OK, we have diet sodas sweetened with various combinations of artifical sweetners. Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, Diet or calorie free whatever.
We also have Flavored Carbonated Waters. These contain flavorings, sweetners, and carbonated water.
Is there any difference in a practical sense? At lunch the other day I was drinking a Coke Zero, small balls, see other thread, and someone said “Soda’s bad for you, you should drink one of these flavored waters!”. What! It’s the same stuff isn’t it?
The flavored waters don’t have caffeine, at least. Of course, neither does root beer, 7-Up or Sprite.
What’s a Flavored Carbonated Water? I’ve never heard this term before. By definition, what we call a soda would be a flavored carbonated water, no? If there were a marketing distinction, I would assume that a flavored carbonated water is less sweet than a soda.
[nitpick]Most root beers don’t, but Barq’s does.[/nitpick]
There’s flavored seltzer. I’ve always assumed that it was less strongly flavored and sweetened, and more bubbly than even regular soda. Since it tastes like ass, I can’t say I’m all that familiar with it, though.
What’s the difference? Marketing. Flavored water, still or carbonated, is what you sell to people who gave up soda in favor of drinking water.
Here’s a site talking about LaCroix Sparkling water: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/200625/la_croix_sparkling_water_a_product.html
Wal-Mart has a line of sugar-free, caffeine-free, sodium-free flavored seltzers that I drink in lieu of soda – or perhaps it is more precise to say “when I am bored with and/or too broke for my regular brands” (they usually sell for about 50¢ per 1-liter bottle). I like it because it is diet without tasting entirely like diet sodas (artificial fruity flavors and whatnot). But I drink it like soda, and I sometimes even call it “soda.” So I guess I proved your point. Never mind.
Oh, I’ve had that sort of stuff. That’s just flavored selzer–the difference being the amount of flavoring and sugar content. None of the flavored sparkling water I’ve had contained any appreciable amounts of sugar. It’s usually just soda or sparkling mineral water with just a hint of fruit aroma and/or flavor.
The OP mentioned sweeteners in his Flavored Carbonated Waters, so I assumed he was talking about something else.
Right. LaCroix has no sugar or sugar substitute, it’s just fruit flavored water with bubbles.