This year, your New Year’s Resolution may have been to drink more water. Exactly how much isn’t exactly an easy answer, but staying hydrated can improve mental acuity, stave off weight again among other positive benefits. While sipping on plain old still water isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, guzzling sparkling water will ensure you keep up with your goal to stay hydrated without loading up on sugar or calories. And if you’ve thought about giving Dry January a try, these fizzy beverages will curb your beer cravings until February rolls around.
Bubly
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Pepsi knew that customers were distancing themselves from sugary beverages for flavored sparkling waters, and Bubly was its entry into the fray. The zero-calorie, zero-sugar beverages are available in a variety of flavor. Plus, Bubly tapped Michael Bublé for its ads and that’s clever enough for you to at least give the drinks a try.
Price: $30 for an 18-pack
Hal’s New York Seltzer Water
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Turn to Hal’s for some seriously aggressive bubbles. Hal’s offers some of the harshest carbonation compared to the competition, so this isn’t for the faint of heart. With flavors ranging from vanilla cream to watermelon, there’s a bottle of Hal’s for everyone.
Price: $40 for a 24-pack
La Croix
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Did La Croix start sparkling water mania or is it just the face for the movement? Whether it’s the French-sounding name or the sheer number of flavors, there’s no doubt that La Croix has a serious following. There’s no sugar or preservatives, and La Croix captures its flavors by using “natural essences,” which is basically like a subtle kiss from a fruit.
Price: $33 for a 48-pack
Liquid Death
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Forgive the aggro branding because Liquid Death really is just a good canned sparkling water. Its branding is reminiscent of craft beer, but this is 100 percent mountain water, carbonated and canned. Liquid Death hopes to “murder your thirst” because nothing is more serious than being dehydrated.
Price: $20 for a 12-pack
Mountain Valley
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Bottled in the Ouachita Mountains, Mountain Valley’s sparkling water has a crisp and full-bodied mouth feel, marked by my medium carbonation for those who aren’t looking to replicate the feeling of swallowing glass.
Price: $46 for a 12-pack
Recess
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It’s sparkling water, but with buzzy (both in terms of its effect and hype) CBD. Recess combines the calming effect of CBD, derived from hemp, with the productivity-boosting effects of adaptogens like ginseng. It’s pricier than other sparkling waters, but if it kicks you out of your post-lunch work slump, it’s worth it.
Price: $30 for a six-pack
Sparkling Water 101
What is club soda?
Plain water made carbonated by the addition of carbon dioxide. The addition of minerals — such as potassium sulfate, sodium chloride, disodium phosphate or sodium bicarbonate — make this similar to sparkling mineral water without the sparkling mineral water price. Some may find club soda to have a savory taste.
What is seltzer?
Plain water combined with carbon dioxide to create a fizzy beverage. Because the water lacks minerals, some brands will add flavorings that would have otherwise been muted by the minerals.
What is sparkling mineral water?
As defined by the Food and Drug Administration, mineral water must contain at east 250 parts per million total dissolved solids derived from an underground source. Because of its mineral content, which varies depending on the source, sparkling water has a distinct flavor that doesn’t make it a good cocktail mixer. Carbonation occurs naturally, but additional carbon dioxide may be added for extra fizz.
What is tonic water?
Like club soda, tonic water is made by adding carbon dioxide and minerals to plain water. What makes it tonic water is the use of quinine, which gives it a bitter flavor. While the bitterness complements spirits well (say, gin or vodka), to combat the bitterness, brands will add sweeteners to improve the taste.
Perrier
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Perrier is bottled and sourced in France, which is probably why so people associate the brand with class. The original Perrier is just extra-carbonated mineral water, but it’s branched out into canned sparkling waters with added flavors. There’s even a version with caffeine to hydrate and perk you up.
Price: $15 for a 12-pack
Polar
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Polar, the brand with the polar bear on the bottle, makes a worthy rival to the other sparkling waters on this list. Like La Croix, Polar uses “essences” to flavor its water, but it’s notably fizzier as Polar is a seltzer. The sodium- and mineral-free water is triple-filtered so you’re tasting just crisp, clean water.
Price: $16 for a 12-pack
San Pellegrino
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San Pellegrino is like the Italian alternative to French Perrier. The former’s bubbles are mellow, which some may find falls flat quicker than other sparkling waters. However, its mineral content makes for a tasty beverage, and you better believe this goes wells with pizza and pasta.
Price: $19 for a 12-pack
Spindrift
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The effervescent Spindrift is notably more fruity than other fruit-flavored sparkling waters. Each is sweetened with real fruit juice so sugar and calorie content differs across flavors. One thing is consistent: these are some of the best canned waters you can buy.
Price: $22 for a 20-pack
Topo Chico
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Try Topo Chico and you’ll understand its cult-like following. The sparkling mineral water has some intense carbonation, and the minerals it contains, which come from Monterrey, Mexico, give Topo Chico a satisfying crispness and flavor unlike some less-than sparkling waters.
Price: $5 for a four-pack
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