5k runners who enjoy fizzy drinks
Sparkling water can be a drink before or after a run if you find it comfortable. Keep the drink separate from any carbohydrate-containing food you need for your session.
Who is this for?
Runners comparing flavoured drinks
If you want flavour, check whether the particular drink contains sugar, juice or sweeteners. “No added sugar”, “diet” and “unsweetened” do not describe identical formulations.
Runners who feel full after fizzy drinks
Carbonation can make drinking less comfortable. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association notes that stomach fullness from carbonated drinks may reduce how much athletes choose to drink; still water avoids that particular issue.
What should you check?
Decide whether you want the drink for fluid, flavour or carbohydrate, then compare the label and consider when you will drink it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid or fuel | Check carbohydrates per serving if you expect the drink to supply them. The UK Sports Institute says carbohydrate needs increase with exercise intensity and duration; a zero-carbohydrate drink cannot supply carbohydrate for that purpose. | I want a drink around my run, but I’ll plan any carbohydrate-containing food or drink separately if my session needs it. |
| Sugar and sweeteners | Compare sugars per 100 ml and per container, alongside the ingredients. Tesco lists 1.0 g sugars per 500 ml bottle and sucralose in its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry drink; its San Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry listing says no sugar and no sweetener. | I’d like flavour, and I want to know whether it comes without sweeteners or from a sweetened diet drink. I won’t rely on “no added sugar” alone to answer that. |
| Comfort near the run | Consider whether bubbles leave you feeling full or less willing to drink. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association identifies stomach fullness as a reason carbonated drinks may reduce voluntary fluid intake. | If fizz is uncomfortable before or during a run, I’d rather have still water and save a sparkling drink for another time. |
| Pack format | Check the container size, number of containers and whether a closure is specified. Match the format to where you expect to drink it rather than treating pack size as evidence of fuelling value. | For a drink away from home, I want a container I can carry; for drinks at home, a multipack may suit how I use them. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating a zero-sugar fizzy drink as run fuel
A drink without meaningful carbohydrate will not provide carbohydrate for a run. The UK Sports Institute notes that carbohydrate needs vary with exercise intensity and duration.
Choose the drink for fluid or taste, and consider any carbohydrate-containing food separately according to your session.
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Assuming every flavoured water is sugar-free
Names can conceal different formulations. Tesco lists sugars and sucralose in its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry drink, while M&S lists apple juice and sugar in its Sparkling British Apple Spring Water.
Read the sugars figure per 100 ml and per container, then check the ingredients for juice, sugar and sweeteners.
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Trying fizz immediately before a run for the first time
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association says carbonated drinks may reduce voluntary fluid intake because of stomach fullness.
Find out during ordinary training whether sparkling water feels comfortable for you. Choose still water near a run if bubbles make drinking difficult.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show how plain, flavoured and diet-labelled drinks can differ; a brand’s presence here does not describe every product it sells.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling spring-water option. Highland Spring describes its sparkling range as having nothing added but bubbles.
- Tesco lists its sparkling-water multipack as carbonated spring water.
- Plain sparkling water is not a carbohydrate-fuelling choice, and carbonation may feel uncomfortable close to a run.
San Pellegrino
Offers plain sparkling mineral water and Essenza flavoured sparkling water.
- Tesco lists Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry as having no sugar and no sweetener; Sainsbury’s lists mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural flavouring among its ingredients.
- Check the exact flavour’s label. An unsweetened sparkling drink is still not a carbohydrate-fuelling choice.
Perrier
A plain sparkling mineral-water reference for readers who do not want a flavoured drink.
- Perrier describes its carbonated mineral water as sugar-free and calorie-free.
- It remains fizzy, so consider whether carbonation suits you near a run.
Tesco
Its own-label flavoured sparkling water illustrates why “no added sugar” needs a closer look.
- Tesco lists 1.0 g sugars per 500 ml bottle for its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry drink.
- The same product lists sucralose, so it is not a sweetener-free option.
Sainsbury’s
Its sparkling-water range includes own-label plain spring water as well as flavoured and branded options.
- The range offers a way to compare plain and flavoured formats.
- Check the particular product’s ingredients and nutrition label rather than applying one formulation to the whole range.
M&S
Its labelled drinks show the distinction between a diet sparkling drink and a juice-containing sparkling water.
- M&S lists sucralose and 0.5 g sugars per 100 g in Diet Pineapple & Grapefruit.
- Its Sparkling British Apple Spring Water lists apple juice, added sugar and 7.6 g sugars per 100 g; a fruit-based name does not establish a diet formulation.
Joybuy sparkling drink options
These Joybuy options include plain sparkling water and flavoured fizzy drinks to consider around a 5k. Check the individual label when a precise sugar, carbohydrate or sweetener formulation matters to your choice.
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Woongjin Nature’s Marlin Peach Zero PET 500ml
A peach-labelled fizzy option if you prefer flavour to plain sparkling water. The title specifies a 500 ml PET bottle; check the nutrition and ingredients labels for the sugars, carbohydrates and sweeteners relevant to your choice. Do not rely on “Zero” as a fuelling description.
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Cano Water Sparkling Resealable 12 × 500ml
A plain sparkling-water format for someone who wants individual containers before or after a run. The title specifies 12 resealable 500 ml containers; choose still water instead if fizz makes drinking uncomfortable.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 0.5 L
A plain mineral-water choice if you want sparkling water rather than a flavoured diet drink. This pack contains six 0.5 L bottles; plan any carbohydrate-containing food separately when your session calls for it.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500ml
A plain sparkling spring-water option in eight 500 ml bottles. If exact sugar or carbohydrate figures matter to you, check the current nutrition label; use a separate carbohydrate source when your run plan requires one.
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Chi Forest Wang Lin Green Apple Sparkling Water 15 × 480ml
A green-apple-flavoured sparkling option in a case of fifteen 480 ml bottles. Check the current ingredients and nutrition label before choosing it for a particular sugar or sweetener preference; its flavour and pack format alone do not establish its carbohydrate content.
Frequently asked questions
Can zero-sugar sparkling water fuel a 5k?
It cannot provide carbohydrate fuel if it contains no carbohydrate. The UK Sports Institute says carbohydrate needs rise with exercise intensity and duration, so consider any carbohydrate-containing food or drink separately for your session rather than expecting a zero-sugar water to supply it.
Should I drink sparkling water immediately before or during a 5k?
Choose it only if you find carbonation comfortable at that time. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association notes that stomach fullness from carbonated drinks may reduce voluntary fluid intake; still water avoids that issue if bubbles put you off drinking.
Does “no added sugar” mean sugar-free?
No. Tesco lists 1.0 g sugars per 500 ml bottle in its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry Sparkling Flavoured Water, which also contains sucralose. Read both the sugars figure and ingredients for the specific drink.
How can I find a flavoured sparkling water without sweeteners?
Check the particular flavour for a no-sweetener statement and read its ingredients. Tesco lists San Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry as having no sugar and no sweetener, while Sainsbury’s lists mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural flavouring among its ingredients.