In the eyes of many people, soda water is a representative of "healthy drinks". In recent years, the sales of soda water in China have grown rapidly. Relevant statistics show that in 2023, soda water will account for nearly 10% of the soft drink market. The national market demand for soda water in 2024 is about 3.202 million tons, with sales of about 19.5 billion yuan. It is expected that the market size will reach 32 billion yuan by this year. Behind such rapid growth are many rumors about the rich efficacy of soda water. For example, many businesses promote soda water as a weakly alkaline water that can regulate the body's acid-base balance. Some people also say that soda water is good for the stomach, can treat stomach diseases, can lower uric acid, and so on. Many people even replace soda water with daily drinking water and drink it frequently. So, what exactly is soda water? Is it really possible to frequently replace drinking water with soda water? What should we pay attention to when drinking soda water? Let's first listen to experts explain what the ingredients of soda water are. What are the main components of soda water? Let's first understand what soda water is. Wang Kun, chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology at Peking University Third Hospital: Soda water is a weakly alkaline beverage, mainly composed of sodium bicarbonate. One type is natural soda water without any additives added; There is another type that has added ingredients, such as added sugar and so on. Mu Rong, Chief Physician of the Rheumatology and Immunology Department at Peking University Third Hospital: Narrowly defined, soda water mainly contains sodium bicarbonate added to the water. Broadly speaking, it includes various types of cola and Sprite that people drink. Water containing sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, belongs to the category of soda water. At present, there is a common type of soda water on the market, which is carbonated and slightly has a "killing taste" when drinking. It adds carbon dioxide and complies with carbonated beverage standards, belonging to a type of carbonated beverage. Unlike conventional carbonated beverages, it is also weakly alkaline. Can drinking soda water regulate the body's acid-base balance? Some consumers believe that soda water has a certain "healing" effect. Can drinking soda water regularly regulate the body's acid-base balance? Chen Lian, Deputy Chief Physician of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking University Third Hospital: In fact, the regulation of acid-base balance in the human body is a relatively complex process, mainly maintained by the lungs and kidneys. The normal acid-base balance of a person is between 7.35 and 7.45. When we drink soda water, a large amount enters the stomach and is neutralized by the stomach acid. It can be absorbed into the bloodstream to affect the acid-base balance, which is almost negligible. Therefore, it is difficult to affect the acid-base balance of the human body. It has its own system to maintain balance, so this statement is actually inaccurate. Can drinking more soda water in daily life treat stomach diseases? Some people with stomach discomfort feel relieved after drinking soda water. Therefore, many people believe that weakly alkaline soda water can neutralize stomach acid and be consumed regularly to treat stomach diseases. But is it really the case? Wang Kun: It may temporarily relieve symptoms in some patients. But soda water cannot be used as medicine to treat these diseases. On the one hand, this is because the interaction between soda water and stomach acid is very weak, and the duration of maintenance is very short, far from reaching the strength and persistence required to suppress stomach acid for treating these diseases. On the other hand, if people drink a large amount of soda water for a long time, there may be some adverse reactions, such as belching and bloating after drinking soda water, which can worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease. Drinking soda water cannot treat gout or lead to osteoporosis. In recent years, hyperuricemia and gout have shown an increasingly younger trend. Some people believe that drinking soda water can treat hyperuricemia and gout. Can it really be effective? Experts give a clear answer, no! Firstly, there is very little sodium bicarbonate in soda water, even less than 1% of the effective therapeutic concentration; Long term consumption of soda water may also cause additional side effects such as osteoporosis, which are not worth the cost. Expert Tip: Soda water cannot replace regular drinking water. In addition, experts say that the online rumors that soda water can help with weight loss and can be used for sobering up are unfounded. Whether it is for weight loss or sobering up, the effect of drinking soda water is not much different from drinking regular water. Experts particularly emphasize that it is not advisable to drink large amounts of soda water for a long time, especially not to completely replace regular water with soda water as a daily drink. Wang Kun: If consumed in large quantities for a long time, it may actually cause reactions such as acid reflux. This means that when you drink a large amount of soda water, your stomach will feel like there is not enough stomach acid on its own, and the cells that produce stomach acid in the normal human body will proliferate, leading to a large secretion of stomach acid. I don't feel much stomach acid when drinking soda water, but once it stops, I will feel the secretion of stomach acid, which can eventually lead to some acid related diseases. Experts say that soda water, whether natural or artificially added, should be consumed in moderation, especially for people with underlying diseases who need to choose soda water that does not contain sugar or sodium salts. (New Society)