Diet Soda vs Sparkling Water

_jayciemarie_

I have recently purchased "Clear American Sparkling Water". It is .68cents at Walmart. It has no calories and no sodium. It has nothing in it. I read online that "Sparkling" water is the next best thing to actual water. I read also that it is better than diet soda's. I personally love the carbonated water and wish I could afford the Soda Stream. Why is sparkling water better than diet soda? I feel they both have artificial flavors. Any thoughts?

OverDoIt

check this out. Water is free and it is better than sparkling anything.

_jayciemarie_

I understand Water is the almighty #1 drink since our body is made 70% of it. I didn't ask if water was better than "x". I know it is. I'm asking the difference between diet soda and sparkling waters.

Hornsby

Well, a lot of the sparkling flavored waters have a lot of the same chemicals (especially aspartame) in it that a lot of the sodaphobes don't want to ingest so I am not sure on that front.

xmichaelyx

Why is sparkling water better than diet soda? I feel they both have artificial flavors.

Why do you feel that? Here are the ingredients:

1) Sparkling water contains: Carbonated water.

2) Diet coke contains: Carbonated water, flavourings, colour (caramel E150d), citric acid, sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame-K), phosphoric acid, acidity regulator (E331), caffeine, tartaric acid, phenylalanine.

There's no comparison.

Add a little 100% cranberry juice (not that Ocean Spray crap, but the real thing) to your sparkling water and you have a nice, flavorful drink.

jmb6739

I drink tons of sparking water. Like Hornsby said, you have to watch for what else is added. You can find ones that the label only shows water and carbonation. Ice Mountain makes several good flavors, but without the aspartame. I do use the soda stream, and add slices of lemons or limes. You can find plain sparking waters, with nothing added and add your own fruits or mint. Some of the sparkling water really is no better than a diet soda.

Sarah4fitness

Depends on the water.

If the water has zero additives except the carbonation, it shouldn't have any negative effects on your weight. Diet sodas are loaded with all kinds of artificial sweeteners and flavors and colors and chemicals, and there are studies that indicate the consumption of diet soda can be detrimental to our bodies, particularly if one is attempting to lose weight.
If you're choosing one or the other, go with the no-additive carbonated water. Add a squirt of lemon or stevia if you want. Or have a diet soda if you want. Just maybe exercise moderation if you're worried about it.

martinytime

I had a horrid diet coke issue 5 to 6 a day some days.... the last 57 days on here, I have cut way back on diet and now enjoy Lemon or lime Klarbrunn sparkling water. The only ingredients are carbonated water and natural lemon or lime flavor. Is a no brainer to me if you can't stand plain water or even flavored plain water....the carbonation adds a special touch....

kelli_panzera

Sparkling water is fantastic...Unfortunately the artificial sweeteners can hinder your attempts to lose weight! I have a sodastream, and I use the water flavorings (no sugar, sweetener, or calories). The others I drink that are just as good (but more expensive) are Zephyrhills lemon and orange, Perrier citron, and St. Croix...they have a lot of flavors! Be on the safe side and read the labels, since I dumped the artificial sweeteners out of my diet I have had a much better experience!

_jayciemarie_

This is the ingredients:

Filtered Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (A Preservative), Acesulfame Potassium. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 240 ml
Servings Per Container 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 0Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0 G 0
Sodium 0 Mg 0
Total Carbohydrate 0 G 0
Sugars 0 G
Protein 0 G


So...basically this is the same as drinking diet soda?

Hornsby

For the record, the OP mentioned a particular brand of water. Here is the ingredients for just one of their flavors....

Filtered Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Benzoate (A Preservative), Aspartame, Choline Chloride, Acesulfame Potassium, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Biotin. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine.

Hornsby

This is the ingredients:

Filtered Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (A Preservative), Acesulfame Potassium. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine.

So...basically this is the same as drinking diet soda?

Beat me to it.

_jayciemarie_

So....this particular brand is no different than drinking a diet soda, right? There are waters out there that aren't like this though. I love carbonation. So, guess I just need to find the water that doesn't have all the chemicals added. (I knew it was too good to be true).

Hornsby

So....this particular brand is no different than drinking a diet soda, right? There are waters out there that aren't like this though. I love carbonation. So, guess I just need to find the water that doesn't have all the chemicals added. (I knew it was too good to be true).

