Many people find drinking plain water boring. Some don’t like the taste of it. Of course, it’s better for you than any other drinkable liquid, but with all the other drink options out there, it’s often hard to choose plain water.
Enter sparkling water. It’s still water with all of its benefits, but it includes either naturally occurring or artificially added carbonation to give it a touch of that soda feeling in the form of bubbles.
The best sparkling water to fizz up your life is Perrier Carbonated Mineral Water. This classic sparkling water is naturally carbonated, plus it isn’t as salty tasting as other sparkling waters can be.
The following types of sparkling water are sometimes used interchangeably, but each is different for an important reason.
Natural sparkling water: As the name suggests, natural sparkling water is sourced from springs or underground rivers. It’s occasionally called sparkling mineral water as it picks up trace amounts of minerals during its course through earth.
Sparkling water: This type of water has carbon dioxide infused into it. It is sometimes called seltzer or carbonated water and contains no salt, unlike natural sparkling water.
Club soda: Typically, club soda is used for mixing cocktails. It contains significant amounts of salt as it gets its fizz from a combination of sodium bicarbonate, potassium sulfate and sodium chloride.
Tonic water: Also used for cocktails, tonic water is the only water on this list to have a calorie count. This is because it includes sweeteners such as sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
Sparkling water is typically sold in aluminum cans or plastic bottles.
Cans: Cans contain carbonation much better than plastic bottles do, but they tend to cost a few cents more per fluid ounce. Cans are better for bulk and long-term buying than bottles for these reasons.
Bottles: Bottled sparkling water is slightly cheaper than canned sparkling water and has the benefit of being resealable if you don’t finish the whole thing. The carbonation gases escape through the plastic much quicker than canned sparkling water, so try to only buy what you need.
As mentioned above, some sparkling waters contain a certain amount of salt content, whether natural or artificial. If you need to limit your sodium intake for health reasons or just don’t want to take in the extra salt, make sure to check the sodium content of your prospective sparkling water.
The amount of carbonation is typically indicative of how intense the bubbles are when drunk. Some can barely fizz, while others can actually sting your mouth while you drink. There isn’t a way to measure the carbonation, but checking user reviews can give you an idea.
Sparkling water is typically priced out as cents per ounce. Cheaper options tend to be around 5 cents per ounce, with high-end sparkling waters costing 10-20 cents per ounce. You can easily find good midrange sparkling waters for 5-10 cents per ounce.
A. It is exactly the same, as long as it really is sparkling water. Club soda and any other formulas that add sodium compounds (salt) for fizz will be less hydrating due to the salt.
A. No. It is slightly acidic so in theory, it can erode your enamel, but you would have to drink a very large amount for that to occur. Sparkling water with added flavors can damage your teeth faster due to the acid-heavy citrus-based additives, but once again, you would have to drink a large amount to cause worry. You can rinse your mouth with plain water after drinking sparkling water if you have any concerns.
Perrier Carbonated Mineral Water
What you need to know: An all-time classic, Perrier is great on its own or mixed with other beverages.
What you’ll love: Perrier is carbonated water from natural springs and isn’t quite as mineral tasting as others.
What you should consider: It can be far too carbonated and bubbly for some tastes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
What you need to know: San Pellegrino has been producing consistently high-quality sparkling waters for 100 years.
What you’ll love: If you aren’t a fan of heavily carbonated waters, then the light fizz of San Pellegrino may be perfect for you.
What you should consider: It isn’t as sparkling as some prefer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
La Croix Peach Pear Sparkling Water
What you need to know: A more unique flavor of La Croix, this sparkling water sets itself apart from the rest of La Croix’s offerings.
What you’ll love: This peach-heavy drink has a nice aroma upon opening the can.
What you should consider: As is typical of La Croix, some either love or strongly dislike this flavor.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
