Should I Drink Seltzer Water?

3 minute read

Welcome to Should I Eat This?—our weekly poll of five experts who answer nutrition questions that gnaw at you.

5/5 experts say yes.

Seltzer—also known as bubbly water, carbonated water, soda water and sparkling water—comes with as almost as many health myths as it does names. Does it leach calcium from bones? Or destroy the enamel of teeth? Will water plus carbon dioxide equal certain death?

You’re in luck. Seltzer is one of the rare instances where something you love drinking isn’t bad for you. All of our experts say bottoms up to bubbles.

seltzer water
Illustration by Lon Tweeten for TIME

Most obviously, seltzer’s a great soda alternative, since it lacks the calories and sugar of sweetened carbonated drinks. Switching to unsweetened bubbles is a healthy step for anyone, says Laureen Smith, PhD, RN, associate professor at the Ohio State University College of Nursing, who’s studied how to get kids to stop drinking sugary sodas. “For those who choose carbonated sodas, it may provide the sought-after carbonation without the sugar,” she says.

It won’t weaken your bones, either. In one study, Douglas Kiel, MD, associated professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School found that cola was associated with lower hip bone density in women—but not other carbonated drinks like seltzer. Other studies, like this one by Robert Heaney, MD, professor in the Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska, also found that carbonation did not leach calcium from bones.

Both agree that seltzer is a safe bet. (And both bone researchers add, predictably, that milk is the best choice of all as an alt-water beverage.) “It’s not harmful,” Heaney says of seltzer. “But if it displaces a beneficial beverage, such as dairy milk, then that’s not good.”

Your fear of weakening enamel is also nothing to worry about, according to one study that tested sparkling waters on extracted human teeth. Levels of erosion were very low.

Now for the good news: seltzer water counts toward your daily H2O, say two of our experts. “Seltzer water is like drinking regular water,” says Sara Bleich, PhD, associate professor in health policy and management at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. “It’s harmless.”

It might even help you drink more water, according to the findings of one study, in which people who made carbonated water at home drank significantly more total water than people who didn’t make their own water. Seltzer-drinkers also ate less fat. That would make sense to Smith, who adds that bubbles can make you feel full.

So should you insist on sparkling? If you like the taste and you don’t mind paying for water, then go for it. Professor Adam Drewnowski, PhD, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington, has studied the demographics of water drinking in the U.S. and determined that seltzer graces the glasses of the rich. “Seltzer is just plain tap water going upscale,” he says. “My answer is drink up and don’t worry about it.”

Read next: Should I Drink Diet Soda?

QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?

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Answer: A 1/2 cup of ice cream
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Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Butter
Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
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Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?
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Answer: Almonds
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Which is better for you: Eggs or Special K?
Which is better for you: Special K or eggs?AP; Getty Images
Answer: Eggs
Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
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Answer: Regular salad dressing
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Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead.Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
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Answer: Low fat Greek Yogurt
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Write to Mandy Oaklander at mandy.oaklander@time.com