The healthiest sparkling waters are refreshing beverages that are excellent substitutes for sugary soft drinks to help you wean off soda and lose weight.
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However, not all sparkling waters are created equal, and concerns have been raised that they may not be as good for your health as you might think.
This post dives into the health effects of sparkling water and the best sparkling water options to help you wean off your soda habit.
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What is Sparkling (Carbonated) Water?
Sparkling water is water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure.
This bubbly drink is also known as carbonated water, soda water, seltzer water, club soda, and fizzy water.
Many of these sparkling waters have salt added to improve their taste.
Sparkling mineral waters collected from natural mineral springs, such as Perrier and San Pellegrino, are different in that they naturally contain minerals that are preserved through added carbonation.
Is Sparkling (Carbonated) Water Acidic?
Adding carbon dioxide to water produces carbonic acid that makes the carbonated water slightly acidic.
However, drinking an acidic beverage like carbonated water does not make your body more acidic.
Your kidneys and lungs are capable of removing excess carbon dioxide and keep your blood at a slightly alkaline pH no matter what you eat or drink.
Does Sparkling Water Affect Dental Health?
One major concern about sparkling water is its effect on our teeth since our enamel is directly exposed to the acid.
The acid in drinks and foods can wear away your tooth enamel. The good news is sparkling water is far less acidic than orange juice or a sugary soda, but it’s more acidic than plain water.
Most researches on this topic are small scale studies and many find that sugary soda drinks can erode tooth enamel, but plain carbonated water appears to be relatively harmless.
In fact, sparkling water with high mineral content such as calcium phosphate can actually offset some of the potential damage caused by the low pH.
Does Sparkling Water Affect Bone Health?
Many people believe that sparkling drinks are bad for bones due to their high acidity, but research findings show that carbonation is not the culprit.
A large study of over 2,500 people found that cola was the only beverage associated with significantly lower bone mineral density. Other carbonated water appeared to have no effect on bone health (1).
Cola drinkers may have consumed too much phosphorus and not enough calcium, increasing their risk factors for bone loss.
Can Sparkling Water Make You Lose Weight?
Carbonated water may benefit your digestive health in multiple ways to help you reach a healthy weight.
Drinking sparkling water may increase your feelings of fullness and extend that feeling after meals longer than drinking plain water.
A study found that sparkling water may help food remain longer in your stomach, which triggers a greater sensation of fullness (2).
Another study of healthy young women found that participants felt more full after drinking 8 ounces of soda water than after drinking still water (3).
Studies have also found sparkling water to reduce symptoms of constipation and indigestion.
Drinking sugar-laden soda is one of the major culprits of obesity. Substituting soda with healthier alternatives can go a long way in your quest to lose weight.
Is Flavored Sparkling Water Good for You?
Not all flavored sparkling waters are healthy. Some appear to be healthy but actually contain loads of sugar. Others contain artificial ingredients that may potentially harm your health or your weight loss efforts in the long run.
One of the most important ingredients to avoid if you are trying to lose weight is sugar. Processed sugar or added sugar is linked with weight gain, Type II Diabetes, cancer, anxiety, depression, and many more negative health effects.
Pay close attention to the ingredient labels. If there are ingredients that you cannot pronounce, it’s likely an artificial ingredient that you may want to do more health effects research on.
Artificial sweeteners like Sucralose (Splenda) are authority-claimed to be safe to eat, but questions and studies have raised some concerns (4).
Aspartame (NutraSweet) is another authorities-approved artificial sweetener that is also one of the most controversial sweeteners in the world. It is claimed to cause side effects ranging from headaches to cancer (5).
One way to avoid these artificial sweeteners and research work are to make your own sparkling water at home with real fruits to naturally infuse flavors into your water!
DIY Sparkling Waters – The Healthiest Sparkling Waters
The safest and healthiest sparkling waters are the ones that you can easily make at home!
You can choose to naturally infuse flavor into your own sparkling water with any fresh whole fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs.
If you are drinking more water to lose weight, check out the 12 Best Detox Waters for Weight Loss for ideas to flavor your sparkling water and boost your metabolism and fat burn.
While convenient, store-bought sparkling waters are easy to reach for when you are short on time, the “natural flavors” claims made by sparkling water makers have been facing some debates and legal challenges (6, 7).
Another great reason to make your own flavored sparkling water is that you’ll be taking responsible care of your environment and reduce the amount of plastic and can waste that is being generated.
I make my own sparkling water at home with SodaStream. It comes with a 60-liters CO2 cylinder that is recyclable, and a 1 Liter BPA-free reusable carbonating bottle.
All you have to do is fill up the carbonating bottle with plain water, secure it into the sparkling water maker, and you get fresh sparkling water at the push of a button!
The best place to buy Sodastream is Amazon as they usually have the best price, and you can easily recoup the cost when your whole family enjoys drinking sparkling water and are reaping the health benefits of drinking more water.
If you would like to take your fruit-infused sparkling water with you, check out the 5 Best Fruit Infused Water Bottles to drink on the go.
6 Healthiest Sparkling Waters to Help You Wean Off Soda
1. La Croix
La Croix Sparkling Water – All Flavors
The only ingredients in LaCroix are carbonated water and natural flavors. According to LaCroix’s website, its natural flavors are “natural essence oils extracted from the named fruit used in each of our LaCroix flavors. There are no sugars or artificial ingredients contained in, nor added to, these extracted flavors.”
LaCroix contains 0 calories, 0 sweeteners, and 0 sodium. There are 21 flavors to choose from and their tastes are subtle yet refreshing.
2. Perrier
Perrier Carbonated Mineral Water
Perrier is natural sparkling mineral water sourced from a French spring. It’s best known for its naturally occurring carbonation and higher levels of carbonation than its peers.
It comes naturally with many essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.
Flavored Perrier sparkling water contains only carbonated mineral water and natural flavors, making this one of the most natural and healthiest sparkling waters.
3. SpinDrift
SpinDrift is another sparkling water with a simple ingredient list: sparkling water, fresh fruit juice, plus natural coloring that comes from plants (such as hibiscus) or fruit puree (such as blackberry or mango).
You won’t find added sugars or artificial ingredients, and each 12-ounce can only provide 15 calories.
4. Dasani
Dasani Black Cherry Sparkling Water
Coca-cola’s Dasani sparkling water comes unsweetened with no artificial flavors and zero calories. It also contains no juice.
Its 14 delicious flavors lineup pair well with food, cocktails, or just an evening with friends.
5. Bubly
Bubly Sparkling Water – 8 Flavor Variety Pack
Pepsi entered the sparkling water industry and launched Bubly in 2018. Bubly sparkling water comes in colorful cans with emoji-like faces and light-hearted messages such as “hey u,” and “hiii”.
Similar to LaCroix, the only ingredients found are carbonated water and natural flavor. There are 12 fruit flavors to choose from with no calories and no sweeteners.
6. Hint
Hint Sparkling Water 4-Flavor Variety PackHint Water is an American beverage company that was created as an alternative to soda and sugary beverages. The ingredients found on Hint Water include purified water or carbonated water, fruit and other natural flavors from non-GMO plants.
Hint Water contains 0 Sugar, 0 Calories, no GMOs, and no preservatives.
While sparkling water may be a significantly better beverage option than alcohol, soda, or juice, drink it in moderation.
Healthy living is all about moderation. Don’t forget to drink plenty of that plain old flat water too.
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