Diet Soda And Fluid Retention
Diet soda contains sugar replacements such as artificial sweeteners, which greatly reduce the number of calories in the beverage. Scientist speculate that artificial sweeteners may cause or contribute to fluid retention, but well-designed studies on human subjects are needed to know for sure. As of now little evidence exists to positively prove that the artificial sweeteners in soda cause you to retain water.
In a study published in the journal Appetite in January 2011, scientists tested effects of the artificial sweeteners saccharin and aspartame and fluid retention in an animal experiment. In the study, artificial sweeteners, but not sugar, caused weight gain unrelated to calorie intake that researchers speculate may have been because of water retention. While these results are interesting, this was a small, short-term study using rats, and longer-duration human studies are necessary before conclusions can be drawn.
Can Sparkling Water Help You Lose Weight
Yes. For people watching their weight, hydration is key. Sparkling water provides true hydration, and its a much better option than drinking regular soda or even diet soda, which doesnt provide adequate hydration. If a persons not hydrated, they may always feel hungry because the body cant tell the difference between hunger and thirst. But people who are watching their weight should be careful which type of carbonated water they drink. Tonic water, for example, has about 15 grams of sugar in a serving thats about a third as much as a regular soda. So drinking a lot of tonic water is not the best option. Instead, drink club soda or sparkling water with no added sugar.
What To Eat Instead:
If the digestive discomfort is unavoidable, try swapping lentils for diced zucchini, carrots, peas, couscous, quinoa, rice, or potatoes.
Wine can be used as a replacement for beer for both cooking and drinking.
Valentin Salja / Unsplash
“Nuts like almonds, cashews, and peanuts are delicious and nutritious,” Moskovitz notes. But when consumed in specific quantities they can create stomach bloating. According to Moskovitz, eating more than two to three tablespoons at a time can put more pressure on your system.
Recommended Reading: Why Does Lettuce Hurt My Stomach
What Happens If You Drink Coca Cola Everyday
According to one of the largest, the landmark U.S. Framingham Heart Study, drinking just one can of soda daily has been linked to obesity, increased waist size, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attack, stroke, poorer memory, smaller brain volume, and dementia.
Can Carbonated Water Cause Stomach Problems
Whether you have a personal preference or want to try something new, you may be thinking about different types of water. You want water that tastes good, but you are also concerned about your health.
Perhaps you are wondering Can carbonated water cause stomach problems? As the answer to this question is Yes, there are many reasons to avoid this type of water for stomach health and comfort. When you have some information, you may decide to never drink it at all.
Read Also: Omeprazole Night Sweats
Foodwhat’s The Difference Between Seltzer Sparkling Water Club Soda And Tonic Water
So if bloating has got you down, then you may want to forego the carbonated drinks and up your intake of flat water. Also, one of the best remedies for bloating is exercise.
Dont let this burst your bubble: Symptoms related to gastric distress seem to appear only when drinking more than 300 ml of a carbonated beverage. If you have no issues with carbonated water and rarely experience bloating, sip away.
Carbonated Water May Help With Indigestion
Feeling gassy and bloated can be unpleasant sparkling water can help. Research indicates that for some people, a glass of carbonated water can help to reduce the discomfort of indigestion, helping to release trapped gas. Generally caused by excess stomach acid, indigestion can result in pain, nausea, bloating, constipation and other unwanted symptoms. Its not clear why this happens, but if youre suffering from the nasty symptoms of indigestion, a glass of sparkling water is a harmless treatment option that may just do some good.
Also Check: Does Prenatal Vitamins Cause Diarrhea
Is Carbonated Water Good For Digestion
In addition to seeking out drinks which taste good, a growing number of people are also considering the health benefits of their beverage choices. Whether theyre looking for a low-calorie alternative to sweetened drinks, or want a drink that provides additional nutrition as well as hydration, the days when a drink was selected on flavour alone are long gone. We decided to investigate the evidence out there to discover whether carbonated water has any health benefits, particularly as an aid to digestion. Detailed below are our findings, providing an intriguing insight into sparkling waters potential as a healthy choice.
Does Seltzer Make Your Bones Brittle
The Rumor: Those malicious little bubbles aren’t just harmless fun â they prevent your bones from absorbing calcium, raising your risk for osteoporosis later in life. So I hope you’re enjoying your fizzy water, lady â because it will eventually turn your skeleton to dust!
The Truth: Carbonated water does absolutely nothing to your bones. This confusion can be chalked up to some research conducted about flavored sodas, which found a connection between low bone density and cola consumption. This research attributed that link to the presence of phosphoric acid in cola â but other research has found that the low bone density of cola drinkers has less to do with specific chemicals contained in the cola, and is more likely the result of the drinkers consuming a diet that contained less calcium overall. Don’t you feel bad for blaming those lil’ bubbles like that now? All they ever wanted was to make you happy, and this is how you treat them!
