Is LaCroix Healthy? What You Need To Know About Your Fave Drink

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While you sip on your third lime-flavored LaCroix in a row, you might be congratulating yourself on being super healthy — props to you for picking the sparkling beverage over a sugar-laden soda! Although drinking a LaCroix is definitely better than opting for a cola, it’s probably not as healthy as you think it is. Here are three things that you should keep in mind before kicking back these sparkling beverages like they’re plain ol’ tap water.

1. The “natural flavoring” in your LaCroix could be cause for concern.

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Your fave bubbly drink contains only two ingredients: carbonated water and natural flavors. This might sound like a win in the health department, but the term “natural flavors” as listed on drink and food labels tends to be a little shady. The United States Food and Drug Administration defines the “natural flavor” listed on nutritional labels as “a substance extracted, distilled or similarly derived from plant or animal matter, either as is or after it has been roasted, heated or fermented.” Unfortunately “natural flavors” can sometimes include artificial ingredients that are meant to preserve flavor or help the natural flavors mix more efficiently.

On its website, LaCroix states that its “natural flavors” are derived from “the natural essence oils extracted from the named fruit used in each of [the] LaCroix flavors.” It also promises that “there are no sugars or artificial ingredients contained in, nor added to, these extracted flavors.” But since this claim isn’t strictly regulated by the FDA, you can’t be 100 percent sure that it’s true.

Even though the ingredients list of a LaCroix is certainly better than that of soda (diet or regular), it still falls short compared to water — so don’t treat these two as one in the same.

There are risks associated with drinking too much carbonated water.

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While deliciously satisfying, the bubbles in your LaCroix could do some serious damage to your teeth if you drink too many. The carbonic acid contained in sparkling waters can gradually wear away your tooth enamel over time. The good news is that your LaCroix addiction is still a lot better for your pearly whites than regular soda consumption. Pro tip: To protect your teeth, consider drinking lemon, lime and grapefruit-flavored LaCroix sparingly since these flavors are more acidic and, therefore, pose more risks to your enamel.

Some experts maintain that drinking excess sparkling water could also lead to weight gain. One 2017 study, published in the journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice, discovered that the carbon dioxide found in carbonated beverages — including your beloved LaCroix — causes the release of “hunger hormone” ghrelin in rats. When ghrelin levels are high, we tend to feel hungrier and eat more as a result. A similar study was then conducted on a group of healthy men and the results were the same — once again, the consumption of carbonated beverages (including carbonated water) increased ghrelin levels.

Does this mean that your LaCroix is making you fat? Don’t panic just yet. More research is needed to fully explore the relationship between carbonated water and increased ghrelin production. So instead of ditching your fizzy friend completely, make a mental note to pay special attention to how much you’re eating while guzzling down those LaCroix — as long as you’re aware that this drink could increase your appetite, you can curb those cravings before you give in to them.

Beware of the BPA in your LaCroix can.

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LaCroix cans contain Bisphenol A — or BPA — an organic, synthetic compound commonly used to produce aluminum cans. Some studies have shown that the BPA in cans can seep into food and drinks, and excessive BPA consumption has been linked to increased cancer risk and hormone disruption. Although the FDA states that BPA is safe at the current levels used in the food and beverage industries, it’s worth taking this risk into consideration if you’re crushing multiple cans of LaCroix a day. If you really can’t part with your daily dose of the fizzy beverage, consider purchasing the product in glass bottles — a version that’s currently only sold in Illinois and Wisconsin.

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