Seltzer is better than Soda. But, are there any negatives?
I drink A LOT of seltzer. I have heard about “carbonic acid”. Should I be concerned? Are there any other negatives to high carbonation in a diet? Depending on the ingredients in your flavored seltzer (particularly ascorbic acid and potassium or sodium benzoate), you may want to be concerned about benzene levels. There are a few PubMed references pointing to elevated benzene levels in citrus-flavored diet and regular soft drinks. It is conjectured that heat and ascorbic acid help turn benzoates into benzenes. While CO2 is relatively harmless, benzene is a fairly nasty carcinogen.
