Does Carbonated Water DEHYDRATE you?

I am sipping on Lime La Croix (with some chlorophyll mixed in) while writing this post, naturally. Also, fun fact La Croix is pronounced La-CROY. It rhymes with 'enjoy'. Thx La Croix FAQ's. ​

I have never liked water. As a child I would put up a fight. My mom use to make me drink a bottle of water while she drove me to a friends house & I couldn't get out of the car until I finished it. She resorted to holding me hostage in a friends driveway so that I had to finish my water before I could have fun, I was THAT BAD and that adamant about hating water.

In high-school and college, Diet Coke was my choice of drug. I would drink at least 5 Diet Cokes a day when trying to cram for a test. I cringe now just thinking of my poor teeth and health. Once graduating college, coffee took over my life, albeit, I was trying to wean off of my Diet Coke addiction and cut out soda entirely (other than for alcoholic beverages, duh.)

Now, since moving up to Washington DC, I have been introduced to the sparkling water craze. I guess, in Florida peeps just drink water or anything else other than water, but I never really noticed folks sucking down a lot of sparkling water. I am now a part of the sparkling squad up here and I think being OBSESSED might be an under statement. I drink sparkling water before going out in hopes that it would push off a hangover because I am hydrating myself, right? Finally a girlfriend told me that I was doing the complete opposite and that she heard sparkling water dehydrates you. My bubble was burst! I drink it all day, at work and at night because still water is just so blah.

Though sparkling water is more expensive than still water and I know I could throw some fruit in my still water to get me to enjoy it more. I am just hooked on the spark of sparkling water. I had to take to the internet to see what's what with the rumors of sparkling water.

RUMOR 1: Sparkling Water Dehydrates You (PLEASE SAY IT ISN'T SO):
IT IS NOT SO! Hallelujah! Which is what I originally thought, because, it's water and drinking it there is water going into you to hydrate you regardless of bubbles or no bubbles.
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According to Sarah Bleich, Ph.D. and associate professor in health policy at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, drinking sparkling water is just as hydrating as drinking regular water.

In looking up this topic multiple times online the only downfall that had an occurrence in almost every article I read was that sparkling water will make you more full faster than regular water. This can be seen as a catch twenty-two since if you get full faster than it will lessen your intake of water which is not that great if you trying to hydrate. The great thing about getting full faster is that well... you're full! It can aid in eating less and minimizing your appetite.

If your looking for something to aid in suppressing your appetite and are not wishing to use any kind of chemically advanced diet pills, sparkling water could help. I would consult a doctor first before purchasing an entire pallets worth of sparkling water of course! I just say this from my personal experience of consuming sparkling water.

I do want to clear the air that there is a difference in seltzer water, mineral water and sparkling water!

Seltzer Water Vs. Sparkling Water: Seltzer Water is carbonated water BUT it also has additives of sweeteners, flavors and sodium. Sparkling Water is just water put under pressure so that carbonation is added to it. Be sure to check the labels of the sparkling water that you purchase as there should be NO sodium in your sparkling water. If so, spit that shiz out and find a new brand. Sparkling water like seltzer water can have added flavoring, however do your best to look for brands that use only NATURAL flavoring.

Mineral Water: Can be sparkling or not and can also have flavoring added to it. Mineral water will also have sodium and yes added minerals to it! Minerals and sodium are great when trying to re-charge after a hard workout and your podium has lost a good amount of sodium but I would not use mineral water as your way of completely hydrating for the day. Make sure you get some non mineral infused water in your system too!

RUMOR 2: Sparkling Water Is Bad For Your Teeth:
Yes and no. It is the byproduct of the carbonation process itself that is bad for your teeth. When water is turned into sparkling water, carbon dioxide gas is dissolved into water using low temperatures and high pressure. This process creates carbonic acid. It is the carbonic acid that is not great for your teeth and what gives sparkling water an acidity level lower on the pH scale than normal sill water. So all in all it is all about the pH level! pH stands for power of hydrogen, which is a measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration in the body. The pH scale ranges in total from 1 to 14. 7 is in the center of scale is seen to be neutral and anything that falls to be less than 7 is said to be acidic (like the carbonic acid) and anything larger than 7 is said to be basic or alkaline. Thank you YouTube and especially Bill Nye!

So is sparkling water bad for your teeth? The answer is not terribly bad! Sparkling Water has a higher pH level than any traditional soft drink. Yes the citrus flavored sparkling waters will have a lower pH level meaning it is more acidic than an other flavored sparkling water but again if you are subbing out a soft drink beverage for a sparkling water, you are doing yourself and your teeth a favor. If this fact truly troubles you, drink through a paper straw to help minimize the carbonic acid getting to all of your teeth (but then you may be troubled with mouth wrinkles.) In that case I cannot help you. Sob.

(Can we take a moment to appreciate this action shot? Mmmmmmm I need to grab another sparkling water to break into)

RUMOR 3: Sparkling Water Sucks Up Your Calcium!? (I never heard this one until conducting my research, p.s. I feel so smart saying conducting my research):

FALSE! A study, led by Robert Heaney, MD, at the Creighton University School of Medicine suggests that carbonation is not the culprit when it comes to calcium being extracted from your bones. The research suggests that the problem may lie within the caffeine and phosphoric acid found in soft drinks. Thankfully neither of these are found in sparkling water. PHEW! I am already on my second can because I didn't realize how long this post would take me.

​All in all my interpretation is that sparkling water is no less bad for you than soft drinks and that it is in fact a better substitute for them! Sparkling water does help in hydrating you though it can make you full more quickly so make sure to get a few glasses of regular water a day as well.

I have tried a variety of sparkling water brands and La Croix is by far my FAV. I wanted to share a few questions I had when researching La Croix's website:

Where do these natural flavorings come from in the La Croix Sparkling Waters? - The flavors come from the natural essence oils derived from the fruits listed on the labels, There are no added sugars or artificial ingredients contained in these essence or added to them.

Is La Croix Gluten Free and Vegan? - Yes! It is gluten free, vegan and even kosher!! WHOOP WHOOP! There are not dairy products, nuts, meats or wheat used in the product or production.

Does La Croix contain any GMO's?- Nope!

What is the pH Level of La Croix Sparkling Waters? - These vary per flavor of sparkling water. However, the pH level of sparkling water is considerably lower than that of traditional sugary soft drinks, 100% fruit juices and juice beverages.

I hope this help put an end to some of the awful rumors you may have heard of your beloved sparkling water. I say drink up and don't forget to floss and brush! Also, regular still water is always known to be 100% fantastic for you. So if you still have any qualms or questions you can always resort to still water!

XOXO CoolGirlConclusion

Disclaimer
All content within this blog is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.

Please note this post is not sponsored by La Croix, I just really like their sparkling water if you couldn't already tell.

Online studies were referenced from: Lifehacker, Glamour, NYDailyNews, Johns Hopkins , Creighton University and BBC.