Soda Water is a excellent, refreshing drink for health and fitness, because it is has always been totally free of carbohydrates and sugars.

Soda water, or carbonated water, is also referred to as , and is plain water to which carbon dioxide gas has been added. It is the principal part of most “soft drinks”. Carbonic acid — soda pop — results from the process of carbonation.

By using a seltzer bottle filled with water and then “charged” with carbon dioxide, soda water (also called club soda) was produced in the past in the home. Club soda is often the same as plain carbonated water; sometimes, however, there may possibly be a small amount of table salts and/or sodium trace minerals. These additives may make the taste of home made soda water slightly salty. In many areas this process is a natural occurence and produces carbonated mineral water.

A little dental decay might sometimes be caused by sparkling mineral water. Normal water poses less potential dental problems than sparkling water, but the difference does not present a major problem. Higher rates of tooth decay are caused by regular soft drinks, not by sparkling water. Such a low rate suggests that carbonation of drinks may not be a factor in causing dental decay.

Water that comes from the ground – usually from artesian wells – and filtered among layers of minerals containing some form of carbonates may absorb the carbon dioxide gas released by the carbonates. The resulting water is called natural sparkling water. If the water also picks up enough different minerals to add a flavor to the water it becomes sparkling mineral water.

There’s no mystery about soda water — it’s just water and carbon dioxide. Sparkling mineral water is one of the naturally-occuring forms of carbonation. In the year 1794, a jeweler invented a different kind of device — one to produce artificial carbonated mineral water.

A taste test of several popular carbonated drinks determined that Perrier (a sparkling natural mineral water) had the longest-lasting fizz.

The gentle fizz of club soda may be preferred by consumers who feel seltzer to be a bit harsh. In the taste test, club soda seemed to be milder and a little sweeter tasting than standard carbonated water.

Club soda, sparkling mineral water, seltzer, and carbonated water have zero calories, making them a dieter’s choice over soda pop and tonic water.

The mixture of water, sugar, carbon dioxide and quinine produces a type of carbonated drink called tonic water. Quinine’s first use in tonic water was as an additive to help cure or prevent malaria. Today it is frequently mixed with gin and lemon or lime to produce an alcoholic drink.

Understanding soda water is made easier by these basic facts and terms.