Gym-goers who want unsweetened fizz
If you pack a drink for a workout and do not want a sweetener, start with plain sparkling water. Check the container size against the space in your bag.
Who these choices suit
Shoppers who prefer a flavoured drink
A flavoured sparkling water may be more appealing than plain water. Compare its sugars line and ingredients, because products with similar front-of-pack wording can use different sweeteners.
Shoppers checking sugars closely
If keeping sugars to a minimum is your priority, do not rely on “no added sugar” alone. Juice-containing drinks can still list sugars in the nutrition table.
What to check before buying
Decide whether you want plain water, a sweetened flavoured water or a juice-containing drink before comparing pack sizes.
Plain sparkling water
Choose it when: You want fizz without fruit flavour or sweeteners.
Bear in mind: It will not provide the sweetness of a flavoured drink.
Flavoured water with a sweetener
Choose it when: You prefer flavour and are comfortable with the sweetener named on the label.
Bear in mind: It is not the same ingredient choice as unsweetened water.
No-added-sugar drink with juice
Choose it when: You specifically want a fruit-juice drink and have checked its sugars value.
Bear in mind: Juice can contribute sugars even when none have been added.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Read “of which sugars” per 100ml or 100g and for the amount you plan to drink. Check the ingredients for juice as well as the front-of-pack claim. | I want to avoid mistaking “no added sugar” for no sugars. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple and Elderflower drink, which contains apple juice from concentrate. |
| Sweeteners | Check whether the drink is plain or flavoured, then read the sweetener entry. M&S lists steviol glycosides for its Lemon and Lime water; Sainsbury's lists sucralose for its Lemon & Lime water. | For flavour, I would compare the named sweetener rather than assume every no-added-sugar drink has the same ingredients. If I want neither sweetness nor sweeteners, plain sparkling water fits that preference. |
| Container size | Compare the individual bottle or can size, not just the multipack total. Check that the sealed container fits in your bag. | A 330ml can or 500ml bottle is easier for me to pack than a 1L or 1.5L bottle when bag space matters. |
| Drink or snack | Use the nutrition table if you need to know what a flavoured drink contains. Choose food separately if you also intend to pack a snack. | I am choosing a drink to carry alongside my gym-bag food, not treating sparkling water as the food itself. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Fruit juice can contribute sugars. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple and Elderflower drink.
Compare the sugars value in the nutrition table with your requirement, rather than relying on the front label.
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Assuming flavoured water is unsweetened
The M&S Lemon and Lime water lists steviol glycosides, while Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime water lists sucralose.
Read the ingredients for the particular flavour you are buying. Choose plain sparkling water if you do not want a sweetener.
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Choosing a pack by its total volume
A multipack of 500ml bottles and a pack of 1L bottles make different demands on gym-bag space, even when both are plain sparkling water.
Check the size of one container before choosing a pack to carry.
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Counting on a particular flavour being in store
A product listing does not establish stock at the shop you plan to visit.
Check your selected store or delivery basket before making a trip for a specific flavour or multipack.
Brand and retailer references
These ranges illustrate different label and container choices; a brand reference does not mean every product in its range has the same ingredients.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring lists plain sparkling water in 500ml, 1.5L and 6 × 1L formats.
- The brand describes its plain sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles; its 500ml bottle is a carryable format.
- It is unflavoured, so it will not meet a preference for fruit flavour.
Perrier
Perrier describes carbonated mineral water in several containers, including a slim can.
- Perrier states that its carbonated mineral water contains no sugar.
- Check the size and availability of the particular can or bottle at your chosen retailer.
S.Pellegrino
The brand lists plain sparkling natural mineral water in a 330ml sleek can, alongside separate flavoured Essenza products.
- A 330ml can offers a smaller container than a 500ml bottle.
- Check which range you have picked: plain mineral water and Essenza flavoured water are different products.
M&S
M&S lists a 500ml Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water and a separate juice-containing Juicy Apple and Elderflower drink.
- The Lemon and Lime listing gives under 0.1g sugars per 100g and names steviol glycosides as its sweetener.
- The no-added-sugar Apple and Elderflower drink lists 6.6g sugars per 100g; do not treat the two drinks as equivalent.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists plain sparkling spring water and flavoured no-added-sugar sparkling drinks.
- Its Lemon & Lime four-pack contains 500ml bottles; the listing gives under 0.5g sugars per bottle and names sucralose.
- Check stock for the particular flavour and pack at your chosen store.
Tesco
Tesco's sugar-free flavoured sparkling-water category includes Aqua Libra products in 330ml formats.
- The category offers another place to compare flavoured, smaller-container drinks.
- Read the individual product label and check local stock rather than applying a category description to every drink.
Sparkling-water options on Joybuy
These options include plain sparkling water in individual 500ml or 1L bottles and one peach-flavoured fizzy drink. Compare the size of each bottle and check the label when sugars or sweeteners determine your choice.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 × 500ml
This plain sparkling-water pack has individual 500ml bottles to put in a gym bag. It is a drink rather than a snack.
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Buxton Sparkling, 8 × 500ml
The pack provides individual 500ml bottles for carrying one at a time. Check the ingredients and sugars line on the pack if those details determine your choice.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water, 8 × 500ml
Choose an individual 500ml bottle from this plain sparkling-water pack for your bag. Check the nutrition label if you require a stated sugars value.
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Woongjin Nature's Marlin Peach Zero PET, 500ml
This peach-flavoured 500ml bottle is an option if you want flavour rather than plain water. It contains sucralose and acesulfame K, so it does not suit a preference for an unsweetened drink; check the sugars line for your particular requirement.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water, 6 × 1L
Each bottle holds 1L, making this a larger container to carry than the 500ml options. Check the nutrition label if you require a stated sugars value.
Questions about gym-bag drinks
Does “no added sugar” mean a sparkling drink has no sugars?
No. Juice can contribute naturally occurring sugars: M&S describes its Juicy Apple and Elderflower drink as no added sugar but lists 6.6g sugars per 100g. Read the nutrition table if the amount of sugar matters to your choice.
Can I take sparkling water to a workout?
Yes, if you like drinking it and the container suits your bag. The NHS suggests sparkling water as an option for people who do not like the taste of still water. Keep a pressurised bottle or can secure and avoid shaking it before opening.
Should I choose plain or flavoured sparkling water?
Choose plain sparkling water if you do not want sweetness or sweeteners. If you prefer flavour, check the particular ingredients: M&S Lemon and Lime lists steviol glycosides, while Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime lists sucralose.
Can sparkling water take the place of a gym-bag snack?
No. Plain sparkling water is a drink, not food. If you also plan to pack a snack, choose it separately; for a flavoured drink, use its nutrition table rather than assuming what it provides.