Is Sparkling Water as Hydrating as Still Water?
Yes. Plain sparkling water is as hydrating as still water: in a study that compared common drinks, it was no different from still water, the CDC counts it as water, and the NHS suggests it if you find plain water dull. The things to watch are added sugar and flavored sparkling waters, which a lab study found can be as erosive to teeth as orange juice.
What the research says
The clearest evidence comes from a 2016 study by Maughan and colleagues that set out to rank everyday drinks by how well they hydrate. Seventy-two well-hydrated men each drank 1 liter (about 34 fl oz) of a test drink over 30 minutes on an empty stomach. The researchers then collected their urine for 4 hours and compared every drink with still water.
Sparkling water was one of the drinks that "were not different from the response to water ingestion." In other words, the body held on to about as much of it as it did of still water. The sparkling water used in the study was 100% water, with no calories and no caffeine.
Like any single study, it has limits. Only men took part, each drink was a single large serving on an empty stomach, it measured the hours after drinking rather than whole days, and it was funded by the European Hydration Institute. Still, the result fits what health authorities say.
What health authorities say
The CDC treats sparkling water as water. Its advice on healthier drinks reads: "Choose water instead of sugary drinks. This can be tap water or unsweetened, bottled, or sparkling water."
The NHS suggests it as a way to drink more: "if you don't like the taste of water, try sparkling water, no added sugar squash, or add a slice of lemon or lime." If bubbles make water more appealing to you, that's a good reason to choose them. For more ideas like this, see how to drink more water.
Plain, flavored and sweetened at a glance
| Drink | Hydrates like water? | Effect on teeth (lab studies) | Added sugar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain sparkling water | Yes, in the 2016 study | Slightly more than still water, but still low | None |
| Flavored sparkling water | Not tested in the 2016 study | Similar to or more than orange juice in a 2007 study | Check the label |
| Soft drinks | Cola and diet cola were no different from water in the 2016 study | About 100 times more than sparkling mineral water in a 2001 study | Regular soda: over 10 tsp per 355 ml (12 fl oz) |
The sections below explain each column.
Is sparkling water bad for your teeth?
Both studies on this were done in the lab, not in people's mouths (the 2001 study used extracted teeth and powdered tooth mineral). They show which drinks dissolve tooth mineral more easily, which is a useful guide, but not the same as measuring damage in real life.
Plain sparkling water
A 2001 study by Parry and colleagues compared still and sparkling mineral waters with soft drinks. "Sparkling mineral waters showed slightly greater dissolution than still waters, but levels remained low and were of the order of one hundred times less than the comparator soft drinks." The authors concluded that "mineral waters appear to offer a safe alternative to more erosive acidic beverages."
So in the lab, plain sparkling water was a little harder on tooth mineral than still water, but nowhere near soft drinks.
Flavored sparkling water
Flavored versions are a different story. A 2007 lab study by Brown and colleagues tested flavored sparkling waters sold in the UK. They had a pH of 2.74 to 3.34, and their erosive potential scores (89 to 143%) were similar to or greater than pure orange juice.
The authors' advice was blunt: "Flavoured sparkling waters should be considered as potentially erosive, and preventive advice on their consumption should recognize them as potentially acidic drinks rather than water with flavouring." The drinks tested were sold in one country nearly two decades ago, and today's drinks may differ, but the takeaway is simple: don't assume a flavored fizzy water is as gentle on your teeth as plain water.
Babies and young children
The NHS says: "Fizzy drinks are acidic and can damage tooth enamel so they should not be given to babies and young children."
Watch for added sugar
Sweetened sparkling drinks are soft drinks, not water. The CDC notes that "a 12-ounce regular soda has more than 10 teaspoons (about 42 grams) of added sugar. That's about 150 calories from sugar." That's about 355 ml of soda.
If plain sparkling water tastes too plain, the CDC suggests: "Add a splash of 100% juice to plain sparkling water for a refreshing, low-calorie drink." The NHS also recommends swapping sugary drinks for diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar ones.
Other things worth knowing
- If the fizz leaves you feeling full, switch to still water for part of the day. It hydrates you just the same.
- Mineral waters vary. Sparkling and still mineral waters differ in what's dissolved in them, and the label lists it.
- Fluid limits still apply. If a doctor has told you to limit fluids (for example for heart failure or kidney disease), follow their limit rather than general advice. Sparkling water counts toward that limit like any other drink.
It counts toward your daily total
Plain sparkling water counts toward your fluid intake in the same way as still water. For how much you need overall, see how much water you should drink a day. Coffee and tea count too; see does coffee count as water.
In Hydrolotl, sparkling water is one of the drinks you can log, on your iPhone or straight from your Apple Watch, alongside water, tea, matcha, coffee and milk.
FAQ
Does sparkling water count as water intake?
Yes. In a 2016 study, plain sparkling water was no different from still water in how much the body retained, and the CDC lists unsweetened sparkling water as a way to choose water.
Is sparkling water bad for your teeth?
Plain sparkling water dissolved slightly more tooth mineral than still water in a lab study, but about one hundred times less than the soft drinks tested. Flavored sparkling waters are another matter: a separate lab study found them similar to or more erosive than orange juice.
Is it OK to drink sparkling water every day?
For plain, unsweetened sparkling water, the research above gives no reason to avoid it as one of your everyday drinks. Keep an eye on flavored and sweetened versions, which add acid or sugar.
Is flavored sparkling water as good as plain?
Not for your teeth. A lab study found flavored sparkling waters as erosive as orange juice or more, and the authors advise treating them as acidic drinks rather than water. Sweetened versions also add sugar.
Sources
- Maughan et al. (2016). A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index
- CDC (2026). Rethink Your Drink
- NHS (accessed 2026). Water, drinks and your health
- Parry et al. (2001). Investigation of mineral waters and soft drinks in relation to dental erosion
- Brown et al. (2007). The erosive potential of flavoured sparkling water drinks
- NHS (accessed 2026). Drinks and cups for babies and young children
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or your doctor has given you a fluid limit, follow their advice.
