Is Sparkling Water Hydrating? Yes, Like Still Water

Yes, sparkling water is hydrating. Plain sparkling water hydrates about as well as still water, and it counts toward your daily water intake the same way.

The bubbles are just dissolved carbon dioxide; the drink is still water. Below is the research behind that, plus the questions that usually come next: teeth, bloating, flavored cans, and how much of your day it can cover.

Does sparkling water hydrate you as well as regular water?

The clearest evidence comes from a 2016 randomized trial in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that built a “beverage hydration index.” Seventy-two men each drank 1 liter (about 34 fl oz) of still water or one of 13 common drinks, then researchers measured how much urine they produced over the next 4 hours. Less urine means more of the drink stayed in the body. The result for sparkling water: its urine output “was not different from the response to water ingestion.” The same was true of coffee, tea, cola and a sports drink. (Milk and an oral rehydration solution were retained a little better than water.)

The study was small and only included men, but it’s consistent with what clinicians say. Houston Methodist puts it this way: “Current evidence suggests that sparkling water hydrates your body just as well as regular water,” while noting that research on the topic is limited.

So if you log it, log it as water.

Is sparkling water bad for your teeth?

Plain sparkling water isn’t a meaningful risk for most people. Carbonation makes water slightly more acidic, which is where the worry comes from. But the American Dental Association’s consumer site, MouthHealthy, describes a study comparing sparkling water with regular water on tooth enamel and reports that “the two forms of water were about the same in their effects on tooth enamel.” Houston Methodist adds that it causes “significantly less damage to tooth enamel than soft drinks.”

Where the ADA does flag a concern:

• Citrus flavors. “Citrus-flavored waters often have higher acid levels that does increase the risk of damage to your enamel.”
• Sipping all day. For citrus-flavored cans, MouthHealthy suggests enjoying them “in one sitting or with meals” rather than sipping over hours, which keeps teeth exposed to acid again and again.
• Skipping tap water entirely. “Water with fluoride naturally helps fight cavities,” so it’s worth keeping fluoridated tap water in the mix.

Does sparkling water cause bloating?

It can for some people. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases lists drinking carbonated, or fizzy, drinks as one of the ways people swallow more air, which is a source of gas in the digestive tract. If bubbles leave you feeling gassy or uncomfortable, that’s a reason to mix in still water, not a sign the sparkling water isn’t hydrating you.

Fizz also tends to make people feel full. Houston Methodist notes it may help you feel full for longer after meals. If you find you drink less when it’s all sparkling, a still bottle alongside can help you keep pace.

Are flavored and sweetened sparkling waters still hydrating?

The water in them hydrates you either way; in the beverage-index trial, even cola was no different from water. What changes is everything else in the can:

• Unsweetened, naturally flavored seltzers are a low-calorie choice. The CDC lists “sparkling water, seltzers, and flavored waters” among low-calorie drinks.
• Sweetened sparkling waters are a different category. The CDC counts “sweetened waters” as sugary drinks, which “contain calories but little nutritional value,” and MouthHealthy notes that sugar-sweetened versions add to cavity risk.
• Tonic water is not sparkling water. Houston Methodist warns that tonic “contains a lot of sugar, and should never be used in place of regular water.”
• Club soda has added sodium. The same source says club soda “typically contains more than 70 mg of sodium per can,” while most sparkling water brands contain no sodium or sugar. Check the label.

How much sparkling water can count toward your daily intake?

All of it. There’s no official cap on how much of your water can be sparkling, and the hydration research above treats it the same as still. For reference, the National Academies’ guideline for women is about 74 fl oz (9 cups) a day from drinks, out of about 91 fl oz total once food is included. Those are typical intakes for healthy people, not a quota, and the panel found most people meet their needs by drinking to thirst. Our women’s hydration statistics page has the full figures, and the water intake calculator gives you a personal starting point.

Two practical notes:

• If plain water is hard for you, sparkling is a real fix. The NHS suggests you “try sparkling water” if you don’t like the taste of plain water. More ideas in what to do if you hate the taste of plain water.
• Other drinks count too. Coffee, tea and milk all contribute; see does coffee count as water intake. Rules like “8 glasses of plain water” aren’t the standard; our research on hydration myths found them still repeated on Google’s first page.

When should you talk to a doctor?

Sparkling water itself isn’t a medical concern for most people. If carbonated drinks regularly trigger heartburn, pain or bloating, or you’ve been told to limit sodium, check with your doctor or dentist about what fits you, and choose sodium-free, unsweetened cans in the meantime.

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Hydrate logs sparkling water as water, with its own drink in the picker, so your seltzer habit counts toward your goal. Join the waitlist.