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Is still water better for you than sparkling water?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>Still or sparkling? It’s a question you’ll commonly hear in a café or restaurant and you probably have a preference. But is there any difference for your health?</p> <p>If you love the fizz, here’s why you don’t have to pass on the sparkling water.</p> <h2>What makes my water sparkle?</h2> <p>This article specifically focuses on comparing still filtered water to carbonated filtered water (called “sparkling water” or “unflavoured seltzer”). Soda water, mineral water, tonic water and flavoured water are similar, but not the same product.</p> <p>The bubbles in sparkling water are created by adding carbon dioxide to filtered water. It reacts to produce carbonic acid, which makes sparkling water more acidic (a pH of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5747581/">about 3.5</a>) than still (closer to neutral, with a pH around 6.5-8.5).</p> <h2>Which drink is healthiest?</h2> <p>Water is the best way to hydrate our bodies. Research shows when it comes to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26702122/">hydration</a>, still and sparkling water are <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jnsv/58/5/58_333/_article">equally effective</a>.</p> <p>Some people believe water is healthier when it comes from a sealed bottle. But in Australia, tap water is <a href="https://www.waterquality.gov.au/guidelines/drinking-water">monitored very carefully</a>. Unlike bottled water, it also has the added benefit of fluoride, which can help protect young children against <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0002-8177(14)60225-7">tooth decay</a> and cavities.</p> <p>Sparkling or still water is always <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30354445/">better</a> than artificially sweetened flavoured drinks or juices.</p> <h2>Isn’t soda water bad for my teeth and bones?</h2> <p>There’s no evidence sparkling water damages your bones. While drinking a lot of soft drinks is linked to increased <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071508/">fractures</a>, this is largely due to their association with higher rates of obesity.</p> <p>Sparkling water is more acidic than still water, and acidity can soften the teeth’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35635779/">enamel</a>. Usually this is not something to be too worried about, unless it is mixed with sugar or citrus, which has much higher levels of acidity and can harm teeth.</p> <p>However, if you grind your teeth often, the softening could enhance the <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/teeth-grinding#risk-factors-for-tooth-grinding">damage it causes</a>. If you’re undertaking a home whitening process, sparkling water <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39123328/">might discolour</a> your teeth.</p> <p>In most other cases, it would take a lot of sparkling water to pass by the teeth, for a long period of time, to cause any noticeable damage.</p> <h2>How does drinking water affect digestion?</h2> <p>There is a <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348">misconception</a> drinking water (of any kind) with a meal is bad for digestion.</p> <p>While theoretically water could dilute stomach acid (which breaks down food), the practice of drinking it doesn’t appear <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11045127/">to have any negative effect</a>. Your digestive system simply adapts to the consistency of the meal.</p> <p>Some people do find that carbonated beverages cause some stomach upset. This is due to the build-up of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939475309000787">gases</a>, which can cause bloating, cramping and discomfort. For people with an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-44916-8">overactive bladder</a>, the acidity might also aggravate the <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpcell.00441.2022">urinary</a> system.</p> <p>Interestingly, the fizzy “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34399552/">buzz</a>” you feel in your mouth from sparkling water fades the more you drink it.</p> <h2>Is cold water harder to digest?</h2> <p>You’ve chosen still or sparkling water. What about its temperature?</p> <p>There are surprisingly few studies about the effect of drinking cold water compared to room temperature. There is some evidence colder water (at two degrees Celsius) might inhibit <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7000532/">gastric contractions</a> and slow down digestion. Ice water may constrict blood vessels and cause <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0306362383900642">cramping</a>.</p> <p>However other research suggests drinking cold water might temporarily boost <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/88/12/6015/2661518">metabolism</a>, as the body needs to expend energy to warm it up to body temperature. This effect is minimal and unlikely to lead to significant <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/9/3598/2656772">weight loss</a>.</p> <h2>Which water wins?</h2> <p>The bottom line is water is essential, hydrates us and has countless other <a href="https://news.com.au/lifestyle/health/diet/fewer-than-25-per-cent-simple-question-most-aussies-cant-answer/news-story/04693f23f03d9e8b6483cf34b47d9fcb">health benefits</a>. Water, with carbonated bubbles or without, will always be the healthiest drink to choose.</p> <p>And if you’re concerned about any impact to teeth enamel, one trick is to follow sparkling water with a glass of still. This helps rinse the teeth and return your mouth’s acidity back to normal.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237125/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, Associate Professor of Science &amp; Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Medical Program, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-still-water-better-for-you-than-sparkling-water-237125">original article</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Unlikely product that makes grout sparkle with no scrubbing

