# Is La Croix carbonated water better for me than Sprite Zero? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250 "2012-09-29T20:25:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Willcross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Willcross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willcross)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/1 "2012-09-29T20:25:32Z")
Let me start by saying I drink a lot of soda. Sometimes 10 cans a day. I switched to the “Zero” type of sprite and cherry coke since they taste just as good, and have no calories. I began thinking that the caffeine probably isn’t good for me, although this isn’t a concern with the Sprite, only the Coke. Also all that acid must be really hard on my teeth. So I switched to La Croix sparkling water with natural orange flavor. The ingredients in this are “Carbonated Water, natural flavor”. The taste difference is huge, i’m giving up a lot of flavor, but it’s still enjoyable. I’m thinking it’s gotta be more hydrating and easier on my teeth, so I put up with it. Then I realized that natural flavor for an orange flavored drink could be citric acid. Exactly what i’m trying to get away from! So my question is, am I doing myself a favor by drinking these sparkling water drinks over sprite zero? Or is it basically the same thing, or the difference too negligible to matter? Thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/2 "2012-09-29T20:35:30Z")
I’m interested to hear the answer to this as well as I’m in a similar situation to you - I drink Coke Zero and flavoured sparkling waters, and I do wonder if one is a ‘less damaging’ choice than the other. I look forward to reading some knowledgeable replies! ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/3 "2012-09-29T20:57:50Z")
I drink a LOT of La Croix. I don’t know about tooth enamel, but the link between carbonated drinks and bone loss seems to have been pinned more on caffeine than carbonation. Last time I had my bone density tested, it was normal, so it doesn’t seem to be affecting my bone density, at least. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/4 "2012-09-29T21:35:15Z")
Does Sprite have sodium listed as an ingredient? Does LaCroix? Discovering that might answer your health question. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/5 "2012-09-29T21:47:46Z")
> [@Willcross](#): > > The ingredients in this are “Carbonated Water, natural flavor”. What are the ingredients of Sprite Zero? I imagine it has a lot of polysyllabic chemicals in it, and generally it’s better to stay away from those. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/6 "2012-09-29T21:56:24Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > Does Sprite have sodium listed as an ingredient? Does LaCroix? Discovering that might answer your health question. According to the [web site](http://www.lacroixwater.com/product/nutritionals/), La Croix is pretty much nothing more than flavored water, with the flavors being oils derived from the respective fruits. As for Sprite, [LiveStrong says 35 mg of sodium](http://www.livestrong.com/article/251260-what-are-the-nutrition-facts-in-a-diet-sprite/), which is so low as to be completely inconsequential (if you need to restrict sodium intake, there are much easier ways to cut it out, although 10 cans would add up to 350 mg). Of course, it also has citric acid, which the OP is more concerned about. However, carbonated water is in itself acidic, capable of dissolving minerals, [as in caves](http://www.esi.utexas.edu/outreach/caves/caves.php), and that is with much lower atmospheric CO2 concentrations. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/7 "2012-09-29T22:01:26Z")
I am drinking a Blue Sky zero-calorie stevia-sweetened soda at this very moment. A quick look at the ingredients reveals that it contains citric acid. Doesn’t answer the question about citric acid in La Croix (which I have been drinking more of lately as well), but confirms that they do put it in at least one zero-soda. Mine also contains 12g of Erythritol. No idea what that it- is shows up as 12g of carbs, but somehow without calories. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/8 "2012-09-29T22:21:52Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I am drinking a Blue Sky zero-calorie stevia-sweetened soda at this very moment. A quick look at the ingredients reveals that it contains citric acid. Doesn’t answer the question about citric acid in La Croix (which I have been drinking more of lately as well), but confirms that they do put it in at least one zero-soda. > > Mine also contains 12g of Erythritol. No idea what that it- is shows up as 12g of carbs, but somehow without calories. Weird. [Erythritol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythritol) is a sugar alcohol (naturally occurring if you are wondering) used as a sweetener and has 0.2 calories per gram, thus your drink really has about 2.4 calories (rounded down to zero; even artificial sweeteners like aspartame contain calories but are used in small amounts). Also, you want to watch your consumption of sugar alcohols since they can produce digestive disturbances; over 50 grams of erythritol can produce nausea, although it doesn’t have laxative effects like sorbitol (responsible for the laxative effect of prunes) and can be consumed in much larger amounts. ---
**Author:** ![ClevelandProud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@ClevelandProud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClevelandProud)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/9 "2012-09-30T02:33:18Z")
> [@Willcross](#): > > … > Also all that acid must be really hard on my teeth. > … One way you can reduce the amount of erosion of the teeth caused by the carbonation is to use a straw when consuming votre beverage du jour. The straw allows the carbonated beverage to “bypass” the teeth. - Using a straw to drink soda might fight tooth decay Thursday, September 15, 2005 \*”A recent School of Dentistry study found that using a drinking straw might be the best way to fight cavities and soda-induced dental erosion. Restorative dentistry professor Mohamed A. Bassiouny determined that when positioned correctly, a straw can help decrease the amount of acid from beverages, such as soft drinks, that comes in contact with the teeth. …”\* [http://www.temple.edu/temple\_times/9-15-05/toothdecay.html](http://www.temple.edu/temple_times/9-15-05/toothdecay.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/10 "2012-09-30T05:35:19Z")
> [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](#): > > What are the ingredients of Sprite Zero? I imagine it has a lot of polysyllabic chemicals in it, and generally it’s better to stay away from those. Cite? Does the harm increase with the number of syllables? Is there a syllable threshold below which harm does not occur? ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/11 "2012-09-30T05:44:36Z")
nope ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/12 "2012-09-30T06:56:03Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Cite? > > Does the harm increase with the number of syllables? Is there a syllable threshold below which harm does not occur? Especially since “natural” substances contain just as many multiple syllable compounds. In fact, many have so many syllables that we have to shorten them. ---
**Author:** ![Willcross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Willcross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willcross)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/13 "2012-09-30T16:05:29Z")
I really appreciate all the responses to my thread! Another point I just discovered that has tipped it for me in favor of La Croix, is cost. Just yesterday I found that I can mix the La Croix 50/50 with tap water and theres no real difference in taste. If anything it cuts down on the carbonation, which seemed excessive to me anyway. This has cut my cost of the product in half. Doing this with Sprite Zero doesn’t work as well, it ruins the taste. I’ve toyed with the idea of buying carbonated water in 2 liters for 69 cents each and adding lime juice. Think i’ll see how that goes. Any ideas what I could add to simulate the orange flavor tho? ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/14 "2012-09-30T16:16:22Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Especially since “natural” substances contain just as many multiple syllable compounds. In fact, many have so many syllables that we have to shorten them. Yeah, I wonder how many people know that ascorbic acid is Vitamin C, or tocopheryl acetate is Vitamin E\* (some, but not all, food labels will show the common name after the chemical name, others include vitamins and minerals under a separate listing). \*The scientific name for [Vitamin C](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascorbic_acid) is (5R)-[(1S)-1,2-dihydroxyethyl]-3,4-dihydroxyfuran-2(5H)-one and for [Vitamin E](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocopheryl_acetate) it is [(2R)-2,5,7,8-Tetramethyl-2-[(4R,8R)-4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl]chroman-6-yl] acetate - now try pronouncing those, or remembering what they refer to! ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/15 "2012-09-30T16:20:49Z")
I am not familiar with LaCroix but I drink a lot of sparkling water. Love the stuff, I wish I could get it every where I could get a pop - I would choose it every time. The flavouring is not going to add significant acidity and sparkling water tends to be more lightly carbonated than pop so it should be marginally less acidic. My wife drinks a lot of diet coke and has worried about its health effects. There is a lot of folk ‘wisdom’ warning about the dangers of artificial sweeteners but there is little evidence of other than minor issues. The major health issue with soft drinks is empty calories. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/16 "2012-09-30T16:23:46Z")
> [@Willcross](#): > > Any ideas what I could add to simulate the orange flavor tho? You could try [Emergen-C](http://www.emergenc.com/index.php). It is about 10 bucks for a box of 100 1000mg packets of flavored vitamin C powder. I really only use them in vodka martinis in the wintertime, but it might be worth a shot. You could play with the strawberry, tangerine, raspberry, AND the orange. Maybe they have other flavors too. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/17 "2012-09-30T16:43:50Z")
Back in the late 90’s I went from normal pop to diet. Along the way my consumption increased to where I was drinking an average of about 8 cans a day. After a year or so of this, I started getting ferocious headaches. Since I had other issues in my life, I didn’t connect them to the diet pop at first, but eventually I reached a point where the pain would hit the minute I started consuming the stuff each day. I quit cold turkey and the headaches disappeared. Now, many years later, I had to quit the sugar’d stuff because of Type II diabetes. I drink the Zero stuff (Cherry Coke Zero) and some diet. I don’t drink quite the amount I used to, but I will notice that if I’m getting up there toward 6-7 cans of it in a day, I will get a mild headache. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/18 "2012-09-30T18:17:46Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > You could try [Emergen-C](http://www.emergenc.com/index.php). It is about 10 bucks for a box of 100 1000mg packets of flavored vitamin C powder. I really only use them in vodka martinis in the wintertime, but it might be worth a shot. You could play with the strawberry, tangerine, raspberry, AND the orange. Maybe they have other flavors too. Emergen C has too much Vit C to consume more than one packet a day. OP, Sprite has a artificial sweetener. So far, except in very high doses, this _seems_ to be harmless. In \*some \*people, it _appears_ to stimulate a desire to consume real sugar. But you do drink a lot. I’d cut back. The water is safe, but kinda expensive. As a compromise, do 50/50? ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-la-croix-carbonated-water-better-for-me-than-sprite-zero/636250/19 "2012-09-30T18:25:00Z")
10 cans a day? I think the pop is making you thirsty. IMO it doesn’t make that much difference which you drink.