The hot summer months make you crave something ice cold and refreshing – and plain water isn’t always as satisfying as we would hope.
Many people who are trying to slim down their waistline or swear off soda for good turn to sparkling water to quench their thirst.
It is bubbly, comes in all sorts of delicious flavors, and has zero calories – but how many of us ask if it is healthy?
Several companies have come out with their own line of sparkling water in recent years as demand from consumers rises sky high.
The now $30 billion dollar industry is expected to continue to increase by a whopping 12 percent each year until 2028, reports Grand View Research.
Leah Kaufman, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City, understands the lure of choosing the low-calorie alternative to other popular sugary drinks.
She told Everyday Health:
“It’s a great drink to introduce if you’re looking to cut out or decrease your soda consumption. The bubbles make it feel like you’re drinking soda.”
Mayo Clinic says that drinking eight, 8oz glasses of water a day is a good goal for most adults.
However, the average American adult only consumes just above four cups of water per day, according to a study published in BMC Public Health.
So, it’s safe to say we need to drink more, and why not sparkling to water to get our cup count up?
In most cases this is a great option!
The only thing to be weary of is the added flavor in some brands.
La Croix, for example, advertises “natural flavor” on its cans but was hit with a class-action lawsuit in 2018 for adding artificial ingredients such as linalool, limonene, and linalool propionate – chemicals also found in insecticides.
However, the National Beverage Corporation came back and said the claims were false, assuring consumers that “the popular beverage follows the FDA’s definition of “natural,” which means nothing artificial or synthetic has been added,” reports Everyday Health.
Business Insider later reported that the case was dropped in February 2020 after a third-party lab proved the allegations of artificial ingredients in La Croix sparkling water were true.
This is the only time sparkling water has gotten a bad rap in the public eye – but it’s still a fan favorite.
You could always play it safe and drink the original sparkling water with no added flavors, although admittedly it is much more boring.
Drinking bubbly water does have a certain sophisticated air to it, but it is merely water infused with pressurized carbon dioxide.
Another word for sparking water is seltzer and can be found in all grocery stores in the water aisle or cocktail section.
It is easy to think that all carbonated water beverages are the same, but they’re all created a little different and with varying health benefits.
Tonic water for example has quinine in it derived from tree bark, which gives it a bitter taste and is mainly used as a cocktail mixer.
Overall, sparkling water is a safe and tasty way to increase your water intake and stay hydrated during the warmer months.
If you’re a soda drinker, give sparkling water a try and you may get amazing results such as weights loss and stabilized blood sugar.
Kids even love the refreshing bubbly taste of sparkling water, so moms – give it a try with your kids.
Maintaining a healthy water intake improves sleep, energy, and bodily function!
So whatever you need to do to get that water in – do it!
(h/t Mommy Underground)