Does Carbonated Water Help Digestion? (Do This Instead!)


Does Carbonated Water Help Digestion

People ask, does carbonated water help digestion?

If you are a big fan of drinking carbonated water, you may have heard a rumor that these drinks can actually be beneficial for your digestive health. But is it true?

So, does carbonated water help digestion? Although in some cases and for some people sparkling water can cause gastrointestinal upset, there are several ways that drinking sparkling water can actually be good for your digestion. It can help with swallowing and feelings of fullness, as well as helping to reduce constipation.

The rest of this article will go into detail about the digestive benefits and downsides to drinking carbonated waters.

Does carbonated water help digestion?

Does carbonated water help digestion? For some, the answer to this question may depend on you as an individual.

For some people, carbonated water may cause symptoms of gastrointestinal upset, such as gas and bloating. For others, it may indeed help with several aspects of your digestive health.

For example, studies have shown that drinking carbonated water can be beneficial when it comes to swallowing properly, making you feel full and thus not overeating, and also it can help relieve constipation.

It can also help with keeping you hydrated since sparkling water is just as hydrating as regular water—and more tasty!

How does carbonated water help swallowing?

Several studies have shown that carbonated water is linked to improved ability to swallow in both young adults and older adults.

Carbonated liquids have been shown to stimulate the nerves which are responsible for the swallowing motion, and this is especially true when the carbonated liquid is extra cold.

In another study, drinking cold carbonated water led to a massive reduction in symptoms for individuals who constantly felt the need to be clearing their throats.

How can carbonated water make me feel fuller?

This is another mixed bag. Some studies have shown that drinking carbonated water with a meal may make the feeling of fullness after eating last for a longer period of time.

It may also help the food actually stay in your stomach for a longer period of time.

However, some other studies have shown that drinking carbonated water can actually stimulate the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which can lead to you feeling the need to actually eat more.

This is one area where further studies would be beneficial to confirm whether drinking carbonated water actually makes you feel fuller for longer, or if it simply makes you feel hungrier.

Treat these studies with a critical eye.

Does carbonated water help relieve constipation?

Yes, carbonated water has been shown in multiple studies to increase the frequency of bowel movements and reduce constipation.

These same studies have suggested that sparkling water may also reduce the other effects of indigestion, like stomach pains.

Can carbonated water be bad for my digestion?

Although some studies have shown the multiple ways that carbonated water can be beneficial for your digestion, some other studies have suggested that carbonated water may cause various symptoms of gastrointestinal upset.

These symptoms may include gas, bloating, or even diarrhea.

These symptoms will not apply to everyone who drinks carbonated water, and in most cases, have only been recorded to appear when drinking over 300ml of carbonated water.

If you experience benefits to drinking carbonated water, you should continue to do so, whereas if you experience more negatives, you should consider cutting it out of your diet.

How can carbonated water cause gas and bloating?

There are a few different ways that carbonated water can lead to gas and bloating. The most obvious way is the simple fact that carbonated water contains carbon dioxide gas.

When you drink the carbonated beverages, this gas will end up in your stomach and gastrointestinal tract.

Too much can lead to a buildup of gas in those areas, which of course must come out one way or another. If it does not come out, it can create a situation where you are bloated and experience severe gas pains.

Drinking carbonated water can also lead to you swallowing an excess of air alongside your drink. If you do this, that air can once again end up in your stomach or intestines. Like the carbon dioxide, that air must come out, and can lead to discomfort or excessive flatulence.

Do the benefits of carbonated water outweigh the downsides?

This is a very individualized question. Firstly, you should ask yourself whether you personally experience the benefits of drinking carbonated water or the downsides.

If you never experience any downsides, then there is no reason why you should have to stop drinking carbonated water!

If you never experience any positives to drinking carbonated water, then you should ask yourself why you are continuing to drink it.

Should I drink carbonated water?

This question really goes hand in hand with the section above. Whether you should drink carbonated water or not depends on how it makes you feel. If you regularly enjoy the digestive benefits of drinking carbonated water, then you should definitely continue to do so!

If you, however, are regularly being made sick or uncomfortable due to drinking sparkling water, you may want to consider stopping.

If you want to continue to drink it, you may consider trying a different brand than whichever one is consistently making you feel ill.

Some brands contain different ingredients than others, and you may find that one allows you to enjoy the benefits of carbonated water while another will make you feel sick.

Read also: Is Flavored Sparkling Water Bad For You? (All You Need To Know)

Conclusion

So, does carbonated water help digestion? The answer is, well, yes and no. Some people experience many benefits of drinking carbonated water, such as improved swallowing ability, increased feelings of fullness after meals, and reduced symptoms of constipation.

Others, however, may experience more downsides to drinking sparkling water, such as gas, bloating, or even diarrhea.

Whether you continue to drink sparkling water or not depends on whether you are experiencing the digestive benefits of doing so, or whether you are experiencing symptoms of gastrointestinal upset.

If drinking carbonated water helps your personal digestion, you should absolutely continue to do so. Otherwise, consider trying a different brand of carbonated water.


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References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/carbonated-water-good-or-bad

https://www.webmd.com/diet/sparkling-water-health-benefits

Lindsey

Lindsey graduated with an MBA in 2009. Since then, Lindsey has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Lindsey is also the head writer and Co-founder of Rvandplaya.com. Lindsey is based in Morgantown, West Virginia.

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