Gym-goers replacing sugary fizzy drinks
Plain sparkling water offers a fizzy alternative without choosing a flavoured soft drink. If flavour matters, compare the sugars value per 100ml rather than relying on a diet or no-added-sugar label alone.
Who might choose each type?
Shoppers who want to avoid sweeteners
Check the full ingredients list. Sainsbury’s lists a lemon-and-lime sparkling drink with sweetener, while its plain sparkling spring water lists spring water and carbon dioxide.
People who sip fizzy drinks frequently
Lower sugar does not settle the question of acidity. An NHS oral-health leaflet warns that sugar-free, no-added-sugar, fizzy and diet drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth wear.
What should you check?
Start with the drink’s ingredients and sugars value, then choose a container you would carry for one gym visit.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Read the sugars value per 100ml and per bottle or can. Check whether a no-added-sugar drink contains naturally occurring sugar. | I want a fizzy drink without routinely choosing a sugar-sweetened soft drink. |
| Sweeteners and flavour | Read the ingredients for sweeteners such as sucralose. If avoiding sweeteners, check a flavoured drink’s full list rather than assuming its front label settles the question. | Flavour would make this drink more appealing, but I want to decide separately whether to have a sweetener. |
| Container size | Compare 330ml cans and 500ml bottles with 1L or larger bottles. For carbonated containers, check the handling instructions and keep the drink protected from impact. | A sealed portion I can put in my gym bag suits one visit; a larger bottle makes more sense for use at home. |
| Frequent sipping | Do not treat a sugar-free label as an acidity measure. An NHS oral-health leaflet warns that fizzy and diet drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth wear. | If I regularly sip a drink between meals, I want to consider acidity as well as sugar. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar and no sweeteners”
These are different descriptions. Sanpellegrino says its Zero Added Sugar range contains naturally occurring sugar, while Sainsbury’s describes its Lemon & Lime sparkling water as a no-added-sugar drink with sweetener.
Compare the sugars value per 100ml with the full ingredients list before choosing a flavoured drink.
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Putting a large bottle in a bag for one visit
A 1L or 2L bottle takes up more space than an individual 330ml can or 500ml bottle and may be opened more than once.
Choose a sealed single-visit format if you intend to carry the drink; consider a larger bottle for use at home.
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Assuming sugar-free fizzy drinks are like plain water for teeth
An NHS oral-health leaflet warns that sugar-free, no-added-sugar, fizzy and diet drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth wear.
Consider how often you sip a fizzy drink, not just what its sugars line says.
Relevant brand references
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling spring-water option in individual bottles.
- Sainsbury’s lists Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water in an 8 × 500ml pack.
- Check the current pack label for the details that matter to you.
Sainsbury’s
Its own-label examples show why plain and flavoured sparkling water need different label checks.
- Its 12 × 500ml plain sparkling spring water lists spring water and carbon dioxide.
- Its Lemon & Lime no-added-sugar sparkling drink is described as containing sweetener, so it does not suit someone avoiding sweeteners.
S.Pellegrino
Offers sparkling water in PET bottles and a flavoured Essenza range in cans.
- Sanpellegrino describes its PET bottles as suitable for use on the go; its Essenza Tangerine & Wild Strawberry comes in a 330ml can with 0g sugars listed per can.
- Check the exact range and ingredients: a flavoured Essenza can is not the same product as plain sparkling mineral water.
Perrier
A sparkling mineral-water option for shoppers considering plain water rather than a flavoured drink.
- Tesco lists a Perrier sparkling water in a 1L bottle.
- Consider whether you want to carry a 1L bottle for one gym visit or use it at home.
Tesco
An own-label plain sparkling spring-water example in a larger bottle.
- Tesco Every Day Value Sparkling Water 2L lists spring water and carbon dioxide as its ingredients.
- A 2L bottle is better considered for home use than as a single gym-bag portion.
M&S
Its sparkling-water range includes 500ml options.
- M&S lists 500ml sparkling Irish natural mineral water and sparkling Scottish mountain water.
- Its sparkling Irish natural mineral water label identifies a pressurised container and advises opening it with care.
Joybuy sparkling water options
These plain sparkling-water packs include individual 500ml drinks for a gym bag and a larger-bottle option for use at home.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 0.5L
The six individual 500ml bottles provide a sealed format to take to separate outings. The listing gives natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and 0g sugars per 100ml.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 × 500ml
Individual 500ml bottles suit carrying one drink to a gym visit. The listing gives natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and 0g sugars per 100ml.
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Cano Water Sparkling Resealable 12 × 500ml
The pack contains twelve individual 500ml resealable cans for taking one drink at a time. Its listing gives natural spring water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and 0g sugars per 100ml.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500ml
Eight individual 500ml bottles offer a plain sparkling-water format for separate gym visits. The listing describes naturally sourced water without a listed flavouring or sweetener; check the current nutrition label if you need a stated sugars value.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 × 1L
Six 1L bottles suit keeping plain sparkling water at home more readily than carrying a full bottle for one gym visit. The listing describes natural sparkling water without listed flavourings or sweeteners; check the current nutrition label if a stated sugars value matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
Can sparkling water be a drink after a workout?
Sparkling water is an option if you want a fizzy water drink. The NHS advises drinking extra fluid after sweating through physical activity and identifies water as a choice for hydration; choose a container size that meets what you intend to drink.
Does “no added sugar” mean no sugar or sweeteners?
No. Sanpellegrino says its Zero Added Sugar range contains naturally occurring sugar, and Sainsbury’s describes its Lemon & Lime sparkling water as containing sweetener. Read both the sugars value on the nutrition panel and the ingredients list.
Is a sugar-free fizzy drink the same as plain water for teeth?
No. An NHS oral-health leaflet warns that sugar-free, no-added-sugar, fizzy and diet drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth wear. Consider how frequently you sip them, as well as their sugar content.
What size of sparkling water should I put in a gym bag?
A sealed 330ml can or 500ml bottle is a manageable choice for one visit; a 1L or 2L bottle may be more useful at home. Keep a carbonated container protected from impact and follow its instructions when opening it.