Gym-goers carrying a fizzy drink
A can can accompany food after training, but it need not be your main drink. The NHS recommends water for replacing fluid lost through physical activity.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers who specifically want 100% juice
A 150ml can makes the NHS daily limit for fruit juice and smoothies easier to judge than a larger can. The NHS advises drinking juice with a meal.
Shoppers comparing apple-flavoured drinks
Check juice percentage, added ingredients and the nutrition units. The examples listed by ASDA Groceries, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer differ in composition; an apple name alone does not describe what is in the can.
What should you check before buying?
Start with whether you want pure juice or a sparkling apple drink, then compare the serving you would actually carry and drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Juice portion | Check the juice percentage and can size. The NHS advises a combined maximum of 150ml of fruit juice and smoothies a day, consumed with a meal. | If I want 100% sparkling juice, a 150ml can helps me keep track of that daily amount. |
| Sugars in the serving | Read the nutrition units before calculating a whole-can figure. Sainsbury’s lists Cawston Press Cloudy Apple at 4.3g sugars per 100ml, about 10.8g per 250ml can; ASDA Groceries lists Appletiser at 10.5g per 100ml, about 15.8g per 150ml can. Marks & Spencer reports its spring-water drink per 100g, not per 100ml. | I want to compare the amount in the can I would drink, rather than choose by a per-100ml figure alone. |
| Ingredients | Look for the juice percentage, water, added sugar and sweeteners. ASDA Groceries lists its 150ml Appletiser as 100% carbonated apple juice; Sainsbury’s lists Cawston Press Cloudy Apple as 49% pressed apple juice with sparkling water; Marks & Spencer lists 16% apple juice and added sugar in its sparkling spring-water drink. | A fizzy apple flavour is enough for me only if the ingredient list matches the kind of drink I meant to buy. |
| After-exercise drinks | Plan what you will drink after sweating as well as what you will have with food. The NHS identifies water as the way to replace fluid lost through physical activity. | For hydration after training, I will carry water separately if I also want a sparkling apple drink. |
| Bag handling | Check the can size and handling instructions for the exact product. Marks & Spencer’s pressurised-can label says not to shake it and to open it with care. | I need a can that fits in my bag and can be kept away from items that might crush it. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming every fizzy apple drink is pure juice
ASDA Groceries lists its 150ml Appletiser as 100% carbonated apple juice, while Sainsbury’s lists Cawston Press Cloudy Apple as a 49% juice drink and Marks & Spencer lists 16% apple juice in its sparkling spring-water drink.
Read the ingredients for juice percentage, water and added sugar or sweeteners before choosing.
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Comparing sugars without checking the units or can size
A per-100ml figure does not describe a whole can. The listed figures work out at about 10.8g sugars in a 250ml Cawston Press can and 15.8g in a 150ml Appletiser can. Marks & Spencer lists its drink per 100g, which should not be treated as per 100ml without a conversion basis.
Use the nutrition table’s stated units and serving size when comparing drinks.
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Relying on juice as the only post-workout drink
The NHS recommends water to replace fluid lost through physical activity. It also advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to 150ml a day and having them with meals rather than between meals.
Carry water for after training; if you choose juice, consider having it alongside a meal.
Brand and product-line references
These labelled products illustrate different types of sparkling apple drink; a brand name does not tell you the composition of every product in its range.
Appletiser
ASDA Groceries lists a 150ml can made from 100% carbonated apple juice from concentrate.
- The listed 150ml can matches the volume of the NHS daily limit for fruit juice and smoothies.
- ASDA Groceries lists 10.5g sugars per 100ml; the NHS advises having juice with a meal.
Cawston Press
Sainsbury’s lists Cloudy Apple as a sparkling drink containing 49% pressed apple juice and sparkling water.
- The listed 250ml can has no added sugar or sweeteners and contains 4.3g sugars per 100ml.
- Cloudy Apple is a diluted juice drink, not 100% apple juice. Check availability before making a trip for it.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists Sparkling British Apple Spring Water in a 330ml can.
- The ingredient list distinguishes this apple-flavoured spring-water drink from pure apple juice.
- It contains 16% apple juice from concentrate and added sugar; its nutrition table lists 7.6g sugars per 100g.
Sparkling apple drink options on Joybuy
These options cover mixed-fruit sparkling drinks, a 100% sparkling apple juice multipack and an apple-flavoured fizzy drink. Check the pack format against the single can you want to carry.
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J2O Sparkling Apple & Mango 4 x 250ml
A four-can option if you want a 250ml sparkling apple-and-mango drink rather than a plain apple flavour. Check the can’s ingredient and nutrition labels when comparing it with pure juice.
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J2O Sparkling Apple & Raspberry 4 x 250ml
This four-pack offers a 250ml sparkling apple-and-raspberry drink for someone choosing a mixed-fruit flavour. Check the ingredients and sugars on the can for a like-for-like comparison.
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Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling 6 x 250ml
For someone seeking sparkling apple juice rather than a mixed-fruit drink, Joybuy describes this pack as 100% carbonated apple juice. It lists 10.5g sugars per 100ml; each 250ml can is larger than the NHS daily 150ml limit for juice and smoothies, so a full can does not fit within that limit.
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Tango Sugar Free Apple 8 x 330ml
An eight-pack of 330ml apple-flavoured fizzy drinks for someone choosing that flavour rather than 100% apple juice. Check the ingredient and nutrition information on the exact pack before comparing it with juice.
Frequently asked questions
Should sparkling apple juice be my main drink after the gym?
Use water as your main drink for replacing fluid lost through exercise: that is the NHS recommendation. If you also carry a sparkling apple drink for its flavour, consider its serving size and sugars separately.
Does a 150ml can of 100% apple juice fit the daily juice guidance?
A 150ml can matches the NHS maximum combined daily amount for fruit juice and smoothies, provided you have no other juice or smoothies that day. The NHS advises having juice with a meal rather than as a between-meal snack.
Does sparkling apple spring water necessarily contain little sugar?
No: read the ingredients and nutrition table for the particular drink. Marks & Spencer lists added sugar in its Sparkling British Apple Spring Water and reports 7.6g sugars per 100g.
How should I carry a fizzy can in a gym bag?
Protect the can from heavy items and follow its own handling instructions. Marks & Spencer’s label for Sparkling British Apple Spring Water says its pressurised can should not be shaken and should be opened with care.