With temperatures soaring across the country, everyone is looking for a way to cool down, whether that means taking a dip in a pool for a temporary reprieve or stopping by a local ice cream shop. One surefire route to refreshment: staying hydrated. From cans of Spindrift and Sanzo to bottles of Poland Spring and Evian, limitless water options line the shelves of supermarkets across the country. But if you find yourself reaching for sparkling water instead of still, will you receive the same amount of hydration? VinePair tapped Dr. Lisa R. Young, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, to find out.
It turns out that the bracing bubbles of seltzer can make you feel extra energized, but when it comes to actual hydration, there’s no real difference between sparkling water and its still counterpart.
“Sparkling water and still water are equally hydrating,” she explains. “The main difference between the two is the presence of carbon dioxide in sparkling water, which gives it its bubbles.”
As carbon dioxide is not a dehydrating compound, the fizziness of sparkling water won’t negatively affect the body’s hydration. That said, some flavored seltzers may contain sugar, which can alter how hydrating your preferred can might be.
While some brands like Spindrift, LaCroix, and Polar do not contain any added sugars — the small amount present in each can instead comes from fruit juice or concentrate — others can contain up to 26 grams of added sweetener. That’s more sugar per serving
