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One Major Effect of Drinking Seltzer Water, Science Says

A new study suggests sparkling water may improve your mood, which adds to the reasons to love this beloved bev.
FACT CHECKED BY Joseph Neese

If you're thirsty, holding an ice-cold bottle of seltzer water in your hands stirs up anticipation that you can't wait to quench. However, hydration isn't the only major effect of drinking this beloved beverage.

In an upcoming issue of Food Research International, nutrition and dietetics researchers in Canada asked more than 100 study participants to evaluate their sensory perception and emotional responses to carbonated fruity drinks.

This new study suggests that sparkling water may improve your mood—but it's only the latest science. When it comes to selecting sparkling over still, there's a long list of documented health benefits. (Related: One Major Side Effect of Drinking Lemon Water, Says Dietitian)

You may associate fizzy water with festivities.

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Is seltzer the champagne of water? In the new study, carbonation increased participants' overall liking of the beverages they tested. That's because, as the study's authors explain, the participants "identified they like mouthfeel and flavour-enhancing qualities of carbonated beverages." Moreover, they "associated them with special events."

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Sparkling water may help you stay "regular."

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As Livestrong points out, the peer-reviewed scientific journal Medicina published a 2020 article about a study that split 21 patients with diagnosed indigestion into two groups. The first group drank carbonated water for a week, while the second group drank tap water.

In comparison to the tap group, the sparkling water drinkers noted significant improvement to indigestion, as well as reduced constipation.

Best Supplements for Constipation, Say Experts

Seltzer could maximize hydration.

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Seltzer water might actually be the coolest move on a hot day, according to a 1994 study referenced in the Medicina review that suggested bubbly water may potentially provide greater hydrating benefits than flat water.

As Livestrong explains, that's because "the natural minerals in sparkling water act as electrolytes."

 One Major Effect of Drinking Electrolytes, Say Experts

Seltzer water could help you achieve a healthy weight.

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Drinking water in general is one key to shedding pounds, and seltzer water in particular may actually subdue your appetite. In a 2012 study of 19 healthy young women, those who drank seltzer water recorded greater appetite satiety and higher fullness scores than those who drank flat water or no drinking water.

For more on the bubbles that might actually make you feel bubbly …

Club soda sparkling water
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If all of this information made your curiosity about seltzer water bubble up, check out the 10 Best Sparkling Water Brands to Buy. Also, Here's What Happens To Your Body If You Drink Seltzer Every Day.

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Krissy Gasbarre
Krissy is a senior news editor at Eat This, Not That!, managing morning and weekend news related to nutrition, wellness, restaurants and groceries (with a focus on beverages), and more. Read more about Krissy
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