Health

Sparkling water: the benefits and limitations of this drink

It’s fun to play with bubbles, and many people think it’s also delicious to have bubbles in their water. While the carbonated version of water has grown in popularity, people aren’t quite sure where sparkling water is located; It is also referred to as carbonated water, carbonated water, sparkling water or mineral water when it comes to health.

Is it water similar to alkaline water or completely different water?

With products that make it easy to make soda water at home, many people are substituting their regular water intake for a large amount of the soda version. But hey, is sparkling water healthy? Are carbonates harmful to your health? The short answer to both questions: It depends. Let’s dive into this soft drink and find out how healthy it is (or not)!

What is sparkling water? Types of sparkling water

What is sparkling water?

Sparkling water is a different type of water, which is a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid. Sparkling water is soaked with carbon dioxide, which makes it sparkling. Sparkling water can be natural or artificial. If you are wondering what carbonated water is, this is another name that is used to refer to carbonated water or sparkling water.

The most natural form of sparkling water is carbonated mineral water, which not only contains minerals naturally, but can also be naturally carbonated. This refreshing and sparkling liquid comes straight from the source: a natural mineral spring. Fizzing may be caused by gases naturally present in the water. However, not all sparkling mineral waters naturally sparkle, and many mineral water companies add carbon dioxide to the water to make it sparkling.

An example of man-made sparkling water or carbonated water is what comes out of the newly popular soda makers pumping carbon dioxide into the water. If you own a sparkling water maker, you already know how to make sparkling water at home with the push of a button. There is also flavored sparkling water, which contains additional (sometimes natural, but sometimes artificial and unhealthy) ingredients.

What is carbonated water?

Sparkling water is basically the synthetic version of sparkling water. Seltzer water is simply water with carbon dioxide added. It is said that sparkling water has emerged as a cheaper alternative to sparkling mineral water.

Is sparkling water good for health? Sparkling water benefits

Is sparkling water healthy? It’s a good question. As with many foods and drinks, sparkling water can be healthy if you choose the right kind. The best sparkling water is mineral-rich water called mineral carbonated water. Many experts claim that sparkling water can be as hydrating as regular water, but the bubbles can make the sparkling variety difficult to drink.

Choose sparkling mineral water instead, because you will get not only water, but also valuable minerals. The type of sparkling water you should definitely stay away from is water that contains artificial flavors, colors, and/or additives.

In some cases, carbonated water has been shown to have some health benefits for humans. Let’s take a look at some of the ways sparkling water can be beneficial.

1. Rich in health-promoting minerals

If you choose sparkling mineral water, you can add a variety of minerals to your diet while quenching your thirst. Natural mineral water can be defined as “that which comes from an aquifer or an aquifer, which flows from one or more natural or excavated springs and which has definite sanitary properties and possibly sanitary properties.”

In short, sparkling mineral water should come from a natural source and contain minerals naturally. Depending on the source, the type and amount of minerals may vary. What distinguishes mineral water is that its minerals can be absorbed more easily than minerals in food, because dietary minerals are bound into complex molecules while minerals are present as free ions in mineral water. Magnesium, calcium and potassium are examples of the vital minerals found in sparkling mineral water.

2. Blood sugar management

Mineral water also commonly contains bicarbonate. Bicarbonate is already present in the human body and helps maintain a healthy blood pH so that it does not become too acidic or too basic.

A 2015 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine linked drinking mineral water high in bicarbonate to better blood sugar control. The 19 healthy subjects in the study drank either 500 ml of commercially available tap water or mineral water rich in bicarbonate daily. The researchers noted that compared to tap water drinkers, mineral water drinkers experienced a significant decrease in blood glycalbumin levels, which is important because glycalbumin levels are used as an indicator of glycemic control.

3. A healthy alternative to soda

If you drink a diet soda, switch to sparkling water now. As long as sparkling water does not contain additives harmful to your health, it still wins if you compare sparkling water with soda. Soft drinks are either loaded with insulin-boosting sugars or filled with highly dangerous fake sugars like aspartame.

4. Helps with indigestion and constipation

A scientific journal from the United Kingdom published in 2014 analyzed 20 different trials involving 902 people with a central nervous disease such as Parkinson’s disease or a brain injury, such as stroke. People with these types of health conditions are more likely to develop constipation than the general population. This study found that sparkling water may be beneficial for constipated stroke victims.

Another study published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology examined the effects of carbonated drinks on 21 patients with functional dyspepsia and found that soda improved symptoms of indigestion as well as constipation and emptying of the bladder.

5. Calms motion sickness

This is one of the benefits of sparkling water that can be really useful, especially when you are on a long trip by car, bus, plane or boat. Motion sickness can be really annoying, but decaffeinated soft drinks are known for their ability to calm that nausea. Sipping cold sparkling mineral water can be the perfect drink to help you feel better fast.

Carbonated water dangers

free photos

Is sparkling water harmful to your health?

Some people think so. For example, carbonated water has been linked to dental problems. What makes sparkling water so hostile to our mouths? According to some experts, it is carbonation that, over time, can erode tooth enamel and possibly contribute to tooth decay.

Researchers have found that the sensation we get when we drink a carbonated beverage like sparkling water is caused by a reaction in our mouths that turns carbon dioxide bubbles into the irritating carbonic acid. So this carbonation “bite” is actually a chemical, not a physical.

However, these doctors agree that sparkling water is still a much better option than soda, which is much more acidic. They also noted that sparkling mineral water contains minerals that “may actually offset some of the potential damage caused by low pH.” They generally recommend stagnant water over sparkling, but sparkling water definitely wins over high-sugar sodas and juices.

Another problem with sparkling water is companies that add unhealthy additives and sweeteners. Some sparkling water brands have made sparkling water more popular these days. Flavored sparkling water gives soda drinkers the flavors they love and is available in a range of fruit flavours. On the bright side, naturally flavored, sweetener-free sparkling water can help kick your unhealthy soda addiction. However, the bad news is that these flavorings, including citric and other fruit acids, have been linked to potentially eroding tooth enamel.

Again, the pH of flavored sparkling water is a concern. While the pH of tap water is usually between 6 and 8, carbonate water lowers the pH to about 5. With aromatic essences and other additives to soda water, the pH can drop even more. The lower the pH, the more likely it is to be damaging to our teeth.

What does the research say about carbonated water and dental erosion?

Well, a study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Dentistry showed that flavored sparkling water appears to be more worrisome. The researchers found that the pH levels of the flavored soda water tested were in the same range as cola and orange juice. Additionally, flavored water also contains citric acid (usually added to flavored sparkling water to give it flavor), and as the study notes, citric acid has a “particularly high corrosive capacity.” In general, researchers have found that flavored sparkling water has a significantly lower pH than unflavored sparkling mineral water.

Another study published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation found that unflavored mineral water was 100 times less harsh on tooth enamel than the soda tested. Overall, the researchers concluded that the minerals in sparkling mineral water have a positive effect on the wear that occurs on the surface of the teeth, and that “mineral water appears to offer a safe alternative to more corrosive acidic drinks.” »

* Presse Santé strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In any case, the information provided cannot replace the opinion of a health professional.

#Sparkling #water #benefits #limitations #drink

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button