Recommended Reading: Probiotics And Lexapro
Does Carbonation Make You Puffy
Fact Checked
Carbonation involves injecting air bubbles into drinks to create a bubbly, fizzy drink. Carbonation gives a bubbly texture to sodas that you may enjoy drinking. However, the carbonation could have an adverse effect on your body, causing you to potentially experience puffiness and bloating. Understanding why carbonation is more likely to make you puffy and how to diminish puffiness can help reduce abdominal discomfort.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
When You Drink It Matters
Its not just about the type of bubbly water you reach fortiming is also everything.
Drinking too much sparkling wateror even regular waterbefore, during, or after you eat can cause bloating because it dilutes the digestive juices in your gut, Youkilis says. Yes, you read that correctly: Even plain H20 can make you feel uncomfortable post-meal.
Even plain H20 can make you feel uncomfortable post-meal.
Youkilis explains that you need those gastric acids for digestion to run smoothly, so the key is to sip water instead of gulping it down. Or, better yet, stay hydrated throughout the day so that you can save your glass of agua for an hour after you eat.
Read Also: Does Protonix Make You Tired
How Does Carbonated Water Cause Stomach Problems
General stomach discomfort is among the most minor side effects, but it may not seem so minor if you experience these issues. The fizzing bubbles found in carbonated beverages are gas. If you drink these bubbles, they become trapped within your stomach.
When this occurs, your stomach will develop bloating and more gas. If the gas is not immediately relieved, you can develop abdominal pain. Even if you like the taste of sparkling water, you surely do not want to cope with cramps after drinking it. In addition, the bloating can make your clothing feel too tight.
From jeans that zip to elastic waistbands, it can mean even more discomfort. It should be easy to decide that none of these problems are worth it, and choose a non-carbonated water instead.
You may also like: What is in Soda Water & Health Risks?
Top 10 Popular Soda Drinks That Cause Bloating
Soda drinks can be a major contributor to bringing about the bloat, and for numerous reasons. For starters, they are enormously carbonated, and all those little tiny bubbles can create some uncomfortable sensations in the abdomen. In fact, fizzy liquids are one of the most common causes of bloating. As the tiny bubbles from soda carbonation burst inside the stomach, CO2 particles are released everywhere, and can fill the belly up, leading to stomach bloating and associated symptoms like pressure, fullness and cramping. Interestingly enough, some natural carbonated options are less of a nuisance and in some people provide a calming effect if enjoyed following sugary soda drinks. Perrier is one example that some people find a sensible soda chaser for bloat relief. Overall however, the fizzy nature of soda in the first place makes it a practical point for bloating to begin.
Sodas role as one of the premier bloating causes make it unfortunately also a source of one of bloatings less flattering side effects, excessive flatulence. Because of all of the sugar it contains, and most predominantly, high fructose corn syrup, stomach gas builds up very quickly when soda is consumed. If the gas is not contained and built up it is released en masse in the form of excessive flatulence. While the release of the gas can provide some symptom relief, abundant gassiness from soda drinks is hardly a good thing.
References:
Read Also: Pepcid For Ibs
The Research That Links Carbonated Water To Weight Gain
A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice in 2017, found that rats that were given carbonated water or diet soda, released more of the hunger hormone ghrelin, ate more, and ultimately gained more weight than those that drank flat water or tap water.
The researchers from Birzeit University fed a group of rats a standard diet, but separated them into four groups and gave each group one of four possible drinks: tap water, flat soda water, soda water, and diet soda.
The rats that were fed either of the two carbonated beverages, were found to have significantly higher levels of ghrelin which your stomach secretes when its empty prompting them to eat 20 percent more than the other rats.
The rats that drank the fizzy water also showed a build up of fat in their organs, which is one of the symptoms of chronic obesity in humans.
A similar experiment was repeated with human participants. One hour after eating, participants drank one of the four beverages. When they drank the carbonated beverages, they had ghrelin levels six times higher than when they drank tap water.
Ultimately, the researchers concluded that, This study clearly shows discernible effect of the carbon dioxide gas in carbonated drinks on increased food ingestion and heightened risk of weight gain, obesity and fatty liver disease by inducing ghrelin release.
Washing Down Makes A Lot Of Difference
If you love drinking your sparkling water but are still worried about its acidic nature, then you can relax. Washing it down with regular water after every drink will significantly help to mitigate its harmful effects. To be on the safe side, you may also use a straw when drinking sparkling water to keep the acids from getting into your teeth.
Read Also: Famotidine Bloating
Read Also: Probiotics And Zoloft
Surely Any Acid Even A Weak One Is Going To Erode The Enamel On Our Teeth
But if sparkling water doesnt damage your stomach, how about your bones? Does it weaken them? Again, the evidence so far suggests not. A small, Canadian study published in 2001 found that teenagers who drank lots of fizzy drinks had less calcium in their bones, but they couldnt tell whether this was a problem with the drinks themselves or that it was because people who drank them might favour them instead of milk.
The Framingham Heart study began in 1948 and followed a group of people over many years to discover more about the risk factors for heart disease. Now some of their offspring are taking part in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study which involves extensive testing every four years by researchers from Tufts University in Boston. In 2006, the team examined the relationship between bone density and fizzy drinks. They looked in detail at the different types of drink consumed by more 2,500 taking part in the study.
