What Happens If You Boil Sparkling Water

By: Jan Helge
Date: May 26, 2024
Time to read: 5 min.

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Many people prefer drinking carbonated beverages because of the fizz one gets when drinking them. But even the biggest fan of carbonated drinks knows that it is far from healthy and the other health risks associated with consuming soft drinks. This is the reason why many switch to drinking sparkling water.

Sparkling water– also known as soda water, carbonated water, fizzy water, club soda, or seltzer– is a type of usually canned drink. It is just your typical plain water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas making it fizzy. It can occur naturally or artificially.

But this might come as a surprise to some people, but it’s actually possible to use sparkling water for other purposes aside from drinking it. Since carbonated water isn’t really different than normal water with regard to its physical composition, then it’s possible to use it for boiling and cooking. But the question is, should you boil carbonated water? And what exactly happens if you do so?

Can You Boil Sparkling Water?

Absolutely! Sparkling water is no different from normal water with regard to its physical composition so it’s a no-brainer that it’s possible to boil sparkling water. The reasons you have for boiling it won’t matter, as the procedure for boiling it is pretty straightforward.

The process of boiling sparkling water is exactly the same as how you boil normal water, although its boiling point is slightly lower. Normal water boils at about 212°F while sparkling water boils just under 205°F. But you should be good to go after setting the burner’s temperature setting to high and leaving the sparkling water to boil.

The carbonation of water does not have enough adverse effects to that alter the physical and chemical makeup of the liquid or its capacity to boil. But because sparkling water contains pressurized carbon dioxide, boiling it would expand the released CO2. So it’s very important that you should never boil it using a pressure cooker.

What Happens When You Boil It?

After the sparkling water has come to a boil, the sodium bicarbonate will be separated. The carbon dioxide will be released into the air, making the sparkling water flat, while the sodium carbonate will remain in the water.

When you allow boiled sparkling water to cool, a few interesting things happen. For example, since the heat has removed any carbon dioxide infused in the water, there would be no bubbles left.

Additionally, if the sparkling water had any minerals originally, the water as a result of boiling would become more concentrated with that mineral. The most common minerals found in sparkling water are calcium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, potassium, and sodium sulfate.

If you were to cool the water after boiling, you’d notice a few things. For one, there would be no bubbles. The heat will have removed any carbon dioxide from the water, which gives it its fizz. The taste of the water might also change– just a tiny bit. The sodium carbonate that stays in the liquid tastes a bit sour or bitter. It’s pretty harmless but it’s still important to remember this fact.

Heating sparkling water is not at all dangerous, and doing so won’t damage the heater you’re also using for normal water. It will merely cause the water to go flat and lose all its carbonation. The result is simply still water. The only dangerous way to boil it is by heating it up using a pressure cooker.

You should also avoid boiling sparkling water while it’s still inside the can or bottle, meaning boiling it in a microwave. Boiling water of any kind in an improper container can be dangerous. Use a pot or an electric kettle instead. Also, do not boil sparkling water that contains artificial flavorings, sweeteners, and other additives.

What’s The Point Of Boiling It?

So now you know that it’s possible to boil sparkling water, that it’s relatively safe to do so, basically only making it flat. The next question is, what’s the point of boiling it?

Boiling sparkling water won’t cause any noticeable changes in its physical appearance and taste, making it virtually similar to normal water since its fizz is gone. This makes it great for cooking and pretty much anything else you normally use regular mineral or tap water.

Where Can I Use Boiled Sparkling Water?

If you’re wondering if you can use boiled sparkling water the same way you utilize normal water, then the answer is yes. You can use it as an alternative for regular water in almost anything, including cooking, or for making coffee and tea.

Unboiled sparkling water adds a light airiness when mixed with flour and oil. For instance, it is mostly used in making Japanese tempura batter, which is supposed to be airy and crunchy when fried. Adding sparkling water to the batter amplifies its texture because of the carbon dioxide infused in the liquid.

Boiled sparkling water is great for tea and coffee. Since neither drink introduces a lot of chemical elements into the water, using sparkling water that’s been boiled wouldn’t have significant changes to the taste and composition of both drinks. Boiling the carbonation out of the sparkling water is just simplified distillation, leaving you with normal water.

Carbonated ready-to-drink coffees do exist, and there is a large market for it. Therefore, you can use either unboiled or boiled sparkling water when making a cup of coffee. You can use the cold-brew method if you want carbonated coffee since the process it takes to make a cup is unlikely to take the carbonation from the drink.

But you can also just use boiled sparkling water for when you want a usual cup of coffee. You can either pour it directly into your coffee maker and use it as you normally would, or you can pour a freshly boiled one into instant coffee. It’s your choice. You can also use the same method for making tea with boiled sparkling water.

Final Thoughts

So, just a quick recap: yes, you can boil sparkling water. No, it’s not dangerous to do so, only when boiled using a pressure cooker. Yes, you can use it as a replacement for normal water for things like cooking and making drinks.

No matter what way you do it (except through a pressure cooker, we can’t stress this enough!), boiling sparkling water is a relatively straightforward process.

And the ultimate answer to what happens if you boil sparkling water is this: regular, flat water.