This summer my husband and I took a trip to Germany where we learned everyone drinks sparkling water. I had not been a big connoisseur of mineral or sparkling water prior to this experience, however when you’re sitting in an outdoor café along a canal…how could you not partake? Turns out, we came home addicted to this fizzy water and started drinking it daily. I did a little research and asked some patients about their experience with the bubbly water and I found it does have some health benefits.
1. People reported they drank more water when it was bubbly because plain water tastes boring. I never had a problem with "regular" water before, but now that I’m hooked I understand. Add a little squeeze of a lemon or lime and suddenly I have a tasty drink and stay hydrated all day long.
2. It’s good for an upset stomach! Several people (myself included) mentioned a tall glass of sparkling water helps soothe a bloated or upset belly.
3. It helps constipation. I am assuming it’s because of the bubble action pushing things along plus with an increase in hydration, people aren’t suffering from dry, hard stools.
4. Those who drink sparkling mineral water with magnesium and calcium and low sodium reported their restless legs significantly decreased or alleviated all together.
5. Many who were habitual soda drinkers found sparkling water a nice alternative to kicking that old habit which resulted in better glucose levels and weight loss.
There are waters out there that contain a high level of sodium that I do not recommend. I do like the mineral waters high in calcium, magnesium, zinc and other beneficial nutrients and I can understand that buying all these bottles can become expensive after awhile so I recently purchased a carbonated water machine that works great! It fits right on my counter and cost less than $100.
Water is really important for our hydration as our bodies and our cells are made up of mostly water! If you’re only drinking a few glasses everyday (caffeine doesn’t count!) then you’re short-changing your health. Make sure you are consuming at least eight glasses every day – more if you’re exercising or in a hot environment. Alcohol is really depleting to the water in your body so for each alcoholic drink you need at least one glass of water to counter balance the effects of dehydration. Consider giving sparkling water a try if you’re stuck in a water rut and looking for a change. You might like it!