Sparkling water vs. reg water

[Brandi]

Would you get the same hydration from sparkling water as you would with regular? Little argument me and the hubby have. I say some but not the same. He says the same but he says that about coffee too.

[bmccasland]

Sparkling is bubbly water, so I would say it equals regular water volume for volume. Coffee (and black tea) contains caffeine which is a diuretic, so drinking it will actually dehydrate you in the long run.

Now if someone will explain why I crave a diet coke on a blistery hot day, I'm listening. Maybe it's those "cool, refreshing" coke commercials I saw way back when.

[elbowglitter]

I regularly hydrate with sparkling water. I've got a SodaStream machine and I use it to carbonate chilled (filtered) tap water. For whatever reason, I enjoy drinking it more than regular water.

[shootingstar]

I'm cheap and lazy..tap drinking water.

I never did buy bottled water when more people used to drink it (but now may not because of the numerous plastic bottle problem for recycling..) Just didn't see the point when so lucky in North America to generally have decent drinking water.

I think this way because my parents drink boiled, hot water on a humid 85-90 degree F summer day. Habit from China ..where their water where they lived had to be boiled before it was drinkable.

[jessmarimba]

Bubbly drinks irritate the lining of the stomach/upper intestine and are absorbed faster, IIRC. So, in the long run, they provide the same hydration, but sparkling water won't slosh around in your stomach for as long as normal water will before your body decides to use it.

[goldfinch]

Sparkling is bubbly water, so I would say it equals regular water volume for volume. Coffee (and black tea) contains caffeine which is a diuretic, so drinking it will actually dehydrate you in the long run.

Now if someone will explain why I crave a diet coke on a blistery hot day, I'm listening. Maybe it's those "cool, refreshing" coke commercials I saw way back when.

Interestingly, the common wisdom about caffeinated beverages dehydrating you turns out only to be correct if you ingest a lot of caffeine. Moderate amounts of caffeinated beverages will not dehydrate you. So go ahead and have the Diet Coke. I do!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caf...drinks/AN01661

[maillotpois]

I regularly hydrate with sparkling water. I've got a SodaStream machine and I use it to carbonate chilled (filtered) tap water. For whatever reason, I enjoy drinking it more than regular water.

+1!

We have one too and I love it! I have always preferred sparkling water - I even started craving it this year at controles in my brevets.

[Brandi]

Ok well there you have it! Sparkling water wins! I am glad cause we drink a lot of it and recycle the cans which go to our Sushi fund.

[azfiddle]

My favorite summer drink is sparkling water with an ounce or so of limeade and frozen berries instead of ice to cool it off. It's often a post-ride hydration experience.

[marni]

depending on how the water is carbonated, the sodium bicarbonate gas is also a neutralizing agent for lactic acid so it may be that carbonated water may not only be absorbed faster and can also help neutralize the nasties postride.

I love my soda stream- I also like the camelback tablets that are carbonated- I just use them in my sports bottle with a combination of frs- delicious and doesn't get as funky tasting warm as some other combinations.

[PamNY]

Interestingly, the common wisdom about caffeinated beverages dehydrating you turns out only to be correct if you ingest a lot of caffeine. Moderate amounts of caffeinated beverages will not dehydrate you. So go ahead and have the Diet Coke. I do!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caf...drinks/AN01661

Wow! Thanks for that link. Now I can have iced tea without feeling vaguely worried about it.

[Owlie]

My favorite summer drink is sparkling water with an ounce or so of limeade and frozen berries instead of ice to cool it off. It's often a post-ride hydration experience.

Ooh, that sounds good. What kind of berries?

[Possegal]

Interestingly, the common wisdom about caffeinated beverages dehydrating you turns out only to be correct if you ingest a lot of caffeine. Moderate amounts of caffeinated beverages will not dehydrate you. So go ahead and have the Diet Coke. I do!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caf...drinks/AN01661

Yep, I've been quoting these studies since the first one came out back in the early 2000s (if I remember correctly based on where I was working and what work colleagues I was saying - told you so, to).

I'm a PhD pharmacologist and actually did work with administering caffeine. That is where the 'it's a diuretic' comes from. But for years no one did the study that said, well yeah, the chemical is and when you inject it you get animals peeing a lot, but hey, what about someone who drinks a Coke or two, do they dehydrate? Pee more? Then finally, the studies were done. I know one I saw was done with cyclists who took in electrolyte drinks + or - caffeinated beverages. No differences were seen due to the caffeine beverage.

[blue_angel]

They've even started amplifying gu/gels with caffeine, so I would assume this means it's not deleterious.

I love my Sodastream as well. Sometimes I'll bring along an extra water bottled filled with a half/half blend of seltzer and gatorade.

[Pax]

I love the stuff on learn on TE!!