparkling water if you want to avoid sorting through fruit-juice and sweetener ingredients in flavoured drinks. Then check the size and closure of the individual bottle or can against your journey. The NHS also suggests sparkling water as an alternative for people who do not like still water.
Yes. M&S lists steviol glycosides in its sugar-free Lemon & Lime sparkling water, while Tesco lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Apple & Raspberry drink. Read the ingredients of the particular flavour if sweeteners affect your choice.
Treat them as different types of drink and compare the fruit ingredients and labelled total sugars, including the amount in the container you plan to drink. The NHS explains that sugars naturally present in unsweetened fruit juice appear in the total-sugars figure; a no-added-sugar claim does not make a fruit drink equivalent to plain water.