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May 27, 2020

Is Sparkling Water Good For Kids? Get The Facts!

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Is it okay for kids to drink sparkling water? Is it bad for teeth? Is it hydrating? Get the facts about fizzy water here.

For kids who don’t love plain water and parents who aren’t fans of soda, sparkling water can feel like a good compromise. 

But if you’ve wondered whether it’s okay for them to drink, I’ve got answers for you!

La Croix

What is Sparkling Water?

Sparkling water is water that’s carbonated, which means it has carbon dioxide gas added to give it fizz and a slightly tangy taste. Sparkling water can be plain or lightly flavored (like LaCroix) but typically has no sugar. 

There are other kinds of fizzy water too, like:   

  • Sparkling mineral water: Water from an underground source, like a spring, that naturally contains minerals such as magnesium and calcium (example: Perrier)
  • Club soda: Carbonated water with minerals like sodium bicarbonate added to it, slightly salty tasting
  • Tonic water: Carbonated water with added quinine (a bitter compound that comes from the bark of a tree) and typically sweetened to balance the bitterness
Is sparkling water okay for kids? Get the facts!Click to Tweet

Is Sparkling Water Healthy?

Sparkling water that’s either plain or unsweetened is a better choice than soda, fruit punches, and other super-sweetened drinks because sugary drinks are the number-one source of added sugar for kids. What are healthy drinks for kids? Find out!

Is Sparkling Water Hydrating?

Yes. Sparkling water is 100 percent water, and according to researchers, it’s just as hydrating as plain water is.

Sparkling Water with lime wedge

Is Sparkling Water Bad For Teeth?

Maybe. What kids drink has a big impact on their teeth. Beverages like soda, fruit juice, and sports drinks are actually the leading cause of tooth decay in kids and teens, according to the American Dental Association. Over time, those drinks can erode tooth enamel, the protective covering on teeth that blocks decay.

Drinks that have a pH less than 4 are considered to be potentially damaging to teeth, according to research.  Flavored sparkling waters have a low pH between 2.74-3.34, according to researchers from the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry, who tested a sampling of flavored sparkling waters on the market. 

In comparison, here’s the pH of some other common drinks:

Beverage pH
Plain water 7
Milk 6.6-6.8
Perrier Mineral Water 5.3 
Canada Dry Club Soda 5.2
Black Tea 4.9
Minute Maid 100% Orange Juice 3.82
Tropicana 100% Apple Juice 3.5
Gatorade Lemon-Lime 2.97
Coca-Cola 2.5

Sources: Center for Science in the Public Interest and “The pH of beverages in the United States”

The researchers say sparkling water drinks have a potential to erode tooth enamel and should be considered “acidic fruit drinks” instead of merely “flavored water”. 

Why are they so acidic? Carbonation itself lowers the pH of the water. But other ingredients are added that can lower it even more, especially citric acid, which is used as a flavoring and preservative.

Citric acid may be listed as its own ingredient on labels or as “natural flavors”. (Wondering what “natural flavor” even means? Read: What are Natural Flavors? Get The Facts!)

This isn’t a big deal if your kids only have these occasionally–and certainly doesn’t mean you should stop serving them- but it’s good to know if your kids (or you!) drink these beverages regularly. 

Is Sparkling Water Bad For Bones?

No. Carbonated beverages have been blamed for being harmful to bones by triggering the body to excrete calcium in the urine. But according to research, this is only an issue with caffeinated beverages–and even still, probably not in a meaningful way. 

ALDI Vie sparkling water

What About Regular (Flat) Flavored Water?

It’s okay, but you should read labels closely. There are a lot of choices, and the ingredients vary. 

Some (like Dasani flavored water) contain artificial sweeteners like Sucralose. Others (like Rethink water) have “natural” sweeteners like monk fruit. And some contain sugar, like Capri Sun Roarin Water, which has two teaspoons of added sugar per pouch.

You can also buy drops that you add to water for flavors. Read these labels closely too. Some contain synthetic dyes and certain varieties have caffeine.

What Should You Do?

Read the ingredients. Don’t assume that all flavored waters are simply water with a squeeze of natural fruit. Ingredients vary widely and might include sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Don’t let kids sip them throughout the day. Ideally, serve sparkling water with food to balance out some of the acidity. And discourage kids from swishing them around in their mouth–using a (ideally, reusable) straw can help prevent that. 

Keep serving regular plain water, especially when kids are parched from playing sports or being in the heat, so they learn to associate it with quenching their thirst.

Hi! I'm Sally, a dietitian-mom.

I believe that EVERY mom can feel successful and confident about feeding her kids, lose the stress, and finally enjoy mealtime again.

Sign up for my weekly emails for support and inspiration (plus dinner ideas!) and I'll send you 16 game-changing tips for feeding your kids--even the super-duper picky ones.

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Filed Under: Learn How, Nutrition Advice + Ideas Tagged With: beverages, carbonated water, drinks, lacroix, sparkling water

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angela says

    May 28, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    What are some of your favorite naturally flavored higher ph water brands?

    Reply
    • Sally says

      May 29, 2020 at 10:23 am

      Hi Angela–According to the research study I mentioned, both still and carbonated flavored waters have a lower pH because the flavoring itself can lower the pH–just like adding fresh lemon to water at home would lower the pH. It’s not a reason to entirely avoid them, but I think it’s important to know if people are drinking a lot of them or kids are swishing them in their mouth (because some kids are prone to do that).

      Reply
  2. bionaze says

    June 4, 2020 at 2:15 am

    Sparkling water is a better choice for a carbonated beverage than a sugary soda. Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
  3. River says

    January 22, 2021 at 3:01 pm

    We love sparkling water! We don’t drink alcohol so we consider it our “fancy drink” lol.
    We also drink a ton of spring water, and since we’re in Ontario, we’re close to natural springs. We drink Cedar Springs & we love it!

    Reply

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