Splash Refresher water is zero calories and zero sugar, which sounds like a win, but it gets those numbers by using two artificial sweeteners instead. It will hydrate you about as well as plain water, and it’s a better choice than soda or juice. But calling it “good for you” would be a stretch, since the sweeteners and preservatives it contains raise some legitimate health questions.
What’s Actually in Splash Water
The ingredient list is longer than you might expect for something marketed as water. Splash Refresher contains purified water, natural flavors, citric acid, sodium polyphosphate, two preservatives (potassium sorbate and potassium benzoate), two artificial sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame potassium), calcium disodium EDTA, and magnesium sulfate. That’s nine ingredients beyond water itself.
The nutrition label reads clean on the surface: zero calories, zero grams of sugar, zero fat. The sweet taste comes entirely from sucralose and acesulfame potassium, both of which are FDA-approved and widely used in diet beverages. The “natural flavors” listed on the label is a broad regulatory term that can refer to compounds derived from fruits, spices, or other plant and animal sources. Splash is free from the eight major allergens.
The brand is currently produced by Primo Brands (formerly BlueTriton Brands), the same company behind Poland Spring, Deer Park, and Nestlé Pure Life.
How the Sweeteners Affect Your Body
The two artificial sweeteners in Splash are where the health conversation gets more complicated. Sucralose is roughly 600 times sweeter than sugar, and acesulfame potassium is about 200 times sweeter. Both pass through your body without contributing calories, but “calorie-free” doesn’t necessarily mean “consequence-free.”
A study published in PLOS ONE found that acesulfame potassium significantly altered gut bacteria in mice after just four weeks of consumption. Male mice showed a large increase in Bacteroides bacteria and gained nearly twice as much body weight as the control group (10.28 grams versus 5.44 grams). Female mice experienced a decrease in beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria. Both sexes showed increased activity in genes linked to inflammation, particularly genes involved in producing bacterial toxins and inflammatory compounds. These are animal findings, and the doses were controlled in ways that don’t perfectly mirror casual human consumption, but the shifts in gut bacteria composition were consistent and statistically significant.
The gut microbiome matters because it influences digestion, immune function, and even mood. Disruptions to its balance have been linked to metabolic problems and chronic inflammation in broader research. Whether the small amounts of acesulfame potassium in a bottle of Splash can produce these effects in humans remains an open question, but the mechanism is plausible enough to take seriously if you’re drinking it daily.
Zero Calories Don’t Guarantee Weight Loss
If you’re choosing Splash specifically to cut calories and lose weight, the evidence is mixed. Some studies in humans have found that people who drink artificially sweetened beverages actually tend to gain weight over time, while other studies show modest weight loss benefits. Harvard Health notes that one complicating factor is “reverse causation,” meaning people who are already at risk for obesity tend to reach for diet drinks, making the drinks look worse than they might be.
There’s also a behavioral concern. Artificial sweeteners may create cravings for sweet, high-calorie foods. You save calories on the drink itself, but you may compensate by eating more later. At least one artificial sweetener (aspartame, which is not in Splash) has been shown in rodent studies to damage the part of the brain that signals fullness. Whether sucralose and acesulfame potassium have similar effects isn’t fully settled, but the pattern of sweet taste without calories potentially confusing appetite regulation shows up repeatedly in this research.
The bottom line on weight: replacing a 150-calorie can of soda with Splash will reduce your calorie intake in that moment. Whether it leads to meaningful weight loss over weeks and months depends on what else changes in your diet.
It Hydrates You, but So Does Tap Water
Flavored waters that are mostly water and don’t contain diuretics will hydrate you about as effectively as plain water. Splash fits that description. If adding flavor to your water helps you drink more of it throughout the day, that’s a genuine benefit, especially if the alternative is not drinking enough water at all.
But Splash doesn’t contain meaningful electrolytes or minerals that would make it superior to plain water for hydration. It’s not a sports drink. The magnesium sulfate listed on the label is present in trace amounts, not enough to count as supplementation.
How It Compares to Other Flavored Waters
The flavored water market has split into two camps. Products like Splash, Propel, and store-brand flavored waters rely on artificial sweeteners and preservatives to deliver flavor at zero calories. On the other side, brands like Spindrift, Hint, and JUST Water skip artificial sweeteners, dyes, and preservatives entirely, using real fruit juice or essences instead.
If your priority is avoiding artificial ingredients, Splash is not your best option. Brands that use squeezed fruit or simple flavor essences deliver taste without the sweetener question marks. They tend to cost more per bottle, which is likely why Splash remains popular. It’s significantly cheaper than most of the “clean label” alternatives.
If your priority is simply not drinking soda, Splash is a reasonable step in a better direction. It removes the sugar, the carbonation, and the caffeine. What it adds back, two artificial sweeteners and a handful of preservatives, is a tradeoff rather than a free lunch.
The Preservative Question
Splash contains potassium sorbate and potassium benzoate, both common food preservatives used to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. On their own, these are generally considered safe at the levels found in beverages. However, potassium benzoate can react with citric acid (also in Splash) to form small amounts of benzene, a known carcinogen, particularly when exposed to heat or light. The amounts formed in beverages are typically well below safety thresholds, but storing flavored water in hot cars or direct sunlight isn’t ideal.
Calcium disodium EDTA, another ingredient in Splash, is a chelating agent added to prevent discoloration. It’s approved for use in food at low concentrations and passes through the body largely unabsorbed.
Who Benefits Most From Splash Water
Splash makes the most sense for people who currently drink sugary beverages and want to transition away from them without giving up flavor. If you’re drinking two or three cans of soda a day, switching to Splash eliminates a significant amount of sugar from your diet. That’s a meaningful health improvement.
For someone who already drinks plain water without issue, adding Splash to your routine introduces artificial sweeteners and preservatives with no clear upside. Plain water, or water with a squeeze of real lemon or cucumber, gives you hydration without any of the question marks. If you enjoy Splash occasionally, the amounts of any single ingredient are small enough that occasional consumption is unlikely to cause problems. The concerns become more relevant if it’s your primary source of hydration, day after day.