Incorporating daily exercise routines into your new work schedule is easier than you think. One study published in the journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice found that rats that had carbonated drinks ate more and gained more weight over a six-month period than those that drank flat drinks or plain water. Soda consumption has dropped dramatically in recent years as Americans have looked for healthier options. | EATING HEALTHY Those rats also had more of the appetite-increasing hormone ghrelin, which signals your body to eat more, which can explain the weight gain. That said, if the sparkling water is citrus-flavored, then it can have higher acidity levels and increase the risk of damage to your enamel. There are plenty of coffee options if you're cutting out sugar, you just need to know what to order. Sparkling waters have faced some controversy but they don't deserve all the shade. If you’ve ditched sugary sodas for the sweet innocence of sparkling water like La Croix, it may be time for a reality check. Decreased activity in this area has been linked to an increased risk of obesity. (The same can be said for any sparkling water or seltzer that doesn't have any kind of added sweetener.) It can even include artificial ingredients that preserve flavor or help it mix more efficiently with other natural flavors. Let's get one thing clear: LaCroix is absolutely healthier than soda or sugar-sweetened beverages like iced tea and lemonade. Some background: Dental erosion is can happen in acidic (lower pH) environments. You've probably heard that the key to eating healthy is having a balanced meal. More recently it has been suggested, though, that because carbonation can cause bloating, it may aggravate certain gastrointestinal issues. Here's a look at the science and what's really in your La Croix. | So zero-calorie beverages aren't always necessarily healthy. If this part of the brain isn't active, your body won't help you naturally regulate your consumption of sugary snacks. Well, research on the general health effects of seltzers and sparkling waters like La Croix is scarce, but in the name of fizzy deliciousness, let’s examine the existing evidence. The good news: you likely don't need to worry about BPA in your LaCroix anymore. LaCroix in fact contains ingredients that have been identified by the Food and Drug Administration as synthetic. A 2001 study published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation stated that “mineral waters appear to offer a safe alternative to more erosive acidic beverages.” However, a more recent study from 2007 said the opposite: The researchers soaked teeth in seltzer-filled containers for 30 minutes to measure the effect of sparkling water on enamel. There are no sugars or artificial ingredients contained in, nor added to, these extracted flavors." | It's what gives LaCroix its lovable bubbles. The company also states that although their can linings may contain trace amounts of BPA to preserve and protect the beverage, "these trace amounts are virtually eliminated during the curing process." That's a valid concern. But in terms of how much LaCroix is too much? Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. And on that note, it's important to know that drinking carbonated beverages may also lead to bloating, since they can cause gas buildup in your digestive system, as Mike Roussell, Ph.D. previously wrote in Shape. WATER Sales of sparkling waters and seltzers (including alcoholic ones) have skyrocketed since 2018 and show no signs of slowing. BPA is thought to be similar to estrogen and may have the ability to disrupt the function of other hormones in the body, and possibly negatively impact the brain. BPA-based plastics are used to line food and drink cans to protect against metal contamination, but these endocrine disruptors bring on a host of health problems on their own—especially because some studies show that BPA can seep from packaging into food and drinks. Toby Amidor, R.D. 2016 report on the pH of beverages in the U.S. carbonated beverages may also lead to bloating, endocrine disruptors bring on a host of health problems. "We do not add any artificial sweeteners, sugars or sodium to our waters," the company writes on its website. This Healthier Green Bean Casserole is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving spread. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Daily deaths will soon double, expert says, Cardinal Dolan hails Supreme Court decision on churches, COVID-19. Their takeaway, though, was not to panic and start pouring all your Lime, Coconut, Pamplemousse, Mure Pepino La Croix down the drain: As with dessert or the occasional cola, an occasional indulgence is no big deal — if you’re concerned, just don’t overdo it. That said, there's no way to know 100 percent exactly what's being used to create each flavor of LaCroix since the full ingredients aren't disclosed. It's happened. La Croix (pronounced “La-Croy”), the delicious bubbly drink that’s become ubiquitous, is free of calories, added sugars, sweeteners, and sodium, and it’s got a very short ingredient list. Here's Why, How Connor Davis Added a Foot to His Broad Jump and Catapulted Himself Into a Pro Football Career, Here's What a Full Day of LeBron's Meals and Snacks Look Like, The One Nutrition Mistake You Must Avoid During Summer Tournament Season. In a 2016 report on the pH of beverages in the U.S., the ADA reported that bottled waters and one municipal water source had pHs between 5 and 7, and Perrier carbonated mineral water had a pH of 5.25—all labeled as minimally erosive to enamel (they didn't test LaCroix specifically). In November 2014, the FDA conducted a safety assessment of BPA and stated that the levels currently occurring in food and canned beverages are perfectly safe. Soda has been perhaps the biggest casualty in America's war on sugar. The term "natural flavor" or "natural flavoring" is defined as a product that "contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional," according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The committee's report stressed that "adverse effects of added sugar, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages, may contribute to unhealthy weight gain and obesity-related outcomes."