CHRONIC. Benefits, risks… Boris Hansel deciphers the effects of sparkling water, which is more acidic than still water, on our health.
By Boris Hansel, with Guillaume Paret (video)
Published on
Every Friday, find on Le Point.fr the nutrition chronicle of Pr Boris Hansel, endocrinologist and nutritionist at Bichat Hospital in Paris. He is also the host of the health channel PuMS on YouTube.
Pur Christmas, some of you may have planned to offer one of these sparkling water fountains, very fashionable at the moment. But do these little bubbles have an effect on health? Let me reassure you right away: drinking sparkling water is an excellent idea, especially if you tend to be reluctant to drink still mineral or tap water.
Sparkling water is available in three forms:
- naturally carbonated water;
- water that has been transformed by simply adding gas to it;
- water that you have carbonated yourself, at home, with consumer machines.
In all three cases, it is simple carbon dioxide – CO2 – which gives the sparkling side. The first information to remember is that sparkling water does not present any danger to our body. Even if it is consumed every day, there is no argument to think that it can promote pathologies such as cancers or cardiovascular diseases.
dentist advice
There is still a reservation: its effect on the teeth. The acidity of any drink, including lemon juice or orange juice, is known to attack tooth enamel. Carbonated drinks are acidic. In particular, one study found that carbonated mineral water damaged enamel slightly more than plain water. But it should be noted that sparkling water remains a hundred times less aggressive than a sugary drink, even non-carbonated.
We talked about the risks. Conversely, can there be benefits for our health? One thing is certain: having the sparkling water option in your refrigerator helps some people drink more. It’s good, especially when you know that 75% of French people do not consume 1.5 liters of water per day, as recommended.
Another observation, confirmed by some scientific work, concerns the digestive tract: drinking sparkling water seems to promote swallowing, digestion and intestinal transit… But these effects probably vary from person to person.
Regarding the effects on appetite and weight, scientific studies are few and discordant. Until proven otherwise, drinking it every day, instead of plain water, is not a weight loss treatment, but it is not the cause of weight gain either.
It’s up to you to see, therefore, if sparkling water allows you to better hydrate yourself and if it helps for your comfort of life. Another practical advice, generally given by dentists: do not brush your teeth within half an hour of drinking sparkling water, this could increase its erosive effect.
Consult our file: Health on your plates