Soda water, or carbonated water, is plain water to which carbon dioxide gas has been added; it is also referred to as sparkling water. It is the primary component of most “soft drinks.”. Carbonic acid — soda pop — results from the process of carbonation.
soda water
Soda water, sometimes called club soda, was produced in the past in the home by using a seltzer bottle filled with water and then “charged” with carbon dioxide. Club soda may be the same as plain old carbonated 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. This process also occurs naturally in some areas, and produces carbonated mineral water.
Sparkling mineral water sometimes causes a little dental decay. Potential dental problems with sparkling water are admittedly greater than normal water, but not dramatically so. Drinkers of regular soft drinks risk a higher rate of tooth decay compared to drinking sparkling water. The rate is so low it suggests that carbonation of drinks may not be a factor in causing dental decay.
Ground waters, usually from artesian wells, often absorb carbon dioxide gases while filtering through layers of ground minerals containing various forms of carbonates. The result? Natural sparkling water. On occasions when the water also picks up enough different minerals to become flavored, it becomes sparkling mineral water.
Fundamentally, soda water is just water and carbon dioxide. Sparkling mineral water is a naturally-occuring product of carbonation. In 1794, a jeweler made a device to produce an artificial carbonated mineral water.
In a taste test of several carbonate drinks, it was found that Perrier, a sparkling natural mineral water, kept its fizz the longest.
Consumers feeling seltzer to be a bit harsh may prefer the more gentle fizz of club soda. In one 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 carbonate water have no calories, which make them a dieter’s choice over soda pop and tonic water. Not even if flavored at home with flavor for carbonated water.
Tonic water is a type of carbonated drink that contains water, sugar, carbon dioxide and quinine. Quinine’s first use in tonic water was as an additive to help cure or prevent malaria. Today it is frequently mixed with gin and lemon or lime to produce an alcoholic drink.
Swedish sparkling water (kolsyrat vatten)
Understanding soda water is made easier by these basic facts and terms.