Water is undoubtedly the most important part of our body. After all, up to 80% of it is made up of water. Without water, we simply could not exist. But in what form should we take it? Is sparkling water harmful to our body? We will answer these questions in our article today.
What is sparkling water anyway?
In a nutshell, sparkling water is ordinary water enriched with carbon dioxide added from a pressure vessel. This causes a reaction in the water that leads to the formation of small bubbles. A small amount of salt is also often added to sparkling water to further enhance the reaction and the overall taste of the water. It is because of its stronger taste that many people prefer it to plain water. This is because it often depends on whether you buy it from a mineral source or drink it from the tap, and the taste is also strongly influenced by where you are.
What are the differences between sparkling and still water?
Of course, leaving aside the fact that sparkling water "bubbles", there are a few (not so fundamental) differences between regular water and sparkling water. Let's take a closer look at them.
One is that sparkling water is slightly more acidic than regular still water. It has even been shown to activate the same receptors in the mouth as, for example, mustard. Its pH is around 3-4. Since excess carbon dioxide is broken down in the kidneys, it should have no effect on your body. That is, assuming your kidneys and other organs are functioning as they should.
Sparkling water and teeth
You've probably heard that the biggest debate surrounding sparkling water revolves around its alleged damage to tooth enamel. Surprisingly, there aren't many validated studies on this topic, but those that have looked into it show that when not usedimproper dental hygiene combined with unhealthy habits can indeed lead to slightly increased enamel damage.
However, this is not a major issue and the majority of the population is unaffected. The problem arises when sparkling water contains sugar. This is, of course, not only very harmful to our teeth, and drinks containing it have been shown to be as harmful as 100 times more harmful to our enamel than any regular sparkling mineral water.
We therefore recommend avoiding sweetened drinks altogether. Not only are they harmful to our teeth, but they can also lead to increasedrisk of heart disease, digestive problems, obesity and diabetes, for example.
Sparkling water and digestion
The effect of sparkling water on digestion is also often discussed. The most frequently mentioned problem is bloating, which can indeed occur after drinking large quantities of carbonated water. However, certain studies have shown that it can even have positive effects on digestion.
In one study, for example, researchers found that sparkling water improves the stimulation of the nerves responsible for swallowing. This makes swallowing much easier and may be a good solution, for example, in the case ofswallowing tablets or for smaller children who have difficulty swallowing.
Sparkling water may also be more appropriate in the diet. One of their effects, according to some studies, is an increased feeling of fullness. However, research on this topic is still in its infancy and further studies will be needed to confirm or refute these results.
Other health effects of sparkling water
Research has found that drinking sodium-rich sparkling water may reduce the risk of heart disease in the long term. According to them, carbonated water is thought to improve good cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the cardiovascular system. Unfortunately, a very small sample of studies has looked at this topic and so far these conclusions cannot be confirmed.
Many people are also concerned about whether carbonated water harms bone health because of its increased acidity. However, there is no indication that it has any impact on our bone health. This problem has only been found in people with an excessive intake of cola drinks. These contain large amounts of phosphorus, which, combined with insufficient calcium intake, can cause bone loss. Sparkling water alone does not affect bone health.
Is sparkling or still water better?
There is simply no clear answer to this question. Many people will prefer sparkling water, while others will prefer plain water. However, sparkling water has not been shown to have any significant effect on human health. Excessive consumption may cause bloating, but overall the effects are not significant.
The main problem is sweetened drinks. These should be avoided at all costs. They have a negative impact on a number of factors and will certainly not benefit your efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you don't like sparkling or still water, you can improve it with BCAAs, for example. Leave the sweetened ones lying fallow.
Why can you trust us?
Hey! Hey! I'm Mirek and I've been working at World Fitness almost since the beginning, except for a small break. But before that I lived only in the gym for a few years, doing deadlifts and power triathlon, going to competitions and winning a few medals.
Probably the one I value the most is the national record in the WUAP federation. But besides working out, I was also interested in food and supplements, I liked to enjoy my free timeI used to read different researches and professional books in my free time to know as much as possible.