Bubbly water is a refreshing, healthy swap for soda.
But is there such a thing as too much?
But, do these bubbles cause inconvenient side effects like belching or bloating?
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We asked a gastroenterologist to explain why this might happen, and what you could do it avoid it.
Sparkling water contains gas, which you swallow when you drink it.
“This carbon dioxide is mainly going to be belched before it gets to our stomach.”
If that gas sticks around in your stomach, it might cause temporary bloating.
“The data says 15 to 30 percent of normal people will regularly experience bloating.
It’s natural,” McCutchen says.
But, it can be uncomfortable, especially when you’re wearing fitted clothing or moving around.
There are ways to minimize your chances of bloating after drinking sparkling water.
If you drink sparkling water regularly and don’t bloat, great!
Keep doing what you’re doing.
If you do tend to bloat after drinking sparkling water, McCutchen’s suggests slowing down.
And, she recommends steering clear of straws, which also cause us to swallow more air.
If you have IBS, you should probably steer clear of sparkling water.
IBS is a digestive disorder, and what you eat and drink plays a huge role in minimizing symptoms.
Bloating is far more common among IBS patients, so McCutcheon recommends, steering clear of carbonated beverages altogether.
Even for healthy individuals with no digestive problems, there is such a thing astoo muchsparkling water.
You’ve likely overloaded your stomach with gas that needs to find its way out.
This can happen very quickly, or it might take an hour or two.
If you regularly experience bloating and belching after drinking sparkling water, it might be time to cut back.
Otherwise, just slow down and pay attention to how your stomach feels.
