You’ve probably seen it happen: someone orders sparkling water and right away someone else starts saying things like “careful, it’s bad for you,” “it’s bad for your stomach,” “it causes cellulite” or “it’s basically soda.” And you’re left wondering, because you like the bubbles and even use sparkling water to cut back on soda, but you don’t want to trade one problem for another.
So let’s get straight to the point: is sparkling water bad for you? For most people, no. It hydrates just like regular water, has no sugar or calories and, in the health sources I checked, it doesn’t come up as a villain for your teeth or bones. What changes is that the bubbles can bother people with a sensitive stomach or reflux, and that many “sparkling” drinks on the shelf aren’t just water anymore.
What sparkling water is and why it got a bad reputation
Sparkling water is water with carbon dioxide (CO₂) dissolved in it under pressure. When that gas mixes with water, it forms a small amount of carbonic acid, and that’s what gives you the slight tingle on your tongue. That’s why sparkling water is a little more acidic than still water, but that acidity is far lower than that of a soda or a citrus juice.
It can reach the bottle in two ways. There’s water that comes out of a natural spring already sparkling, which is rarer, and there’s water that has carbon dioxide added later, at the bottling plant. The second kind is the most common on store shelves, and labels usually describe it as carbonated or “with added carbonation.”
The bad reputation comes precisely from the comparison with soda, because both have bubbles. But the problem with soda was never the gas: it’s the sugar, sweeteners, colorings and, in colas, phosphoric acid. Plain sparkling water has none of that.
Does sparkling water hydrate you as well as regular water?
Yes. The bubbles don’t “steal” the water in your glass, so your body uses sparkling water for hydration just as it uses still water. UChicago Medicine, the University of Chicago’s medical center, sums it up by saying sparkling water offers hydration and is a better choice than regular or diet soda.
In practice, that means the glass of sparkling water at lunch counts toward your daily water. Even so, I wouldn’t make sparkling water the only water in the house, because the bubbles fill your stomach faster and many people end up drinking less overall. Regular water is still the base, and sparkling water is a change of pace for anyone who gets tired of the plain taste.
And if you live in Brazil and your question is about the tap water you carbonate in a home soda maker, I’ve already explained in detail whether you can drink tap water in Brazil, region by region.
When sparkling water is bad for you: the cases that call for caution
Is sparkling water bad for your stomach?
For people with a sensitive stomach, it can be uncomfortable. The gas takes up space, so drinking a lot of sparkling water at once can cause bloating, burping and a swollen-belly feeling. UChicago Medicine advises people with acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) or a lot of gas to switch to still drinks, like regular water, and notes that drinking through a straw makes it worse, because you swallow more air along with it.
People with gastritis are usually told to go easy too, since sparkling water is slightly acidic. The practical rule is simple: if you drink it and feel heartburn, bloating or reflux, your body has already answered, and still water solves it.
Is sparkling water bad for your teeth?
Plain sparkling water, generally, no. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that, in a study using extracted teeth donated for research, sparkling water had about the same effect on enamel as regular water. The caution is with citrus-flavored versions, which are more acidic, and ones with added sugar, because that brings back the risk of cavities. If you like the citrus ones, the ADA suggests drinking them all at once or with a meal, instead of sipping throughout the day.
What about the sodium in sparkling water?
Here there’s a myth and a truth. The myth is that carbonation adds salt, because the process only adds carbon dioxide. The truth is that sodium varies from brand to brand, since it depends on the water source, and that applies to both sparkling and still water. Club soda, on the other hand, often has added sodium-containing minerals. For most people, the amount is small compared with what comes from food, but anyone with high blood pressure, kidney disease or a doctor’s instruction to cut sodium should check the label before choosing (I show you how below).
If salt in your diet is already a topic at your house, it’s also worth reading what I wrote about water retention and what causes swelling, because excess sodium shows up a lot there.
Does sparkling water weaken your bones?
No. That idea came from the link between colas and calcium loss, which has to do with the phosphoric acid in those sodas, not the bubbles. UChicago Medicine states that sparkling water doesn’t weaken bones.
