Sparkling water and calcium depletion

News that drinking colas can leach calcium from bones and decrease bone density made a lot of people worry that drinking sparkling water would have the same effect. However, it’s not the bubbles that are at the root of the problem. The jury is out, but experts argue that its either the phosphoric acid in soft drinks that are to blame, or the caffeine. Since sparkling water doesn’t contain either of these ingredients, you can sit back and enjoy your chilled water without a care in the world.

Sparkling water treats constipation and dyspepsia

Have you ever enjoyed a drink of sparkling water to settle your stomach? It turns out that you’re in good company – and there’s even scientific evidence to back it up. A research report published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that sparkling water reduces dyspepsia, more commonly known as indigestion and eases constipation. As an added cherry on the top, sparkling water improved gall bladder emptying, and a gall bladder that empties well is less likely to develop gallstones. The study compared sparkling water to tap water and found that tap water didn’t have the same health benefits as sparkling water.

Sparkling water and your teeth

Here is a theory: Carbonation allows for the formation of carbonic acid, and that erodes tooth enamel.

Here are the facts. The American Dental Association (ADA) published a research article on the pH values of popular beverages back in 2006. Sparkling water, the study found, is the least of your dental health concerns.Speaking to the New York Times in 2016, one of the study’s authors confirmed that the pH of most sparkling waters didn’t cross the tooth enamel erosion danger-zone. He sets the threshold for tooth erosion at a pH of lower than 4, and colas have a pH of around 2.4. Sparkling water, on the other hand, has an average pH of 5, well above the low pH levels that are likely to harm your teeth.

The health benefits of sparkling water include all the benefits of drinking water and proper hydration tops the list. According to Medical News Today, water has many functions in the body:

• It delivers oxygen to all the cells of the body
• Water protects the brain and spinal cord
• It helps us to regulate our body temperature
• Water is used by the body when it produces hormones and neurotransmitters
• Water flushes away waste products, preventing them from accumulating and causing harm

Naturally, these functions cannot work if we are insufficiently hydrated. The article confirms the obvious: drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated, but despite this, the author cites a worrying statistic. Just 22 percent of adults drink eight cups of water a day.

Filtered water overcomes the taste issues that put many people off tap water. Add a bit of sparkle, and things get even better. But if it’s variety you need, there are plenty of ways to add flavour to your glass of chilled water. Just remember that sugary syrups simply turn sparkling water into the soft drinks it’s heathier to avoid.

A twist of fresh lemon, berries or other fruit, a sprig of mint or basil, or even a couple of slices of cucumber are just some of the ways to add flavour to your sparkling water – and with a little creative mixing and matching, the possibilities are virtually endless. Now, that’s great motivation to drink more water: good news for your body, and good news for you!