If it bubbles, it contains carbon dioxide gas. Carbonation itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, tho. It helps the body to absorb things- good and bad things. It helps acids penetrate your teeth, for example, but also helps the body absorb nutrients.

Generally, I don't worry about about 'diet' drinks-- they have to be much better for me than 200 calories worth of sugar. I tend to be more concerned about the other chemicals that might be present, such as flavorings, sweeteners, preservatives but I don't obsess on it.

I do like Vitamin Water.. It's not carbonated, but it is flavored and vitaminized.

Check the ingredients for Aspartme. If it's got that, I wouldn't touch it, that stuff is poison. Otherwise sounds fine to me, but I'm no nutritionist. :)

LP66; You right about aspartame but you don't have to be nutritionist to know it is bad. Aspartame is made with methanol. If you don't know what that is, just check with your mechanic. It is racing fuel. Google it. It is not fit for human consumption in ANY amount.
Splenda is no better. It is made with chlorine. If you think that is ok, go read a bottle of Clorox. It says not to drink it.
Flavored water is a soft drink, just like all the other junk. It is NOT water. Water is just an ingredient, the same as it is in soda, vitamin water, or Hawaiin Punch. And if you think the "diet" stuff actually is calorie free, get a diabetes/blood sugar tester. Do fasting test, then drink a diet soda, wait 30 min, and test again. You won't like results.

I only drink water, so I can't comment much on the other stuff. For variety, I will take some mint leaves from my garden, and put it in a glass of ice water. Delicious!

I salute all purests. Their concerns are quite valid. I'm amazed at the chemicals that find their way into our food. You can barely escape it all. Now they've found BPA (?) in 99% of all canned goods... and the once pure spring water in plastic bottles is dangerous, too- it's scary.

But then I have to remember that drinking plain water is a distinct luxury of the modern era. It simply wasn't safe so folks drank weak beers, primarily. Children, too. They managed to thrive- even without antibiotics. Death rates were pretty devastating, tho.

We are so blessed to have FDAs and clean water- even if tap water does have bleach in it.... and so many parts per billion of lead. (arghh).

I guess, for me, I have to prioritize healthy choices. Which is worse: obesity (where I consume way more chemicals thru overeating) or losing weight & having a diet soda/punch/vita-water once or thrice a day? I try to make good choices.

And I know you do, too ((lonelyinNY))

Both weight and cronic pain, along with many others, are symptoms of aspartame consumption. Again I say, do a blood sugar test for yourself, then tell me the soda is "diet". Just ask a diabetic friend to help you with the test.
I drank diet soda, Crystal Light, and used artificial sweetners for over 20 years. Amazing that after I qiut using them, I was finally able to loose the weight and control it.