Hi, I'd like a soda fat.

February 28, 2008 11:28 AM

Is soda water making me fat?

Over the past 3 months I've gradually left Coke and replaced it with soda water. Straight out of the can, Perrier, San Pellegrino, I drink it all and love it but I mostly drink Schweppes. On average I drink about 1-2 cans a day. (I also drink regular water, about 2 liters a day, but I've been doing that forever)

Now here's where the problem lies; I've been feeling a bit bloated these past few months and I'm starting to develop a slight belly, nothing significant, but I'd definitely like to stop it in its tracks. I'm eating pretty much the same things I always eat, so I'm thinking there's something going on with the soda water.

So MeFi, is the soda water making me fat?

posted by 913 to health (26 comments total)

Straight-up mineral water has zero calories. How could it possibly make you gain weight? You might be feeling bloated from the carbonation -- so maybe you should burp more -- but there's no way soda water could make you fat.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:31 AM on February 28

No. By what mechanism would it be doing so?

You may or may not be retaining more water (you don't say if your weight has changed), but that would not be cumulative.
posted by OmieWise at 11:31 AM on February 28

Very, VERY weak possibility. But FWIW some soda waters are higher in sodium than others so you MAY be particularly sensitive to the sodium and are retaining more water.

There is a weak possibility that the caffeine in Coke acted like a diuretic and maybe you are extra sensitive to this action???

If, over the course of 3 months all other things being equal, you may have gained about 3-5 pounds water weight.

IF this weak-assed theory of mine is right, Google some natural diuretic drinks (Apple& celery juice combo), try them out, and prove or disprove my theory.

The worst that can happen is that you drink more juice.
posted by Wilder at 11:39 AM on February 28

But of course, juice will make you fat, since it's pretty much just sugar.
posted by electroboy at 11:39 AM on February 28

OmieWise, it wouldn't be cumulative in the sense that the increase will not continue indefinitely. But it could be that the OP is retaining more water now as compared with Coke.

People tend to replace Coke for Water as a health thing. I wonder if the poster is exercising more or if there are any other changes which might make them feel bloated?
posted by Wilder at 11:46 AM on February 28

Thanks for the quick replies all.

Some more info:

- I have gained about 5 pounds in the past couple of months

- Leaving Coke was for health reasons, after I learned how much sugar was in a can, I couldn't bring myself to drink it anymore

- I am exercising more (I run about 15km a week, spread over 3 days or so)

I'm aware that soda water isn't adding fat into my system but water retention seems like it could be the issue.
posted by 913 at 11:53 AM on February 28

oh, if you're exercising more, then you're putting on some muscle. i don't know why you're getting a belly, though. the soda water is surely not causing it.
posted by thinkingwoman at 11:56 AM on February 28

..... Yes Electroboy, although a galss or two of apple & celery should only count for about 150 Cals.

Added to this as you get older your metabolism slows down and you don't need as many calories as before to carry out the same bodily functions. The concept "middle-aged spread "does not just relate to less activity and eating more. So it could be a combination of smaller things.
posted by Wilder at 11:57 AM on February 28

when you say schweppes, you do mean the soda water, and not the tonic water, correct?
posted by subatomiczoo at 11:58 AM on February 28

Wow, lean muscle increase could easily account for 5lbs!
posted by Wilder at 11:58 AM on February 28

IANA nutritionist or that health savvy, but just throwing this out... Exercising more and cutting out sugar could cause a shift in your overall metabolism... Also,m uscle being more dense than fat, could the +5 lbs have come from the extra exercise?
posted by not_on_display at 12:04 PM on February 28

If what you are drinking has no calories, then there is no way it could make you fat.



"IANA nutritionist or that health savvy, but just throwing this out... Exercising more and cutting out sugar could cause a shift in your overall metabolism... "
--That doesn't make any sense.
posted by tiburon at 12:07 PM on February 28

Some soda water has salt, water retention?
posted by StickyCarpet at 12:23 PM on February 28

If your stomach muscles are improving - and they presumably would be with running, at least somewhat as it stabilize you - then they may be pushing outwards and resulting in an appearance of a bigger gut than you really have, fat-wise.

I was always told when doing any stomach exercises to be sure to work them in a way that pushed them back towards my spine, rather than pushing outwards, for exactly this kind of reason. Those were in relation to situps and yoga exercises, but perhaps the same principles apply here.

You might talk to someone about your running posture and position.
posted by phearlez at 12:35 PM on February 28

Schweppes contains HCFS.
posted by everichon at 12:40 PM on February 28

I think it could be.

Here's how: the stomach contains an interesting enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, which facilitates dissolving carbon dioxide; it's function in the stomach is to balance the production of stomach acid.

The presence of all the carbon dioxide from the soda water, then, causes more stomach acid to be produced, you experience this as hunger pangs, and you tend to eat more.

Of course, Coke is also carbonated, but I don't know whether or how that modifies this scenario (or how much of it you were drinking). Perhaps the sugar does something to inhibit the gastric acid system, or perhaps it decreases the holding time of the liquid in the stomach so that the absorption of carbon dioxide is reduced.
posted by jamjam at 12:42 PM on February 28

Schweppes contains HCFS.

But that's for the tonic water, not the plain carbonated water...which I'm not finding nutrition info for at the moment...ah, here. It's got sodium, but no calories.
posted by rtha at 12:58 PM on February 28

During warmer weather you might want to mix soda water with dandelion iced tea and a bit of sweetener. The diuretic effect of dandelion root will help to offset the water retention you might be getting due to the sodium in soda water.
posted by thisjax at 1:20 PM on February 28

Water retention is not fat.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:19 PM on February 28

Water retention it is! I know it's not fat but it's starting to make me look fat :D

I think I'm going to slowly phase out soda water too. Thanks MeFi!
posted by 913 at 2:38 PM on February 28

Pellegrino is salty as hell. I agree with Sticky Carpet.
posted by Phred182 at 2:58 PM on February 28

Just drink a sodium-free seltzer like Canada Dry.
posted by atomly at 3:16 PM on February 28

I've got a can of Canada Dry club soda in from of me that apparently has 130mg of sodium. I guess that one's not good either.
posted by thisjax at 4:36 PM on February 28

I find diet coke to be a slight appetite suppressant, I don't know if it would be the same for coke, so maybe your eating slightly more because of it?
posted by whoaali at 6:31 PM on February 28

...although a galss or two of apple & celery should only count for about 150 Cals.

Celery? Maybe with vodka and tomato juice.
posted by electroboy at 6:31 PM on February 28

thisjax: Please note that I said seltzer. Despite what people may think, there is a difference.

I have two cans of Canada Dry Sparkling Seltzer Water in front of me (original and lemon lime) and they both have 0 calories and 0 sodium.
posted by atomly at 11:57 AM on February 29