I drink diet soda every day. Hasn't hindered anything on my end. If you like diet soda, drink diet soda. Everything in moderation.

hig17

I have been drinking Sparkling Water (ie. seltzer water my favorite brand is La Croix found at Kroger, also Martin's generic brand is really good too), it has no calories, no sodium, nothing but water, carbonation and natural flavor. No artificial sweeteners either. (I gave up diet sodas and most artificial sweeteners when I started back to MFP). This way I am still drinking water but get that bubbly feel you get from soda with out all the nasty aspartame etc.
The person above is right though a LOT of the "flavored" waters have a bunch of other ingredients in them, you really have to read the labels!

corriejn

If you're just looking for weight loss, diet soda or flavored/sweetened sparkling water are going to be about equivalent (you can always compare nutrition info to see if there's any difference on sodium, etc.). That being said, aspartame has a lot of well-scientifically-demonstrated nasty health implications. I would stick to water or another flavored beverage that isn't artificially sweetened.

Hornsby

That being said, aspartame has a lot of well-scientifically-demonstrated nasty health implications.

I'd like to see those.

kattbyrd67

Try flavored seltzer. It's bubbly and has no artificial sweeteners.

shelbelw

LaCroix is what I drink.

According to their website, it contains water, carbonation, and natural flavors. The "natural flavors" are "derived from the natural essence oils extracted from the fruits used in each of our LaCroix flavors. There are no sugars or artificial ingredients contained in, nor added to, these extracted flavors."

I used to have a huge diet soda habit, then a regular soda habit. I love carbonated drinks, and the only bad thing about LaCroix is the price. It's more expensive than soda, so I consider it a treat.

msienkiewicz

Some brands of sparking water are flavored and have aspartame. They come in the same 1 liter bottles as the seltzer water which is carbonated water with possibly flavoring but no sweetener. I have to look twice sometimes to distinguish between the two because they look the same, just like clear bottled water. I prefer the seltzer water to the sweetened version. (When I want to drink diet soda, I drink diet soda.)

TR0berts

That being said, aspartame has a lot of well-scientifically-demonstrated nasty health implications.

I'd like to see those.

...When you inject butt-tons directly into rats...

SeasideOasis

At home, we drink plain Setzer Water and add fruit. Most recently, we drink Setzer Water with Grapefruit. Gives you great taste thats fresh without all the chemicals. We get the big Setzer Waters from the grocery store and in SoCal Grapefruit are currently 2/$1.00 with each grapefruit lasting about a week and a half!

meeulk

There are sparkling waters that have natural flavor (cherry, lime, etc) that are not full of crap (like aspartame).

You have to read the ingredients though to make sure it's just water and natural flavor.

My favorite is cherry made by Vintage Seltzer. http://www.vintageseltzer.com/ Ingredients are carbonated water and natural flavor (that's it). But, they're NOT sweet!

SheFitWalks

I started using Seltzer Water. On hand I have Vintage Seltzer and Food Lion's Seltzer Water. Both list their ingredients as:
Ingredients: Carbonated water. That's all! I have really enjoyed these seltzer waters with just a splash or two of juices. One day I was out of my typical Cranberry juice and even used orange juice. It still tasted great!

0 calories! (Well, except for the juice.)

RaeLB

Are you trying to drink something with less calories than soda?
Are you trying to avoid aspartame?

What are we getting at here?

_jayciemarie_

I'm not against drinking diet sodas or consuming products with artificial sweetners. I put splenda in my coffee daily. I don't eat "clean". All I do is eat/drink better than I used to. I only live once so to deprive my body of anything is absurd to me. With that being said...I want to drink a lot of water, but I get tired of water. I have found I don't care for the water that has a splash of flavor. (They taste blah without carbonation). I bought the cheap walmart water and I realize it is no different than soda. So, I wanted a carbonated water that has the least amount of chemicals that tastes ok. I will try LaCroix as well as plain and splashing 100% juice in it.

RaeLB

Okay, the reason I asked is because the whole 8 glasses of water thing is a myth. First of all, you can get your water from any source that has water in it: soda, juice, coffee, fruits, veggies, etc. Your body will not discriminate, it will take the water. Second, your body will tell you if you need more water: thirst.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/8-glasses-of-water-a-day-an-urban-myth-1.1196386

RaeLB

So drink what you love :drinker:

_jayciemarie_

Beer? Wine? Anything? lol

lask722

It sounds like you'd probably love a sodastream. It turns plain water into sparkling/carbonated water, then it's up to you what to add, if anything.

Personally I like it's versatility and use it in a variety of ways. Most often I drink it straight, no additives, but sometimes I'll add something natural like mint leaves, a squeeze of lemon, even a vanilla bean. There are a plethora of sodastream syrups that you can buy, and using those IS the same as having soda, if that is a concern for you. However, you can control the amount you use. The only one I use on occasion is the cream soda syrup, but I only add enough to suit my taste, which is about 1/3 as strong as what you'd find in a can at the store.

RaeLB

Beer? Wine? Anything? lol

Errrrrrrrr LOL I should have put an asterisk in there! Alcohol makes you urinate more and reduces your volume of water!

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/02/28/3441707.htm