How Are Sparkling Water And Mineral Water Different?

Those who love a little bubbly in their water have likely jumped on the sparkling water trend over the past few years. It's an easy way to get the hydration you need throughout the day without all of the extra sugar and calories that are found in other drinks like juice, soda, or even sports drinks. Plus, sparkling water comes in tons of great flavors too. But, if you've taken a closer look when you walk down the water aisle, chances are you've probably noticed far more options than sparkling. There's also club soda, tonic water, alkaline water, and mineral water. The difference between sparkling water and mineral water at least comes down to what exactly has been added to the purified water.

According to NaturaWater, sparkling water is simply purified or filtered still water that has had carbon dioxide injected into it. It's the added gas that makes it bubble. This is how SodaStream machines work for those who have them at home (via Epicurious). The canisters that are loaded into the machine are filled with carbon dioxide, then the machine shoots the selected amount of gas down into the water. Not to mention, sparkling water or seltzer water is among the cheapest options for effervescent water. Mineral water, on the other hand, has a lot more added to it.

Mineral water can fall on a scale of bubbly water. It isn't usually as sparkling as sparkling water because it does not have added carbon dioxide. Instead, mineral water comes from a natural spring and some of the naturally-occurring minerals can cause it to have a slight bubbly nature, according to NaturaWater. While mineral water usually contains a lot of minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, it is the salts and sulfur compounds in the water that cause it to form small, often weaker bubbles, according to Epicurious.

Mineral water and sparkling water taste somewhat alike, though mineral water does have a mineral flavor thanks to the taste it has picked up from the source of water. Mineral water can often be a rather expensive water option, with brands like San Pellegrino and Perrier being among the most popular and best known. Unlike sparkling water, mineral water does not usually come in different flavors, though you can buy it "sparkling" so that it is much more bubbly than it would naturally be, thanks to some additional carbon dioxide.