Compare sparkling water

Research · Sparkling water

What our research found about sparkling water

The best sparkling waters list carbonated water and perhaps “natural flavors” or fruit juice, with no sweeteners. The FDA defines natural flavors as flavoring derived from plant or animal sources, but the label does not list the specific ingredients, so the term tells you less than a short ingredient list. Some brands add real juice, which is why a “flavored” sparkling water can have a few calories and a few grams of sugar.

Harvard’s Nutrition Source calls water the best choice for quenching thirst, and unsweetened sparkling water is a way to get it with flavor. Flavored, acidic waters can be harder on tooth enamel than plain water, so some dentists suggest drinking them with meals. Compare sodium and any juice or sweetener content, and check the full ingredient list for added sweeteners.

Products

242 brands

Full labels recorded

1354% of the shelf

Maker says organic

0maker’s claim

List an added sweetener

0of 13 labels

List a seed oil

0of 13 labels

Typical label length

2ingredients (median)

Counts use complete, current ingredient labels only. Records without a published label stay unknown and are never counted as clean.

What to compare

• Short list. Carbonated water and natural flavor is the simplest pattern.
• Juice or sweeteners. Some brands add juice, sugar or non-sugar sweeteners.
• Sodium and minerals. Mineral waters and some seltzers list sodium.
• Acidity. Citric acid and carbonation make flavored waters more acidic than still water.

References

1. Healthy drinks Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
2. 21 CFR 101.22: spices, flavors, and colors on labels Code of Federal Regulations
3. Added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label U.S. Food and Drug Administration