Fizzy water: a great tasting, healthy alternative to sugary sodas that more of us need to be drinking
By Laurentia Campbell, Neuroscientist and Nutritionist (AfN accredited).
As we wise up to the dangers of sugar-laden soft drinks and many of us choose to go teetotal, a glass of fizzy water can scratch that itch for something sparkling — and healthy. Limiting sugary drink use can help maintain a healthy weight and adjust to more healthy dietary patterns. Yet not all sparkling water is the same: different brands can contain different minerals, which can have positive and negative effects on your body. So which ones should you be avoiding, and which may theoretically even help boost your energy levels, concentration, help anxiety and may aid bone health?
What is in fizzy water?
Fizzy water, soda water, seltzer, sparkling water, club soda or carbonated water is water in which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, creating bubbles and fizz.
Carbon dioxide matters
The level of fizz may impact how much carbon dioxide and bicarbonates are present in our blood and impact a process called Bohr shift (think school biology) where oxygen either enters or leaves blood vessels.
The more oxygen carried by blood vessels to tissues like the brain and muscle, the more oxygen we combine with glucose from our food in a process called respiration, and the more energy we have. Fizzy water may thus impact Bohr shift and enhance energy levels, dependent on level of fizz and mineral content. The minerals in the water also affect flavour.
Why cutting back on sugar is important
With sugary sodas a leading source of added sugars in the Western diet, frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (including alcoholic drinks) is associated with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis. These are all leading causes of mortality. Drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) (also called glucose- syrup, corn syrup, isoglucose and others), and fructose (including honey) are specifically detrimental as these sugars are stored directly as fat, instead of some fruit and vegetable sugars such as sucrose which is stored in muscle for a quick energy supply.
Excess sugar and weight gain is also associated with inflammation and the production of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) which can damage cells (including brain and gut cells), blood vessels, muscle, joints, DNA (our genetic information) and skin (AGEs age us). “No added sugar” drinks with sweeteners are low calorie or calorie-free but far from innocent, as they can be up to 600x sweeter than sugar, impacting our microbiome, increasing appetite gut hormones, changing tastebuds and our desire for sweet things, altering blood sugar control and could be associated with increased caloric consumption and weight gain. Helping the nation curb its sweet tooth with fizzy water use, could improve our widespread health.
How different minerals matter
The mineral content of different waters used in fizzy water can influence the taste and potential health effects of the water. Mineral waters are sourced from natural springs or wells and the geological characteristics of the region from which the water is sourced can influence the minerals present in the water. For instance, water flowing through limestone rocks might have higher calcium content.
Fizzy waters will typically share their mineral content, which might include elements such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, nitrate and potassium. Magnesium and sodium sulphates in fizzy waters have been shown in human trials to potentially aid bowel movement and digestion. Calcium is needed for bone, muscle, and nervous contraction. Magnesium is needed for bones, protein formation, sleep, blood glucose control and blood pressure. Sodium helps regulate blood pressure, conduct nerve impulses, contract muscle, and maintain the water balance in the body. Excess sodium can stop calcium absorption, damaging bones and teeth and can cause high blood pressure. It is recommended to not have more than 2300mg (6g) daily salt (from all dietary sources). Some fizzy waters can contain 1200–1800mg/litre or 300–450mg a glass. This can vastly add to your salt intake impact, and so watch the variety you buy.
Potassium is needed to control water and sodium levels and for muscle contractions. Bicarbonates are needed for muscles like the heart and blood vessel health. Nitrates are (via nitric oxide) needed to dilate or constrict blood vessels and control the movement of blood, oxygen (V02), and glucose from food. Chlorides are needed for teeth and kidney function. Fluorine is needed for teeth and bones. Silica is needed to make collagen for joints, bones and skin and strontium also impacts bone health. Although in trace amounts, the correct nutritional natural supplementation of these minerals in well-balanced mineral waters and sparkling mineral waters, can help to positively impact health.
Which is the best and worst fizzy water for health?
The best fizzy waters for health are low in sodium, high in calcium (beneficial especially for post-menopausal women and the elderly), high in magnesium and high in bicarbonates (which may impact Bohr shift and blood oxygen levels).
Fizzy waters high in nitrates (which our body converts to nitric oxide and can help dilate blood vessels) may also help inflammation and may enhance mental health and performance, as they may help to increase blood flow and oxygen to brain and tissues, impacting the amount of energy we make.
Best
Soda stream or home carbonation taps: These allow you to pick the water of your choice and add as much carbon dioxide to it as you choose. It also uses reusable plastic bottles, preventing excess plastic bottle waste.
St Pellegrino: A well-balanced fizzy water low in sodium, a fair amount of magnesium and calcium and lots of sulphate (which is said to aid digestion). St Pellegrino also has a lemon zest water, which adds vitamin C and flavour, without sugar or artificial ingredients.
Perrier: Contains 430mg/litre of bicarbonates and is high in calcium and low in sodium.
Highland Spring: This contains lots of bicarbonates and is low sodium. It is the best and cheapest on the UK market, good for daily consumption.
CanO canned sparkling water: High bicarbonate and low sodium. However, it is low in nitrates.
Radnor Hills sparkling water: Low calcium, low magnesium, but higher in nitrates for blood vessel dilation.
Harrogate Spring: The office favourite — this contains 215mg/l bicarbonates and is low sodium. A good option for daily use.
Worst
St Yorre France: Very high in sodium at 1708mg/l, which, in excess, can cause high blood pressure and damage bones (2 glasses can provide a person with over half the daily salt recommended reference nutrient intake (RNI)).
Badoit: This contains over 1250mg/litre of bicarbonates and is high in calcium which is good for bone health, but it is high in sodium (180mg/litre).
Flavoured and infused sparkling waters
Sparkling waters infused with minerals or natural ingredients like herbs, with no added sugars or sweeteners (such as M&S unsweetened lightly sparkling spring water with watermelon and strawberry, Dash, Loveau, OHMG infused with magnesium for added health benefits, Acti-Vit with added B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D, zinc and magnesium) can be a great choice if you feel the need for something flavoured.
Highland Spring sparkling water with pear and elderflower is also delicious, although it has 6g of sugar. Is still far better than the average 20g-40g of sugar in a regular sweet soda. Be careful with drinks sweetened by artificial sweeteners (such as Sainsbury’s low calorie “no added sugar” apple and elderflower), as although considered healthier as they contain no sugar and are far better than sugary sweetened drinks, could be increasing your sugar cravings.
Also, watch the health claims around sparkling waters infused with adaptogens (nutritional ingredients meant to make you more resilient to stress) and nootropics (nutritional ingredients claimed to increase brain capacity) as there is often insufficient evidence to support the marketing claims made. This includes G Spot drinks, Tranquini drinks and Haelu. However, they are often unsweetened and contain no artificial ingredients, so while the claims are not always supported by science, they are far better than sugar or high-fructose-corn-syrup sweetened soda or artificial sweetener flavoured drinks, especially for diabetics or young people.
Try to avoid sparkling waters with added sugars such Dalston drinks which although marketed as “no refined sugar” contain a whooping 15g sugar (more than a Kit Kat) per can and so are essentially a sugary soda.
