Sandhya Raghavan
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Written By: Sandhya Raghavan | Published : December 15, 2017 6:02 PM IST
Club soda is just one of those beverages we never give a second thought about. Since it's colourless, flavourless and tasteless, it's mainly used as a base to mix alcohol in. Sometimes, it is also added to cake batters to make it fluffy. In some parts of the world, club soda is also known by the name 'sparkling water' due to its bubbly, effervescent nature. Since it doesn't contain sugars and food colours, it's considered safer than most aerated soft drinks. However, is it completely safe for your health? Here are some common concerns and questions about club soda answered by science.
Does club soda affect the teeth?
According to urban legends, aerated cola beverages can dilute human tooth if it is immersed in the drink for ten days. There are some concerns whether carbonated water has the same effect on the human tooth. The short answer is no. A 2009 study confirmed that the sweeteners and the acids in flavoured aerated beverages causes tooth decay. But club soda is simply water with infused carbon dioxide. It doesn't have the ingredients that cause tooth decay.1
Does club soda cause weight gain?
Again, without the ridiculous amount of sugar, that is pumped into most sweetened soda beverages, club soda doesn't add too much to your daily caloric intake. It is as good as plain water with some added carbon dioxide. Here's how sugar affects the skin.
However, it can make you weight gain in other ways. A 2017 study found out that drinking club soda can increase the production of ghrelin, a hunger hormone that makes you...well... hungry. It could stoke your appetite and increase your food consumption. This could cause weight gain.2
Does club soda cause bone problems?
No. In 2006, a team of researchers tested the effect soft drinks have on bone mineral density. It turns out that the culprit in this case is phosphoric acid and caffeine, both of which can affect bone health. Club soda doesn't contain both these ingredients, which makes it safer than sweetened soft drinks. The study exonerated carbonated beverages like club soda saying that it doesn't have the same impact on bone health as aerated colas.3
Club soda is safer than its sweetened cousins. But it's no substitute for good old water. To make the best use of carbonated water, squeeze a lime or two and season it with a pinch of salt. It's a great way to satiate your soda craving.
References:
1 Cheng, R., Yang, H., Shao, M., Hu, T., & Zhou, X. (2009). Dental erosion and severe tooth decay related to soft drinks: a case report and literature review . Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B, 10(5), 395 399. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0820245
2 Eweis, D. S., Abed, F., & Stiban, J. (2017). Carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages induces ghrelin release and increased food consumption in male rats: Implications on the onset of obesity. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice.
3 Tucker, K. L., Morita, K., Qiao, N., Hannan, M. T., Cupples, L. A., & Kiel, D. P. (2006). Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 84(4), 936-942.