Some people have warned that any sparkling drink – even water – can be bad for us
Cumulative effect
By taking slices of enamel and immersing them in different soft drinks for six, 24 and 48 hours, Poonam Jain at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine demonstrated that the enamel does begin to erode. Some argue that this isnt very like real life because we dont keep a drink in our mouth for that length of time. But over the course of many years, even a few seconds each slurp adds up.
The eroding effects of sweet fizzy drinks add up over time
Can Carbonated Water Cause Stomach Ulcers
If you have ever had an ulcer, you know it is painful, scary, and potentially dangerous. A stomach ulcer occurs when the stomach lining dissolves. If it is not treated, it can cause complications and even death.
Any type of carbonated beverage, including sparkling water, can eventually cause an ulcer. When you drink carbonated water, it irritates the stomach lining. Your stomach will begin to produce more acid, which results in inflammation. The ulcer is a hole or perforation that develops in your stomach. You can also develop an ulcer in your lower esophogas or small intestine.
There is no home remedy that can effectively treat an ulcer. You may need to visit the Emergency Room. Treatment can range from prescription medications to surgical procedures. You will need to be very careful with what you eat and drink after you are treated for an ulcer.
You may also like: 10 Crucial Things To Know Before Buying Your First Speargun
Don’t Miss: Cheapest Price For Align Probiotic
Is Sparkling Water Hydrating
Carbonated water hydrates you just as well as water from the kitchen tap. If you dont like plain water, choosing sparkling water can help you meet your daily fluid requirements .
I dont recommend drinking carbonated water to hydrate during sports or a workout. Carbonation can promote a feeling of fullness and prevent you from drinking enough fluid to ward off dehydration.
Plus, sparkling waters, even those that come from mineral springs, dont provide the electrolytes needed to replace whats lost through sweat during endurance and strenuous exercise.
Does Carbonated Water Cause Tooth Decay
As long as its plain carbonated water with no added citric acid or sugar, then the answer is no.
If youre looking at soda and other carbonated beverages with added ingredients, however, the risk factors go way up. A 2009 case report states that the acids and sugars in these drinks have acidogenic and cariogenic potential and can cause erosion of the enamel.
The process of carbonation is simply the addition of pressurized carbon dioxide gas to plain water acids, sugars, and salt arent being added. Its adding these ingredients that ups your risk for tooth decay.
There is a misconception that the carbon dioxide gas, dissolved in carbonated water as carbonic acid, is highly acidic and can damage teeth. However, a
Recommended Reading: Eating Bad Lettuce Symptoms
Can You Drink Too Much Carbonated Water
Too much of anything can be bad for your health, and the same is true for sparkling waters, too. Though drinking a can or two a day should generally be okay, Dr. Ghouri warns against making sparkling water an outwardly excessive habit or completely foregoing flat water for fizzy water exclusively.
Does Sparkling Water Make You Bloated
Bubbly water is a refreshing, healthy swap for soda. But is there such a thing as too much?
Whether you get fix via store-bought cans or a DIY SodaStream, theres no denying that sparkling water makes hydrating a little bit more fun. For the most part, thats great news: Most flavored seltzers are made without sweeteners and naturally contain zero calories, so theyre a great swap for soda when youre craving bubbles. But, do these bubbles cause inconvenient side effects like belching or bloating? We asked a gastroenterologist to explain why this might happen, and what you can do it avoid it.
Don’t Miss: Does Food Poisoning Cause Constipation
Sparkling Water Contains Gas Which You Swallow When You Drink It
In a nutshell, sparkling water is water plus carbon dioxide , combined under pressure. “When we swallow seltzer, we also swallow carbon dioxide,” says Aja McCutchen, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist with Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates. “This carbon dioxide is mainly going to be belched before it gets to our stomach.” Belching, she explains, is any instance where you emit gas noisily from the stomach or esophagus through the mouth-in other words, a burp or something similar.
Is Carbonated Water Bad For Your Gut
Thanks to carbonated water’s bubbles, some people report feeling gassy and/or bloated from drinking carbonated water in excess. It’s likely because of this that the rumor of carbonated water’s negative impact on gut health began to circulate.
Fear not, though! While carbonated water can, indeed, promote belching, bloating, and gas, Dr. Mora says that it won’t trigger major gut problems, nor will it degrade the health of the gut over time, so long as it’s not made with artificial sweeteners . Dr. Mora does note, however, that carbonated water can exacerbate GI conditions as a result of its gas and bloat-inducing effects.
The reason artificial sweeteners play a role is because, according to a 2015 study, the inclusion of additives can introduce pathogens into the gut. “This means that artificial sweeteners can cause bacteria to attack themselves and destroy Caco-2 cells, which are embedded in the lining of the intestine,” registered dietitian, Dr. Maria Sorbara Mora of Integrated Eating, tells HelloGiggles.
That said, Dr. Mora points out that artificially sweetened carbonated water can be particularly problematic for those with stomachs prone to inflammation such as IBS, colitis, and Crohn’s disease. “While there is no well-founded research that carbonated water causes these GI conditions, it can certainly exacerbate the condition due to carbonated water’s side effects of bloating and gas,” she says.
Also Check: Ibs Symptoms Mayo