Seltzer Versus Sparkling Water: What's the Difference Anyway?
Many people use the terms interchangeably. But there’s a difference.
Juj Winn/Getty Images
By Layla Khoury-Hanold for Food Network Kitchen
Layla Khoury-Hanold is a contributor at Food Network.
There’s more choice than ever when it comes to brands of sparkling water and seltzer. But what’s the difference? Here, we dive into each and determine the main difference between the two.
What Is Seltzer?
Seltzer is plain water that’s carbonated with carbon dioxide. As a result, seltzer is just as hydrating as regular water. Seltzer can be sold without flavoring, but its neutral profile lends itself to a variety of flavors. While flavored seltzer doesn’t have calories or artificial sweeteners, experts say that it shouldn’t serve as an exact substitute for regular water (it's slightly acidic, so huge amounts of it can actually affect your teeth!). For more on how flavored seltzer affects your body, check out our story Why You Might Want to Cut Back on Seltzer.
Oscar Wong/Getty Images
What Is Sparkling Water?
Sparkling water is naturally carbonated water that comes directly from sources such as an underground spring or well. Sparkling water can also contain different minerals, such as sodium, magnesium or calcium, depending on the source.
Seltzer vs Sparkling Water: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between seltzer and sparkling water is that sparkling water is naturally carbonated water whereas seltzer is water that is artificially carbonated with carbon dioxide.
For more on the different types of bubbly water, check out our Club Soda vs Seltzer primer.
Related Links:
