I Like Fizz!

I have a feeling it's because of his days working at his parents' restaurant/soda fountain on the Big Island, but every time I buy my Perrier or San Pellegrino sparkling water at Costco, Art's eyebrows shoot up.  He just can't understand why I can't drink plain water all the time and why I would spend extra money to buy water with co2 in it for my mother and me to have with our dinner every other night.  

"We used to make our own sodas at The Sweet Shoppe all the time and it was cheap," he kept insisting.  "This is a waste of money."


So I found this in wikipedia for him.

"Carbonated water is a negligible cause of dental erosion; also known as acid erosion. While the dissolution potential of sparkling water is greater than that of still water, it is quite low. In comparison, carbonated soft drinks cause tooth decay at a rate several hundred times that of sparkling water.

Intake of carbonated beverages has not been associated with increased bone fracture risk in observational studies, and the net effect of carbonated beverage constituents on the amount of calcium in the body is negligible.   

Carbonated water eases the symptoms of indigestion (dyspepsia) and constipation, according to a study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

A 2004 article in the Journal of Nutrition found that fizzy waters with higher sodium levels reduced cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular problems in postmenopausal women."

Then, while we were walking around Bed, Bath and Beyond recently Art saw this SodaStream Soda Maker and figured he'd found the answer he was looking for.

Here's what I found at their website:

SodaStream Genesis Soda Maker turns water into soda in seconds. Just fizz, flavor and enjoy. It is quick and easy. With SodaStream you'll save on lugging, storing and disposing of bottles and cans of store-bought soda. You can fizz and flavor to your taste, without high fructose corn syrup or aspartame. Sweetened with Splenda®. Enjoy regular, diet soda and energy drinks, or create your own seltzer or flavored sparkling water. The slim design of the unit, measuring only 5" W x 8" D x 17" H, will fit easily on any counter and is perfect for even the smallest kitchens. It features an automatic access gas release mechanism, customized carbonation level and an easy to clean drip tray. It needs no batteries, electricity or plumbing. Starter kit includes home soda maker, one reusable 60-liter co2 carbonator, two reusable, BPA-free carbonating bottles plus a flavor sampler pack. Two-year warranty.

Art researched this and said it had gotten good reviews.  You have to buy those reusable carbonators (about $22.00 a canister) that are supposed to make up to 60 liters of carbonated water.  Then again, what if this is just a fad and they end up no longer selling those co2 canisters?

Whatever the case, we were able to get it at Bed, Bath and Beyond with our 20% off coupon plus an in store manufacturer's rebate.  The box is sitting under our tree.

OK... first the walking poles, now this sparkling water maker.  Looks like these are our holiday gifts to ourselves for the year... But wait,  we did also buy a couple of really discounted noise cancelling headphones for airplane travel at Costco that Art also wanted.

OK... that should be it. 

What has come over us?