Love Soda? Try Sparkling Water

(Photo courtesy John and Penny)

Carbonated beverages can be found everywhere in our daily lives. From vending machines to store aisles, and even in our own homes, we can find sugary soft drinks to satisfy our sweet tooth. Unfortunately, soda is a very unhealthy staple of diets around the wide world, but particularly here in the United States. It is commonly known to cause increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and to be an absolute disaster for dental health, not to mention the ridiculous amounts of caffeine and sugar. Fortunately, there is a great way to satiate any carbonated cravings, and that is in the form of sparkling water.

Carbonated water, also known as sparkling water, seltzer, soda water, fizzy water (you get the point), is simply water that contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas. This gas can be artificially injected into the water by humans, as was first done in the mid 18th century, but is also found to be naturally occurring in nature in many mineral waters. In terms of health impacts, studies show that sparkling water has little to no difference in impact compared to regular water. As a matter of fact, one study in particular found that sparkling mineral water is only about 1% as corrosive to teeth as the average soft drink.

This sets carbonated water up to be the perfect replacement for anyone looking to get out of the soda drinking game for the benefit of their health. Many people typically have a strong opinion about sparkling water, but the reality is, it's one of the best alternative to sugary carbonated beverages out there. I never really liked sparkling water when I was younger, but my mom always drank the large sparkling San Pellegrino® bottles, so I tried it from time to time, and the flavor eventually grew on me. Although this is an anecdotal experience, I truly believe sparkling water can be an acquired taste. The best part about it, though, is that you don't have to drink it plain. There are dozens of natural flavorings or syrups you can add to sparkling water to make it taste possibly just as good as regular soda, and 100 times healthier to boot.

With today's technology, getting your hands on a bottle of seltzer is easier than ever before. Soda machines are easily acquirable, and allow for the creation of carbonated water in your own kitchen, not to mention the water is also readily available in large supply from most places that sell regular bottled water. With soda machines, you can inject pressurized carbon dioxide into whatever your heart desires. From water to orange juice, and even milk if that's your thing. This is great for relieving any hankering for carbonated soda, and allows you to make a better version of soft drinks from within your home.

Whether you want to create a healthier life that excludes sugary caffeinated beverages like soda, or simply want to add a little more spice to the water you drink everyday, carbonated water is a great addition to any diet, and I recommend trying it from time to time for a pleasant change of pace.