Fizz swaps

Best unsweetened sparkling water (plain only)

For the QuitSoda challenge, the best sparkling water is a plain one. Here are five widely sold options whose labels list only water and carbonation, plus how to check any can in your store.

By Patrick McCarthy, reviewed Oct 29, 2026

Not medical advice. QuitSoda is habit support for adults. If caffeine, sugar, pregnancy, medicines, or a health condition affect your plan, ask your clinician.

Short answer: Pick a sparkling water whose ingredient list is only carbonated water, or mineral water and carbon dioxide. LaCroix Pure, Perrier Original, S.Pellegrino, Topo Chico Mineral Water, and plain store-brand seltzer all qualify by their labels. Flavored cans count as soda on the challenge, even unsweetened ones.

QuitSoda earns a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Plain sparkling waters that pass the label test

Each of these lists only water and carbonation on its label. Sodium is per serving as each label or database record states it, so serving sizes differ.

Plain unsweetened sparkling waters and what their labels list
Product	Type	Ingredients listed	Sodium per serving
LaCroix Pure	Sparkling water	Carbonated water	0 mg per 12 oz can
Perrier Original	Sparkling mineral water	Carbonated mineral water	0 mg per 8 fl oz
S.Pellegrino	Sparkling mineral water	Carbonated mineral water	10 mg per 12 fl oz
Topo Chico Mineral Water	Sparkling mineral water	Mineral water, carbon dioxide	15 mg per 355 mL bottle
Whole Foods Market Pure Sparkling Water	Store-brand sparkling water	Carbonated water	0 mg per 355 mL

This is not a taste ranking. Any of them works for the challenge, so the best one for you is the one you will actually keep cold in your fridge. A store brand with the same one-line ingredient list is just as good and often costs less.

If your store is out, here are the plain versions on Amazon. Check the ingredient list and pack size on the listing before you order, because listings and prices change.

Seltzer, club soda, or mineral water?

Seltzer and sparkling water are water with added carbon dioxide. On the label you will usually see one ingredient: carbonated water.
Sparkling mineral water has a legal meaning. Under FDA rules, mineral water must come from a protected underground source, contain at least 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids, and have no minerals added. That is why brands like S.Pellegrino and Topo Chico list some calcium and sodium.
Club soda varies by brand. Some add salts for taste, so check the sodium line and the ingredient list before you buy a case.

All three count as on-plan for QuitSoda as long as nothing else is added. If you want a deeper comparison of fizz versus soda, see sparkling water vs soda.

How to check any can in 10 seconds

Read the ingredient list, not the front of the can. Words like "pure," "natural," or "zero" on the front do not tell you what is inside.
Plain means the list says carbonated water, sparkling water, or mineral water and carbon dioxide. Nothing else.
If you see "natural flavor," fruit juice, or any sweetener, it is a flavored drink. For the challenge, that counts as soda, even with 0 calories.
Check the exact package. The same brand can differ by format. Perrier's Canadian product page, for example, lists natural flavour on its sleek can but not on the glass bottle.
Watch for added caffeine. Some sparkling water lines add it, and packaged foods must list caffeine in the ingredients when it is added.

Want it a little less plain? A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime at home is fine on the challenge, and the CDC suggests the same trick for water.

Why plain only on QuitSoda

The challenge is about breaking the soda habit, not finding a new can that tastes almost like it. Flavored and sweetened fizz keeps the same cue and reward going, so QuitSoda tracks it as soda. Plain sparkling water gives you the cold, fizzy part without the flavor hook. The CDC lists sparkling water and seltzers among low-calorie drink choices.

If you drink a lot of it, a home carbonator can cut down on cans. A Drinkmate® OmniFizz is one option. Read the home carbonator guide before buying one, and try store sparkling water first. For more picks by situation, see everyday soda swaps and soda alternatives.

Sources

Swap the can for 30 days

A welcome email, then one short email a day. No app. No credit card.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best unsweetened sparkling water?

For the QuitSoda challenge, the best one is plain: the ingredient list says only carbonated water or mineral water and carbon dioxide. LaCroix Pure, Perrier Original, S.Pellegrino, Topo Chico Mineral Water, and plain store-brand seltzer all qualify by their labels.

Is flavored sparkling water OK on the QuitSoda challenge?

No. QuitSoda counts flavored or fruit sparkling water as soda, even when it has no sugar or sweetener. A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime that you add at home is fine.

What is the difference between sparkling mineral water and seltzer?

Seltzer is water with added carbon dioxide. Under FDA rules, mineral water must come from a protected underground source with at least 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids, and no minerals can be added.

Does sparkling water have sodium?

Some does. By their labels, LaCroix Pure lists 0 mg per 12 oz can, S.Pellegrino lists 10 mg per 12 fl oz, and Topo Chico Mineral Water lists 15 mg per 355 mL bottle. Check the label on the brand you buy.

Is plain sparkling water a good swap for soda?

It is the closest on-plan swap for the cold, fizzy part of a soda habit. The CDC lists sparkling water and seltzers among low-calorie drink choices. It has no caffeine, so if your soda was your caffeine, see the caffeine section in the soda alternatives guide.