Soda Water: How Much Do You Know?
Soda water, or carbonated water, is also referred to as sparkling water, and is plain water to which carbon dioxide gas has been added. It is the primary component of most “soft drinks.”. Carbonic acid results from the process of carbonation, and is better known to us as soda pop.
If one takes a seltzer bottle filled with water and then “charges” it with carbon dioxide, the result is club soda — or, soda water. Club soda is often the same as plain carbonated water; sometimes, however, there may possibly be a small amount of table salts and/or sodium trace minerals. These additives could possibly make the taste of home made soda water slightly salty. In some areas the process occurs very naturally and issues 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. Regular “pop” or soft drinks stimulate a much higher rate of tooth decay than does sparkling water. The rate is so low that carbonated drinks may be a much smaller factor in dental decay than commonly believed.
Ground waters, usually from artesian wells, often absorb carbon dioxide gases while filtering through layers of ground minerals containing various forms of carbonates. Natural sparkling water is what results. Sparkling mineral water results in cases where the filtered water picks up enough different minerals to add a flavor.
In its basic construction, soda water is just water and carbon dioxide. Sparkling mineral water is just one form of carbonation that occurs naturally. A jeweler, in 1794, made a device to produce an artificial carbonated mineral water.
When several carbonated drinks were compared in a taste test, it was found that Perrier, a sparkling natural mineral water, kept its fizz the longest.
Consumers who feel that seltzer is a bit harsh will find club soda to have a more gentle fizz. In the taste test, club soda seemed to be milder and a little sweeter tasting than standard carbonated water.
Since club soda, sparkling mineral water, seltzer, and carbonated water have no calories, this makes them a dieter’s choice over soda pop and tonic water. Not even if flavored at home with flavor for carbonated water.
Mixing water, sugar, carbon dioxide and quinine produces a carbonated drink called tonic water. Originally, quinine was used as an additive to tonic water to help cure or prevent malaria. Today it is often mixed with gin and lemon or lime to create an alcoholic drink.
These are a few of the simple facts that help us understand soda water.