We can thank AHA and Bubly for the recent spike in carbonated water sales. With the climb in low carb and sugar free diets this flavored bit of goodness was bound to take off. As private labels of water started to catch on Pepsi and Coke jumped to the head of the pack. Carbonated water is zero calories, zero sugars and uses only natural flavoring. It sounds perfect for keto, but… is carbonated water healthy?
As someone who has become borderline obsessed with Bubly, (especially strawberry and green apple), I needed to know if this was hurting my keto lifestyle. It seems too good to be true. A drink that is flavored, no sugar, no carbs, no calories, and tastes good. Let’s break it down.
What Ingredients Make Carbonated Water Healthy?
For the sake of this exercise, I’m looking at a can of “Blackberry Bubly.” According to the ingredient information it has carbonated water and natural flavors. That’s it.
For nutritional information we see:
Calories – 0 | Fat – 0 | Carbohydrates – 0 | Sugars – 0 | Protein – 0 | Sodium – 0
It’s lack of ingredients are what makes it healthy. There is literally nothing in this drink. It’s the same as plain water, but there must be a difference.
What Makes Carbonated Water Un-healthy?
This is as simple as nothing, but we can break it down further. The primary difference between plain water and carbonated water is the act of carbonation. Carbonation gives the water that bubbly feeling like a soft drink (which is also carbonated).
The act of carbonating beverages dates to as early as the 17th century. Carbonation is adding carbon dioxide gas under pressure to a liquid. We see it in soft drinks, waters, and some wines.
Carbon dioxide injection is safe on its own but the reaction it creates with the liquids can create a higher acidity level. Some have said this acid makes carbonated water an unhealthy choice, but in reality, to do any serious damage to your stomach or teeth you would have to drink gallons daily for a sustained period of time.
So… Is Carbonated Water Healthy?
The science on the specific question is limited in the fact that the two ingredients on their own cause no known problems to humans in this quantity. If this is known, there is no need to do extensive peer review research. I can guarantee if something that has been around since the 17th century is harming humans, we would have some science and warnings on it.
In fact, the studies that have been done show carbonated water may actually help in things like digestive health, while some preliminary studies have showed an increase to health heart by an ongoing control group. This is all good news.
As for the question is carbonated water healthy. All signs point to yes. It’s not as much the beverage that is healthy, but the act of drinking it.
Benefits of Drinking Carbonated Water
Put the brands and flavors to the side… the bottom line is when you take in a carbonated water you are taking in water. On a keto diet that is never a bad thing. Hydration is one of the pillars of a healthy lifestyle, no matter how you chose to live it. You would be hard pressed to find a diet out there that doesn’t tell you to drink more water.
If you throw in the fact that it also gives you a feeling of being full… I call carbonated water a win, win. So go crack open your favorite carbonated water and know you’re doing the right thing.
Keto on friends. Bill
