Snackers avoiding added sugar
If you want a fizzy drink alongside revision snacks, compare plain water with flavoured drinks rather than treating every ‘no added sugar’ label as a promise of no sugar.
Who this choice matters to
The useful distinction is not simply whether a drink tastes sweet, but what its label and ingredients say about sugar and sweeteners.
People who sip at their desks
If a bottle stays beside you through a long study session, the type of drink and repeated exposure matter as well as its sugar label. UK oral-health guidance places unflavoured sparkling water among drinks with the lowest erosive potential; it does not describe it as non-acidic.
Shoppers avoiding sweeteners
Look for an explicit no-sweeteners statement or check the ingredients. Neither ‘no added sugar’ nor ‘sugar-free’ tells you on its own that a flavoured drink contains no sweeteners.
What to check before buying
Start with the kind of drink you want—plain, flavoured without sweeteners, or sweetened—then check the exact bottle or can for sugar, ingredients and a practical pack size.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar claim | Read the front-of-pack claim alongside ‘of which sugars’ per 100ml. Check for fruit juice or concentrate in a flavoured drink; ‘no added sugar’ does not establish that total sugars are zero. | I want fizz with my snacks, but I need to know whether I am avoiding added sugar or sugar altogether. Waitrose & Partners describes Sanpellegrino Zero Peach & Clementine as containing naturally occurring sugar despite its no-added-sugar label. |
| Sweeteners and flavour | Check the ingredient list for named sweeteners and acids. If avoiding sweeteners, distinguish a plain water or explicitly unsweetened flavoured water from a sweetened sparkling drink. | Flavour appeals to me, but I do not want to assume that a sugar claim rules out sweeteners. S.Pellegrino says its Essenza range has no sugars or sweeteners; Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water. |
| Repeated sipping | Consider whether the drink will accompany one snack or sit open through hours of revision. UK oral-health guidance identifies unflavoured still and sparkling water as having the lowest erosive potential; Highland Spring reports pH4 to pH5 for its sparkling water. | When I keep a drink on my desk, I want to consider how often I sip it, not just whether it has added sugar. Still water is another option to keep to hand during a long session. |
| Pack format | Check bottle or can size, the number in the pack and the current label. For a larger bottle, read the storage instructions for after opening. | A smaller bottle may suit one session away from home; a multipack may suit several sessions or a shared household. I would choose the format I can store and use as directed. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘no sugar’
Fruit ingredients can contribute naturally occurring sugars. Waitrose & Partners labels Sanpellegrino Zero Peach & Clementine ‘no added sugar’ while noting that it contains naturally occurring sugar.
Compare the ‘of which sugars’ value and ingredients on the pack if total sugar matters to your choice.
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Assuming a sugar-free drink has no sweeteners
A sugar claim and a sweetener-free claim answer different questions. Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water, while the Waitrose & Partners listing for Sanpellegrino Zero Peach & Clementine names acesulfame K and sucralose.
If you prefer no sweeteners, check the ingredient list or choose a product that explicitly states it contains none.
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Ignoring acidity during long revision sessions
Removing added sugar does not make a fizzy drink non-acidic. Highland Spring reports pH4 to pH5 for its sparkling water, while UK oral-health guidance places unflavoured sparkling water in its lowest-erosive-potential group.
Think about whether you will have the drink with a snack or repeatedly sip it over several hours; still water is an alternative for the rest of the session.
Brand and retailer references
These examples illustrate different ingredient and flavour routes. Check the exact variant: a plain water and a flavoured drink from the same name need not have the same ingredients.
S.Pellegrino
Offers plain sparkling mineral water and the flavoured Essenza range.
- S.Pellegrino states that Essenza contains no sugars or sweeteners, making it a flavoured option to consider if you avoid both.
- Do not apply that statement to Sanpellegrino Zero fruit drinks. Waitrose & Partners lists naturally occurring sugar and sweeteners for Zero Peach & Clementine.
Perrier
A plain sparkling mineral-water option for people who do not want a sweetened fruit flavour.
- Tesco describes Perrier Original as natural mineral water fortified with gas from the spring.
- Check the specific pack and current listing rather than assuming every Perrier variant has the same ingredients.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling spring-water route available in different bottle and multipack formats.
- Highland Spring says its sparkling water has nothing added but bubbles.
- The brand reports pH4 to pH5 for its sparkling water, so ‘plain’ should not be read as ‘non-acidic’.
Tesco
Its sparkling-water assortment includes plain waters and flavoured options, including an own-label no-added-sugar drink.
- Tesco describes its Apple & Raspberry No Added Sugar Sparkling Water as flavoured carbonated water with sweetener.
- Check the current pack if you need to avoid sweeteners or meet a particular total-sugar requirement.
Sainsbury's
A retailer reference for named sparkling waters, rather than a specific own-label choice here.
- A Sainsbury's listing identifies a Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water multipack.
- Check the current listing for the pack and product you intend to buy.
M&S
Offers both plain sparkling mountain water and flavoured sparkling water.
- Marks & Spencer lists only sparkling Scottish mountain water as the ingredient in its plain product.
- Its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water lists citric acid and steviol glycosides, so choose the exact variant according to your sweetener preference.
Plain sparkling water options on Joybuy
These packs represent the plain sparkling-water route for a fizzy drink with revision snacks. Compare their bottle sizes with your study routine, and check the current pack label if a specific sugar value or ingredient matters to you.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
A plain sparkling mineral-water option if you prefer fizz without a fruit-flavoured drink alongside your snacks. The pack contains six 0.5L bottles; check the label for current ingredients and storage instructions.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 x 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles give you individual portions for separate study sessions. This is a sparkling-water option rather than a named fruit-flavoured drink; check the current pack if you need a particular ingredient or nutrition value.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 x 500ml
A plain sparkling spring-water option in eight 500ml bottles, suitable for choosing a separate bottle for each revision break. Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles; check this pack’s label for the exact nutrition information you need.
Frequently asked questions
Is ‘no added sugar’ the same as ‘sugar-free’?
No. A no-added-sugar drink can still contain naturally occurring sugars, as the Waitrose & Partners listing for Sanpellegrino Zero Peach & Clementine illustrates. Check the ‘of which sugars’ value on the exact pack if total sugar is important to you.
Can no-added-sugar sparkling drinks contain sweeteners?
Yes. Tesco describes its Apple & Raspberry No Added Sugar Sparkling Water as containing sweetener, while Waitrose & Partners lists acesulfame K and sucralose in Sanpellegrino Zero Peach & Clementine. Read the ingredients if you prefer to avoid them.
What if I want fizz without sugars or sweeteners?
Start with plain sparkling water, or check a flavoured product for an explicit statement covering both sugars and sweeteners. S.Pellegrino makes both claims for its Essenza range; do not assume they apply to its other flavoured drinks.
Should I keep sipping sparkling water throughout revision?
Consider how often you drink it during a long session, rather than judging it by sugar alone. UK oral-health guidance places unflavoured still and sparkling water among drinks with the lowest erosive potential, but Highland Spring reports pH4 to pH5 for its sparkling water. Still water is another desk-side option.