Seltzer water (commonly referred to as carbonated, fizzy or bubbly water) offers numerous health advantages. In general, seltzer is often more nutritious than soda (both regular and diet), as it typically does not contain added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
However, seltzer water may be detrimental to your teeth if consumed over a long period of time – therefore it’s wiser to drink it through a straw, according to registered dietitian Vicki Shanta Retelny from Nourishing Notes podcast and host Vicki Shanta Retelny RDN. She suggests drinking both still and sparkling water throughout the day for best results and avoid over-carbonating your teeth.
Carbonation may also cause gas, bloating, burping and diarrhea in individuals suffering from digestive conditions like IBS. Vandana Sheth of RDN says drinking too many carbonated drinks will dehydrate you while worsening GI symptoms.
Finaly, sparkling water may strip calcium from your bones over time if consumed regularly; however, according to one recent study cola was linked with reduced hip bone density while other carbonated beverages like seltzer did not show such effects.