<p>A TikToker has revealed an unlikely cleaning product typically used in the kitchen that is super effective at cleaning grout. In fact, you don’t even need to scrub it.</p> <p>Azure MacCannell, who goes by the handle @livecomposed on TikTok, discovered the Healthier Home brand degreaser worked on her tiled floor after an accidental spill.</p> <p>The video that shows how effective it was has gone viral with 3.5 million views.</p> <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@livecomposed/video/7034707513379458351" data-video-id="7034707513379458351"> <section><a title="@livecomposed" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@livecomposed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@livecomposed</a> Effortless grout cleaning! <a title="cleantok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cleantok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cleantok</a> <a title="cleaningtiktok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cleaningtiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cleaningtiktok</a> <a title="cleaning" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cleaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cleaning</a> <a title="cleaninghacks" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cleaninghacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cleaninghacks</a> <a title="cleaningproducts" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cleaningproducts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cleaningproducts</a> <a title="groutcleaning" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/groutcleaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#groutcleaning</a> <a title="hhambassador" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/hhambassador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#hhambassador</a> <a title="♬ abcdefu - GAYLE" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/abcdefu-6994724904944568322" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ abcdefu - GAYLE</a></section> </blockquote> <p>To use the degreaser as a cleaner Azure said she "poured it on. Let it sit one minute and just wiped it off."</p> <p>The cleaning guru used a mop to wipe off the product after applying it to the floor. This cleaning tip has been liked 156,000 times and sparked plenty of discussion.</p> <p>Some viewers revealed using degreaser as a grout cleaner is a well-known cleaning secret in the fast-food industry.</p> <p>"Fast food places add degreaser to their mops all the time. It works," one TikToker said.</p> <p>If you can't get your hands on the degreaser from Healthier Home, which doesn't appear to ship to Australia, other followers insist other degreasers will work just as well.</p> <p>Like with any cleaning advice you see on TikTok you might want to test your degreaser on a small spot first, in case it's not suitable for your floors. It’s also best practice to read the information on the bottle, in case its not safe for use on particular materials.</p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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Rules for wearing sparkle during the day

<p><strong><em>Dorrie Jacobson, 81, an internationally recognised expert on ageing stylishly, writes for her popular website <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.seniorstylebible.com/" target="_blank">Senior Style Bible</a></span>, which celebrates stylish older women who are embracing their mature beauty.</em></strong></p> <p>To me daytime means simplicity, and that rarely includes anything that sparkles. However, quite recently I found myself invited to an afternoon soiree to celebrate a friend’s 70th birthday and I needed to wear something dressy, but with a relaxed vibe to it.</p> <p>Here are two ways to make your day sparkle a little, without being over the top. Scroll through the gallery above for images.</p> <p><strong>1. Sequined pieces</strong></p> <p>I’ve been noticing sequined pieces mixed and matched in a variety of different ways this season, and thought this would be a great opportunity to test drive that trend. A few weeks ago I explored sequined styling for an evening out on the strip, but that look felt a bit too much for an afternoon affair. So I opted for a more informal style, pairing slouchy sequined trousers with a sheer blouse, both from H&amp;M. Daytime sparkles are a great way to inject a bit of fun into an outfit. It’s not my new every day look, but I definitely enjoyed the extra dose of glam for an afternoon.</p> <p><strong>2. Metallic accents</strong></p> <p>Metallic accents seem to be one of the consistent trends that continue to pop up on the runway every season. They give a basic outfit a modern edge, although it’s important to remember that moderation is key, especially when infusing a look with more than one metallic element at a time. Keeping it simple will assure that you look like a fashion forward fashionista rather than a wanna-be hip hop artist.</p> <p>I think one of the main reasons that metallics never really go out of style is because they’re so versatile. They go with absolutely everything and can be styled in a number of different ways. Here I paired my gold shoe boots by Zara with a pair of flared Celine trousers with gold stitching for a sophisticated evening look, although they can just as easily be styled with jeans and a leather jacket for a more casual vibe. Last year I did a blog post that featured a gold bomber jacket by DKNY. However shiny gold jackets aren’t for everyone, which is why metallic accessories are a great way to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe in a subtler way. A metallic shoe or bag is an easy way to instantly elevate a nondescript ensemble to something rather special.</p> <p>Are you game enough to try adding sequins to your wardrobe? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><em>For more of Dorrie Jacobson, please visit <strong><a href="http://www.seniorstylebible.com/" target="_blank">Senior Style Bible</a></strong> or her <strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/seniorstylebible/?hl=en" target="_blank">popular Instagram here.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/hair-care-secrets-from-an-81-year-old-fashion-blogger/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hair care secrets from an 81-year-old fashion blogger</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/the-rules-with-wearing-metallic-make-up/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The rules with wearing metallic make-up</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/04/5-tips-for-creating-the-perfect-wardrobe/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5 tips for creating the perfect wardrobe</span></em></strong></a></p>

Beauty & Style