People taking a drink with a pre-workout snack
Plain sparkling water is an option when you want fluid alongside food without choosing a sugary soft drink. Keep the two jobs distinct: water is the drink, while the snack supplies food before exercise.
Who is this for?
Shoppers who prefer a flavoured fizzy drink
Flavoured sparkling products can differ from plain water. For example, Volvic lists citric acid and sweeteners in Touch of Strawberry Sparkling, so check the exact ingredients if those distinctions matter to you.
People carrying a drink to a workout
A single can or bottle can fit a journey to a gym or class. Highland Spring lists a 500ml sparkling bottle, while evian lists a 33cl sparkling can for the UK.
What should you check?
Decide what you want from the drink, then check its ingredients, the format and whether you are comfortable having it before exercise.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink or snack | Decide whether you need a drink, food or both. Plain sparkling water does not supply the carbohydrate role of a snack; Sports Dietitians Australia advises familiar, well-tolerated pre-exercise food that is higher in carbohydrate and lower in fat. | I want something to drink with my snack, rather than replacing the snack with water. |
| Ingredients | Read the exact ingredient list and nutrition panel. A flavoured sparkling drink may contain ingredients beyond water and carbonation; Volvic lists citric acid and sweeteners in its Touch of Strawberry Sparkling product. | If I want plain water, the word “sparkling” alone will not tell me whether a flavoured product fits. |
| Comfort before exercise | Consider whether you find carbonation comfortable before movement. Try an unfamiliar drink and snack combination during an ordinary training session. | I would rather know how the combination feels before relying on it ahead of a demanding session. |
| Pack format | Match a single can or bottle to travel, or a multipack to regular use at home. Check the stated volume and number of containers on the exact pack. | For a journey, I want one container I can carry; at home, I may prefer to keep several ready. |
What can go wrong?
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Treating sparkling water as the snack
Plain sparkling water provides fluid but does not take the place of food when you need a pre-exercise snack.
Decide whether you need a drink, food or both. Sports Dietitians Australia advises choosing familiar, well-tolerated pre-exercise foods that are higher in carbohydrate and lower in fat.
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Assuming every sparkling drink is plain water
Flavoured versions can have a different ingredient list. Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sparkling, for example, lists citric acid and sweeteners.
Check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the exact flavour and pack before choosing it.
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Trying an unfamiliar fizzy drink just before a demanding session
Carbonation may feel comfortable to some people before movement and not to others.
Try the drink volume and snack combination during ordinary training before deciding whether to use them ahead of a race or hard workout.
Brand and product references
These examples show different sparkling-water formats and ingredients; a brand name alone does not settle which drink suits your snack or journey.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring describes its sparkling spring water as water with added bubbles and lists 500ml and larger bottle formats.
- A 500ml bottle offers a single-container option to consider for travel.
- The drink is not a substitute for food when you need a pre-workout snack.
Buxton
Buxton describes its sparkling product as natural mineral water and lists it as having no calories.
- A plain sparkling option for shoppers choosing a drink alongside food.
- Its sparkling water does not provide the carbohydrate role of a snack.
evian
evian lists sparkling water in a 33cl can and a 1L bottle for UK shoppers.
- The 33cl can is a smaller single-container format.
- Choose the format for how you will carry and drink it, not as a source of pre-exercise food.
Volvic
Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sparkling is a flavoured sparkling drink rather than plain carbonated water.
- Volvic’s ingredient list identifies the flavouring, citric acid and sweeteners, so shoppers can check whether this specific drink suits their preferences.
- Do not assume its ingredients match those of plain sparkling water or another Volvic flavour.
Sparkling water options on Joybuy
These sparkling-water packs offer smaller cans or bottles to take with a snack, alongside a larger-bottle format for keeping at home. Choose the drink format separately from any food you want before exercise.
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Cano Water Sparkling Resealable 12 × 500ml
The resealable 500ml cans offer an individual container to take with a snack; the pack contains 12. Sparkling water is a drink alongside food, not a replacement for it.
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Icelandic Glacial Classic Sparkling Mineral Water 330ml can
The 330ml can is a single-container option for carrying to a workout. If you also need a pre-exercise snack, choose that separately.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 0.5L
Six 0.5L bottles give you individual bottles to take out or keep at home. Pick a bottle size you are comfortable drinking before exercise.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500ml
The eight-pack contains individual 500ml bottles, a format to consider when taking a drink with a snack or keeping bottles at home. Check the exact label if nutrition values affect your choice.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 × 1L
Six 1L bottles suit keeping sparkling water at home for snack preparation. A 1L bottle is larger to carry than the smaller formats shown here; check the exact label if nutrition values matter to you.
Common questions
Can sparkling water replace a pre-workout snack?
No. Plain sparkling water is a drink and does not supply the carbohydrate provided by food. If you need a snack before exercise, Sports Dietitians Australia advises choosing familiar, well-tolerated food that is higher in carbohydrate and lower in fat.
Can I choose sparkling water before exercise?
Yes, if you find it comfortable to drink before activity. The NHS suggests sparkling water as an option for people who do not like the taste of still water; choose a volume and timing that work for your session rather than treating one bottle size as a plan for every workout.
How do I check a flavoured sparkling drink for sweeteners?
Read the ingredients and nutrition panel for the exact product. Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sparkling, for example, lists acesulfame K and sucralose among its ingredients, so a flavoured sparkling drink should not automatically be treated as plain water.
Should I choose a can, a small bottle or a multipack?
Choose a single can or smaller bottle if you want one container to carry with a snack; consider a multipack if you regularly prepare drinks at home. Check the volume of each container as well as the number in the pack, and consider whether you will be comfortable drinking that amount before exercise.