People looking for a zero-sugar drink
If you want fizz without sugar or calories before training, compare the exact drink’s nutrition panel. “Zero added sugar” does not necessarily mean zero total sugar or zero calories.
Who is this choice for?
People who find fizz uncomfortable before exercise
Still water is a straightforward alternative if carbonation bothers you. A small study of 15 people during submaximal cycling found similar reported comfort with carbonated and still drinks, but that does not settle individual preference.
People planning longer or sweatier sessions
Consider the session’s duration, intensity and conditions as well as how much you tend to sweat. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association notes that fluid needs vary with factors including heat, clothing and starting hydration.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the drink’s label and how fizz feels before exercise, then consider whether the planned workout calls for more than an ordinary drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and calories | For a strict zero-sugar, zero-calorie choice, read the total sugars and energy values for the exact flavour. Do not treat “zero added sugar” as the same claim. | I want a fizzy drink without sugar or calories, so the nutrition panel matters more to me than the front-of-pack wording. Sanpellegrino says its UK Zero Added Sugar range contains naturally occurring sugar and fewer than 21 calories per can. |
| Workout conditions | Consider duration, intensity, heat, clothing, sweat rate and starting hydration. Do not use a mineral-water label alone to decide whether a drink meets the demands of a high-sweat session. | For a longer or hotter workout, I need to plan what I will drink around the session rather than assume my usual bottle is enough. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association identifies these conditions as factors in dehydration risk. |
| Comfort with fizz | Choose between sparkling and still water according to how each feels before your activity. Avoid treating a small cycling study as a rule for every workout or person. | If bubbles make me feel uncomfortable close to training, I would rather take still water. A study of 15 people during submaximal cycling found no carbonation effect on gastric emptying or reported comfort. |
| Food alongside the drink | Decide separately whether you need food before the planned session. Plain sparkling water is a drink, not a substitute for a snack. | I may want something to eat as well as a drink. The UK Sports Institute advises a food-first approach to sports nutrition rather than relying on one beverage. |
| Everyday sipping | Distinguish plain water from flavoured fizzy or diet drinks, even when the latter contain no sugar. Consider how often you sip an acidic drink. | If I drink fizzy options throughout the day, sugar content is not my only consideration. Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust warns that many sugar-free, no-added-sugar and fizzy drinks are acidic and can contribute to tooth wear. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading “zero added sugar” as “zero sugar”
A drink can contain naturally occurring sugar and calories without added sugar. Sanpellegrino makes that distinction for its UK Zero Added Sugar range.
Check total sugars and energy on the nutrition panel for the particular flavour and pack.
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Making sparkling water the whole pre-workout snack
Plain sparkling water is a drink and does not take the place of food when you want something to eat before training.
Make food and drink separate choices for the session; use sparkling water as the drink if it suits you.
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Treating mineral water as a complete hydration plan
A mineral figure on a bottle does not establish how much fluid or electrolytes you need during prolonged, hot or high-sweat exercise. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association identifies exercise and environmental conditions, clothing and sweat rate as relevant factors.
Plan fluids for the activity and your own response. If you repeatedly have dehydration symptoms or have a condition affecting fluid management, seek individual professional advice.
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Assuming sugar-free fizzy drinks are neutral for teeth
Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust notes that many sugar-free, no-added-sugar and fizzy drinks are acidic and can contribute to tooth wear.
Consider how often you sip them, and distinguish flavoured fizzy drinks from plain water when choosing an everyday drink.
Which brand ranges are relevant?
Highland Spring
Highland Spring describes its plain sparkling spring water as water from the Ochil Hills with bubbles added.
- Its product page lists 500 ml, 1.5 L and 6 × 1 L formats.
- The mineral values on that page describe this water; they do not determine an individual exercise-hydration plan.
S.Pellegrino
The brand offers sparkling mineral water and a flavoured Essenza range. Check the range name when choosing by sugar and calorie content.
- According to Sanpellegrino, Essenza contains no sugars, sweeteners or calories.
- Its separate UK Zero Added Sugar drinks contain naturally occurring sugar and fewer than 21 calories per can, according to the brand.
Perrier
Perrier presents its plain carbonated mineral water as an unflavoured fizzy-water option.
- Perrier describes that plain product as containing no sugar and zero calories.
- Check the label of a flavoured variation separately rather than applying the plain product’s description to the whole range.
Tesco
Tesco’s sparkling-water category includes its own-label sparkling natural mineral water alongside other brands.
- The category provides a way to compare own-label and branded pack formats.
- Check the exact product listing and label when comparing packs; category listings can change.
Sparkling water options on Joybuy
These options include plain sparkling water and one lemon-flavoured soda-water drink for a pre-workout drinks choice. If zero sugar and zero calories are essential, check the nutrition panel of the exact product before buying.
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Cano Water Sparkling Resealable 12 × 500 ml
The resealable 500 ml format may suit taking a sparkling drink to a workout. The pack contains 12; plan any pre-workout food separately.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 0.5 L
A plain sparkling mineral-water option in six 0.5 L bottles. Choose still water instead if carbonation feels uncomfortable before exercise.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 × 500 ml
This sparkling-water pack contains eight individual 500 ml bottles. Consider whether fizz suits you close to the planned workout.
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7FRESH Lemon Flavoured Soda Water Drink 6 × 330 ml
This is a lemon-flavoured soda-water drink rather than plain mineral water, in six 330 ml bottles. Check its nutrition panel if total sugars and calories determine your choice.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500 ml
Eight 500 ml bottles offer a plain sparkling spring-water format. Check the exact product label if sugar and calorie values are essential to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is sparkling water a pre-workout snack?
No. Plain sparkling water is a drink, not food or a meaningful source of exercise fuel. If you want something to eat before training, choose food separately; the UK Sports Institute advises a food-first approach to sports nutrition.
Can sparkling water count towards hydration before exercise?
Yes. The NHS suggests sparkling water for people who do not like the taste of plain water. It also advises extra fluids after sweating from physical activity; how much you need depends on the activity and conditions.
Should I switch to still water just before a workout?
Switch if carbonation feels uncomfortable to you, rather than because still water is proven better for everyone. In a study of 15 people during submaximal cycling, carbonation did not affect gastric emptying or reported gastrointestinal comfort.
Does “zero added sugar” mean zero sugar and zero calories?
No. Sanpellegrino says its UK Zero Added Sugar range contains naturally occurring sugar and fewer than 21 calories per can. Read total sugars and energy on the label of the exact drink you are considering.
Is ordinary sparkling water enough for a long or hot workout?
Do not assume one drink suits every long or hot session. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association notes that dehydration risk varies with exercise intensity, environmental conditions, clothing, sweat rate and starting hydration. Plan fluids around those conditions and your own needs rather than treating the mineral content of sparkling water as a complete strategy.