Get Fizzy Living

...ing water.

Sparkling water just might be one of my most favoritest things ever.  Yes, favoritest.  It's fun, it's fizzy, it's what's happening.  I never get tired of it because there are so many flavors to choose from, it's readily available almost anywhere, and it works wonderfully at keeping me hydrated.

First, let's go through the definitions of different kinds of bubbly water as I've come to understand them (gathered from both my own knowledge as well as confirmation from some sources - here and here):

• Carbonated Water: An umbrella name for all kinds of fizzy water.  Usually has the carbonation (CO2) added artificially.
• Club Soda: Essentially just carbonated water, but usually has more sodium added to give it flavor. 
• Seltzer Water:  As far as I can tell, it's just artificially-carbonated water.  
• Soda Water:  Basically interchangeable with club soda.  
• Sparkling Water: Naturally sourced carbonated spring water is how the FDA defines it, but  colloquially, it is often used interchangeably with carbonated water as well.  

It is important to note that all of these terms are often used interchangeably with each other, but it is interesting to see that there are little differences among the many names/types of fizzies, isn't it?

Fizzy water has helped me through interesting challenges in my life - getting rid of caffeine, recognizing the importance of hydration and trying to make daily hydration a viable goal, balancing what to drink on a night on the town.  I could go on and on about it, but for easier readability, I have packed my reasons for loving the bubbly (not champagne - though, let's be honest, I love that too) into ten concise points:

Here are the top ten reasons why I think carbonated water is the greatest thing since... regular water:

10.  It comes in all sorts of great flavors like raspberry-lime, cranberry, pomegranate, grapefruit, orange, lemon, and more!
9.  It gives off a similar vibe to soda, so it's a worthy substitute that replaces the problems caused by the sugar and assorted chemicals in soft drinks with smiles.
8.  I can make my own at home using my SodaStream, saving me both moolah and a field trip anytime I want a bottle of my favorite fizz.
7.  It's a good way to settle your stomach when you're feeling under the weather.
6.  It's a great non-alcoholic substitute when you're out on the town.  I love to alternate drinks with club soda and lime.  It tastes great and refreshing, and it keeps me hydrated, too!
5.  Speaking of alcohol, club soda is an excellent substitute for tonic water as a mixer, since the taste is almost identical but it doesn't have the 120+ calories, 30g+ carbs, and 30g+ sugars of tonic water (source).  Go figure that the one that is more like water is called "soda" and the one that is more like soda is called "water."  Throw into the mix that club soda is also sometimes called "soda water," and all heck breaks loose.
4.  Some brands, like Perrier, are naturally carbonated - straight from a naturally  bubbling spring!  Sparkling water exists in nature!  How organic is that?!
3.  It's linked to all sorts of cool health benefits, like strengthening bones, lowering bad cholesterol, and decreasing instances of heart disease.  Check it out!
2.  It's fun to drink, so I drink more of it, meaning I'm that much more hydrated.
1.  Zero calories.  Zero sugars.  Zero carbs.  One hundred percent awesome.

So, as you can see, I'm a big fan and proponent of fizzy water.  I drink it a lot.  Bizzy loves the fizzy.

I do have one little disclaimer, though - it's important to alternate carbonated water with regular water to ensure complete hydration.  Yes, carbonated water does hydrate, and most studies claim that it does just as good a job as regular water, but it gets tricky when one eliminates regular water from their diet in favor of 100% carbonated water all of the time (acid reflux, kidney issues, dehydration from the bubbles making you feel more full than you are).  Carbonated water shouldn't completely take over as a water substitute, but it's a great change of pace from flat water, not to mention a stellar replacement for soft drinks, alcohol, and other less-than-ideal liquids.

So keep it moderate, drink that regular water too, and get Bizzy hydrating with me!