Soda Water

Soda water, or carbonated water, is plain water to which carbon dioxide gas has been added; it is also called sparkling water by many people. Most "soft drinks" and "pop" include It as the primary ingredient. The process of carbonation results in carbonic acid, which is more familiar to us as soda pop.

Soda water, which is also referred to as club soda, was produced in the past in the home by using a seltzer bottle filled with water and “charged” with carbon dioxide. Club soda may be the same as plain carbonate water but it can have a small amount of table salts, and sodium trace minerals. These additives make the taste of home made soda water slightly salty. There are many areas in which this process occurs naturally, resulting in carbonated mineral water.

It's possible that, in some cases, a little dental decay might be related to sparkling mineral water. Potential dental problems with sparkling water are admittedly greater than normal water, but only slightly so. A much higher rate of tooth decay is caused by regular soft drinks than by sparkling water. The rate is so low it suggests that carbonation may not be a factor in causing dental decay.

Water coming from the ground - usually from artesian wells - is often filtered among layers of minerals; these layers contain forms of carbonates, and the water absorbs the carbon dioxide gas released by the carbonates. Natural sparkling water is what results. When the water also picks up enough different minerals to add a flavor to the water it becomes sparkling mineral water.

Basically, soda water = water + carbon dioxide. Sparkling mineral water is a natural result of carbonation. In 1794, a device to produce an artificial carbonated mineral water was made by a jeweler.

In a taste test of several carbonate drinks, it was found that Perrier, a sparkling natural mineral water, kept its fizz the longest.

Consumers who believe seltzer to be a bit harsh may find club soda to have a more gentle fizz. As part of the taste test, club soda seemed to be milder, and a little sweeter tasting, than standard carbonated water.

Club soda, sparkling mineral water, seltzer, and carbonated water have a great advantage over soda pop and tonic water -- no calories.

A type of carbonated drink that contains water, sugar, carbon dioxide and quinine is called tonic water. Originally, to help cure or prevent malaria, quinine was used as an additive to tonic water. Today it is often used as a mixer with gin and lemon or lime for an alcoholic drink.

These are a few of the simple facts that help us understand soda water.