Want a weird fact to drop at a party? A 2026 Japanese study on mice found that carbonated water actually improved kidney function by increasing urination frequency. The bubbles seem to stimulate the stomach lining, signaling the kidneys to filter faster. Humans aren’t mice (despite what your ex says), but the mechanism appears similar.
Also, seltzer is a hero for weight loss. A 2017 study showed that carbonated water makes you feel fuller longer than still water, which might stop you from raiding the fridge for that third slice of cold pizza. It’s not magic—just science with a fizz.
The Final Verdict
So, does seltzer count as water? Yes, absolutely, 100%—as long as you’re drinking the plain, unsweetened, flavorless stuff. If you’re sipping on “seltzer” that’s actually a sugary, artificially flavored soda in disguise (looking at you, Spindrift with real fruit juice), that’s a different conversation. That’s dessert pretending to be virtue.
Drink your fizzy hydration with pride. Your body is getting what it needs, and your taste buds aren’t staging a rebellion. Just don’t blame the seltzer if you spend the next hour sounding like a bubble-wrapped microwave. That’s the price of delicious defiance.
