Can soda water really relieve stomach discomfort and play a role in "nourishing the stomach"?

In modern life, due to irregular diet and high stress, many people experience varying degrees of stomach discomfort, such as excessive stomach acid, acid reflux, heartburn and other problems. Especially after a tiring day, the food in the stomach has long been consumed, leaving only the gurgling stomach acid and slight discomfort. If the stomach acid refluxes into the esophagus, it will also stimulate the esophagus to produce a burning sensation, which is the so-called heartburn.

At this time, some people will choose to drink soda water, thinking that the alkaline substances in it can neutralize stomach acid and relieve these discomforts. So, can soda water really relieve stomach discomfort and play a role in "nourishing the stomach"?

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Sub-title: Is it reliable to use soda water to relieve stomach discomfort?

According to relevant standards, soda water is a flavored water drink made from water, with sodium bicarbonate added to adjust the flavor, carbon dioxide can be added, and it is not color-adjusted and sugar-free. In short, the main ingredients of soda water are water and sodium bicarbonate.

These trace amounts of sodium bicarbonate can indeed relieve stomach discomfort to a certain extent.

Common symptoms of stomach discomfort include excessive stomach acid, acid reflux, heartburn, and flatulence. Most of these discomforts are related to abnormal gastric acid secretion, excessive food intake, or indigestion. Moderate stomach acid can help digestion, increase the activity of pepsin, and help digestion. It can also have a bactericidal effect, thereby maintaining gastrointestinal hygiene. However, when there is too much stomach acid, the acidic environment in the stomach will cause irritation to the stomach wall and discomfort. In severe cases, it may cause gastric ulcers and duodenal mucosa, causing gastric ulcers or duodenal ulcers. If food or gastric juice refluxes into the esophagus, it will cause symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn.

Since soda water contains a certain amount of sodium bicarbonate, it can react with gastric acid to reduce the acidic environment of the stomach and temporarily relieve discomfort. Clinically, sodium bicarbonate has been used to relieve heartburn, indigestion and other stomach discomfort symptoms caused by excessive gastric acid. However, since the concentration of sodium bicarbonate in commercially available baking soda drinks is very low, it can only relieve mild gastric acid, and the effect on stomach discomfort caused by other factors is also relatively limited.

When you have a mild stomach upset, it is a good idea to go to a nearby supermarket and buy a bottle of soda water as an emergency measure to relieve the pain. However, if you have frequent stomach upsets or the pain is severe, you should see a doctor as soon as possible to find the root cause and prescribe the right medicine.

Sub-heading: Soda water is not suitable for everyone

In addition, it is also important to note that sometimes drinking soda water when you have an upset stomach can be counterproductive.

On the one hand, some sodas contain carbon dioxide to create bubbles, which can increase bloating and flatulence. If you already have bloating symptoms, too much carbon dioxide may increase stomach pressure, which can worsen the discomfort. Therefore, when choosing soda water, consider still soda water to avoid the extra discomfort caused by bubbles.

On the other hand, some patients with heartburn actually suffer from alkaline reflux. Drinking soda water may aggravate the symptoms and increase the risk of esophageal reflux, so they are not suitable for drinking soda water.

Sub-title: Can we drink soda water often?

In general, soda water is a good drink. Compared with plain water, soda water not only has more flavor, but the added bubbles can also bring a refreshing taste. When the rich carbon dioxide bubbles burst in the mouth, the slight tingling awakens the brain's sense of pleasure, which is really countless times more refreshing than drinking ordinary water, making people drink more water unknowingly.

Compared with other carbonated beverages, soda water does not contain additional free sugar, so you can drink it safely without worrying about exceeding the sugar limit.

Moreover, if you drink soda water on a daily basis, you don’t have to worry about the health problems that you would encounter when drinking carbonated beverages. For example, phosphoric acid is used in cola to create a sweet and sour taste, and excessive intake of phosphoric acid may affect the body’s absorption of calcium. If you drink excessive amounts for a long time, it will cause calcium loss in the bones, increasing our risk of osteoporosis. Soda water, on the other hand, retains the pleasure of drinking cola, but completely avoids the health risks brought about by additional additives such as sugar and phosphoric acid. It is simply healthy and delicious.

But although soda water is good, not everyone can drink it every day.

The first problem you need to pay attention to when drinking soda water frequently is excessive sodium.

You should know that there are already many sources of sodium in our daily diet, and the sodium bicarbonate in soda water will also bring us additional sodium intake. If you already have a heavy diet, then the sodium intake should be quite high. If you add soda water to your daily diet, it is easy to consume too much sodium. Too much sodium intake has certain risks for our cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems.

If there is potential risk of cardiovascular disease, it is best not to drink soda water as water.

In addition, frequent drinking of soda water may also cause tooth demineralization and affect dental health. Therefore, drinking soda water on a daily basis can minimize the time that carbonated water stays in the mouth, or use a straw to reduce contact with teeth. After drinking soda water, do not rush to brush your teeth to avoid damaging tooth enamel.

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Creation Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting.
Author: Hydra Science Author

Reviewer: Zhang Yu, researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert