digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Plain carbonated water (sparkling water, seltzer, club soda, mineral water) is a healthy alternative to soft drinks and fruit juice, and Dr. Ken Berry says the five common myths about it are unfounded. The main caution is about added ingredients such as sugar or fruit juice, not the carbonation itself. A possible, unconfirmed exception is that carbonated water might raise ghrelin, a hunger hormone, in some people.
Key Points
- The five myths Dr. Berry addresses are that carbonated water causes tooth decay, worsens IBS symptoms, worsens heartburn, weakens bones or lowers bone density, and increases the risk of stomach ulcers.
- For tooth decay, he says he searched the literature thoroughly and found no evidence; carbonated water's pH of about 5.5 to 6.5 is only slightly more acidic than saliva's pH of about 7.
- For IBS and heartburn, he argues the gas stays in the stomach, is burped out or absorbed, and that stomach acid (pH about 1.5 to 2.5) is far more acidic than carbonated water, so it cannot worsen heartburn.
- For bones and ulcers, he says the bone-harming ingredients come from soft drinks (such as phosphoric acid), not plain carbonated water, and that carbonated water raises stomach pH rather than contributing to ulcers.
- The one "truth" is based on a rodent study (rats and mice, not humans) showing carbonated water increases ghrelin production, which could make some people feel hungrier; this has not been tested in humans.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: Read ingredient labels on packaged carbonated drinks and look up unfamiliar words, because manufacturers often add fruit juice or sugar.
- Concrete instructions: To test whether carbonated water raises your hunger, go one month without carbonated drinks, then add plain carbonated water back into your diet and see whether you feel hungrier.
- Concrete instructions: Choose club soda or seltzer over flavored or sweetened versions; seltzer adds a little sodium, which Dr. Berry says is not harmful.
- Concrete instructions: Avoid tonic water, which he says contains sugar (and quinine, which makes it bitter), and can spike blood sugar and insulin levels; he personally avoids it.
- Dr. Berry frames these points as his own reading of the literature and physiology, not as professional medical advice for any individual.
Bottom Line
Plain sparkling water is a reasonable replacement for sugary sodas and juices, and the real risk lies in sweeteners and additives rather than the bubbles, though the appetite effect remains unproven in humans.