Watch out for sparkling water’s “cousins”
The clear bottle, the word “water” in the name and the bubbles give the impression of a light drink, but the contents may be something else. Tonic water, for example, contains sugar: UChicago Medicine mentions around 15 grams per serving in the regular version.
| Drink | What it usually has besides water | How I treat it |
|---|---|---|
| Plain sparkling water | Just carbon dioxide and the source’s minerals | Fine for everyday |
| Unsweetened flavored sparkling water | Natural flavors and, sometimes, sweeteners | Now and then, reading the label |
| Sparkling water with juice or sugar | Sugar or juice concentrate | Treat it like soda |
| Tonic water | Sugar (or sweetener in the diet version) and quinine | Not a substitute for water |
| Soda | Sugar or sweeteners, colorings, acids | An exception, not a routine |
In other words, when someone says “sparkling water is bad for you,” they’re often talking about one of these cousins, not real sparkling water.
How to choose sparkling water at the store in 30 seconds
Once you know the cousins, checking in the aisle is quick, even with a kid tugging at the cart. I look in this order:
- The product name. “Sparkling water,” “sparkling mineral water” or “seltzer” is one thing; “soda,” “tonic water” or “drink” in the name already tells you it isn’t just water.
- The ingredient list. In plain sparkling water, it’s very short. If sugar, juice, flavors or sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium) show up, you’re looking at a different drink.
- The sodium on the Nutrition Facts. If someone at home needs to watch sodium, compare two or three brands and take the one with the lowest number, keeping in mind that club soda usually has more than seltzer.
Can kids drink sparkling water?
In the official sources I checked, there’s no specific rule about sparkling water for children. What is clear is everything else: for children 5 and under, the American Academy of Pediatrics says the best drinks are simply water and plain milk, and advises avoiding sugary drinks as well as drinks sweetened with stevia or artificial sweeteners, because a taste for sweet drinks can make kids refuse plain water.
Putting that together, the path that makes sense is this: regular water is a child’s main drink. For babies and young children, I wouldn’t offer sparkling water, and if the question comes up, I’d bring it to the pediatrician at the next visit. For an older child who likes the bubbles, a little plain sparkling water now and then is usually much better than soda, as long as you watch for complaints of a bloated tummy. Flavored and sweetened versions stay out of the routine, for the same reason the AAP gives for sweetened drinks.
How to use sparkling water to cut back on soda
Many people don’t miss the sugar in soda as much as the cold and the bubbles at lunch, so the swap is much easier when you keep that sensation. A few ideas that work without much effort:
- Keep a bottle of sparkling water in the fridge where the soda used to be. Whoever opens the door thirsty grabs what’s within reach.
- In the pitcher, a slice of lemon, a few mint leaves or bits of fruit add flavor without sugar.
- Want a “homemade soda” on the weekend? Mix a little fresh juice with plenty of sparkling water, so the amount of juice per glass drops a lot.
- Close the bottle tightly after pouring, because the gas escapes fast and the water goes flat quickly.
Just don’t expect a miracle on the scale. Sparkling water helps because it removes the calories of your daily soda, not because it has any special slimming effect, no matter how often you see that promise out there.
Still have questions?
Does sparkling water make you gain weight?
Plain sparkling water has no calories, so it doesn’t make you gain weight. The bloated belly some people feel after drinking it is gas, it passes quickly and has nothing to do with weight gain.
Is sparkling water bad for your kidneys?
In the sources I checked, there’s no link between plain sparkling water and kidney problems. People who already have kidney disease usually have guidance on sodium and fluids, so it’s best to follow what their doctor has set and check the label.
Can you drink sparkling water while pregnant?
When nausea is strong, some say sparkling water helps. I drank it myself early in all three of my pregnancies, and it did bring some relief from that queasy stomach. But is it bad for you? I found no official restriction on plain sparkling water during pregnancy. Since reflux and bloating are common in pregnancy, your body usually gives the signal: pay attention to what it’s telling you and, when in doubt, bring the question to your prenatal appointments.
Can sparkling water rehydrate someone with diarrhea?
In that case the body needs both water and salts, and the recommended option is an oral rehydration solution. I explain the right recipe and when to use it in the post on homemade oral rehydration solution. Signs of dehydration call for a medical evaluation.
To wrap up
For most people, sparkling water isn’t bad for you and it hydrates like regular water. It calls for caution in people with reflux, gastritis or a sensitive stomach, and the trap is in versions with sugar, sweeteners or citrus flavor. At the store, check the name, the ingredients and the sodium, and use plain sparkling water as an ally to cut back on soda.
This content is informational and does not replace advice from a doctor, dietitian or other health professional. If you have reflux, gastritis, kidney disease, high blood pressure or another condition, talk to whoever looks after your health.
