There are over 530 different mineral and medicinal waters in Germany. It is often the occasion for drinking or personal taste that determines whether people prefer sparkling or still mineral water. However, there are also health conditions that make it better to avoid carbonated mineral water .

Medium sparkling water as the nation’s favorite

Bottled mineral water enjoyed a real triumph in the last century. At first, there were only the quiet types and those with a lot of bubbles in the glass. At some point, medium mineral water was added, which has become extremely popular in Germany in recent decades. With a market share of over 40% of total water sales, low-carbonated mineral water (H₂CO₃) has taken the top spot in recent years. On average, every German drank around 148 liters of mineral water in 2016. Carbonated waters as a whole are far ahead in terms of consumption. Only one in ten consumers preferred still mineral water last year.

Carbonic acid – a bone enemy or not?

There are often health warnings about carbon dioxide in mineral water. H₂CO₃ is suspected of having a damaging effect on the bones. However, this has not been scientifically proven and can even be refuted. Natural carbonic acid is based on carbon dioxide of volcanic origin and is only present in water in dissolved form. The different carbon dioxide and mineral content means that every water tastes a little different. The mineral calcium    Chemisches Element Ca mit der Ordnungszahl 20, Mineralstoff, der zu den Mengenelementen zählt. Unter den Mineralstoffen ha... is stored in the bones. It serves to strengthen the bones. In a chemical experiment, this mineral could indeed be damaged by organic and inorganic acids. However, it looks different in the body than in the test tube. By drinking mineral water, carbon dioxide enters the metabolism, but not directly into the bones. The carbon dioxide is also dissolved in the mineral water. Therefore, no complications with regard to bone calcium are to be expected when drinking carbonated mineral water.

Caution with a sensitive stomach

However, some people prefer to drink non-carbonated water for the sake of their health. Anyone with a sensitive stomach is much better off with still mineral water or tap water. The H₂CO₃ contained in sparkling mineral water stimulates the production of gastric juice. In addition, the carbon dioxide contained in the water promotes the digestive process in the body. How much carbon dioxide is tolerated varies greatly from person to person. Sometimes, if you have occasional stomach sensitivities, all you need to do is switch from sparkling mineral water to a medium water. With a healthy stomach, mineral waters containing carbonic acid can be drunk with complete peace of mind.

Mild spritzer tip:

Mixing medium mineral water with low-acid fruit juices puts even less strain on a sensitive stomach. The fruit spritzer is also a slightly sparkling, refreshing treat at work, during sport and at home.