Soft Drinks & Fizzy Drinks

Fizzy drinks and soft drinks are safe to consume during pregnancy, though some contain caffeine and most contain significant amounts of sugar, which are worth being mindful of. Lemonade, fruit-flavoured fizzy drinks, ginger beer, tonic water, and sparkling fruit drinks contain no caffeine and are safe, though they are high in sugar. Cola drinks (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and similar) do contain caffeine — typically around 35–40mg per 330ml can — which should be counted towards your daily 200mg caffeine limit if you are also drinking tea or coffee. Diet versions of fizzy drinks contain artificial sweeteners rather than sugar, and most sweeteners used in mainstream diet drinks (aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-K) are considered safe during pregnancy. The one to check for is saccharin, which is best avoided. Energy drinks should be avoided entirely during pregnancy due to their high caffeine content (often 80–160mg per can) and additional stimulants such as taurine and guarana whose safety in pregnancy is not well established. In general, water (still or sparkling) is the best drink for staying hydrated, but having a fizzy drink occasionally is entirely fine.