For an everyday exercise session, choose water or plain sparkling water when you mainly want a drink; choose a zero-sugar fizzy drink for flavour after checking its caffeine information. Neither replaces food when you need a pre-workout snack: the British Dietetic Association and University College London Hospitals describe food-based options that depend on exercise demands and meal timing. A sugar-sweetened fizzy drink supplies sugar, but should not be treated as a complete snack.
The drink decision changes with what you have eaten, the session ahead and whether you want fizz, flavour or both.
If you mainly want a sparkling drink before an ordinary session, plain sparkling water is an option. The NHS suggests it for people who prefer it to still water; decide separately whether your meal timing calls for food.
Think about food as well as your drink. British Dietetic Association guidance links pre-exercise eating to training demands and describes a low-fat, carbohydrate-containing snack or light meal two to three hours before exercise.
A zero-sugar name does not tell you whether a cola contains caffeine. Check the ingredients of the exact variant, particularly if you want to avoid caffeine or are counting it from other drinks.
Decide whether you need a drink, food before exercise, or both. Then compare the exact drink labels rather than relying on a flavour or range name.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink choice | For plain sparkling water, check that the product is water rather than a flavoured soft drink. If fizz feels uncomfortable during exercise, consider still water. | I mainly want something sparkling to drink, rather than expecting my drink to serve as a snack. The NHS lists sparkling water as an option for people who prefer it. |
| Food and timing | Consider when you last ate and the demands of the session. The British Dietetic Association describes a low-fat, carbohydrate-containing snack or light meal two to three hours before exercise; University College London Hospitals also describes pre-training snacks 60–90 minutes beforehand. | For a longer or harder session, I want to plan food separately instead of choosing a fizzy drink as my only pre-exercise snack. |
| Sugar and serving | Compare sugars per 100ml and the amount you expect to drink. Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g sugars per 100ml for Coca-Cola Original Taste; its Sprite listing gives 4.4g per 100ml for regular Sprite. | I want to know how much sugar is in the particular drink and serving I choose, rather than assuming all fizzy drinks are alike. |
| Caffeine | Read the exact variant’s ingredients and any stated caffeine amount. Pepsi UK lists caffeine in Pepsi Max despite its 0g sugars per 100ml; also consider caffeine from other drinks. | If I want a caffeine-free drink, I need a variant explicitly identified as caffeine-free, not just one labelled zero sugar. |
| School setting | For food or drink provided in a state-funded school in England, consult the applicable Department for Education school-food guidance. Its proposed updated standards for September 2027 remain subject to Parliamentary approval. | If I am buying for a school rather than for my own workout, I need to check the rules for that setting and nation. |
Pepsi UK lists caffeine among the ingredients of Pepsi Max, which it lists at 0g sugars per 100ml. Sugar and caffeine are separate label checks.
Read the ingredients of the exact can or bottle and choose an explicitly caffeine-free variant if that is what you need.
Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g sugars per 100ml for Original Taste. That figure does not make cola equivalent to the food-based pre-exercise snack described by the British Dietetic Association and University College London Hospitals.
Plan a snack or light meal separately when your session and meal timing call for one.
The food decision depends on the session and what you have already eaten; fizz alone does not indicate that you need a different pre-exercise routine.
Start with the duration and demands of your activity, then decide whether you want a drink, food, or both.
Department for Education school-food guidance concerns provision in state-funded schools in England. England’s restrictions on promotions of less healthy food and drink are a separate framework, according to GOV.UK.
For a school purchase, check the current rules for the nation and setting. For a personal purchase, compare the product label with your intended use.
These examples show why the exact variant matters; a brand name alone does not establish its sugar or caffeine content.
A cola range with regular and zero-sugar variants.
A cola reference for comparing zero-sugar and caffeine-free variants.
A lemon-and-lime alternative to cola.
A fruit-flavoured soft-drink range for shoppers who prefer a non-cola flavour.
A distinctively flavoured fizzy-drink range with a Zero variant.
An own-label reference for plain sparkling mineral water.
These options cover sparkling water and zero-sugar fizzy-drink variants to consider alongside your pre-workout food decision.
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Consider this sparkling-water option when you want a drink rather than a food-based snack. The pack contains eight 500ml bottles; plan food separately if needed before your session.
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A lemonade-flavoured fizzy-drink option in 330ml cans. If avoiding caffeine matters to you, check the current ingredients label; use food separately when a pre-workout snack is needed.
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For a cherry-cola flavour alongside food, this pack contains eight 330ml cans. Check the label for caffeine information if you are keeping track of your intake.
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The named caffeine-free cola variant suits a preference for cola flavour without caffeine. The pack contains 24 cans of 330ml; it remains a drink rather than a pre-workout snack.
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Choose this named caffeine-free variant if you want a Pepsi Max cola option without caffeine. The pack contains 24 cans of 330ml; consider food separately if your session calls for a snack.
Yes, if you enjoy it: the NHS suggests sparkling water as an alternative for people who do not like still water. If fizz feels uncomfortable during your session, try still water. Decide whether you need food separately, based on your meal timing and activity.
No, not when you need food before training. A zero-sugar drink can be a flavour choice, while University College London Hospitals describes pre-training snacks containing carbohydrate and protein. Consider the drink alongside, rather than in place of, an appropriate snack.
No. It may supply sugar—Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g per 100ml for Original Taste—but that is not the same as the food-based snack described in British Dietetic Association and University College London Hospitals guidance. Match any food you plan to eat to the session and when you last ate.
Check the exact variant’s ingredients and any caffeine amount on its label; zero sugar does not mean caffeine-free. Pepsi UK, for example, lists caffeine in Pepsi Max. The NHS advises consuming caffeine in moderation and says pregnant people should not exceed 200mg a day from all sources.