Does Carbonated Water Make You Gain Weight (LaCroix, Obesity)

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend if carbonated water can make you gain weight? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

There are a lot of people who look for something besides water to drink while they are dieting that isn’t going to add calories to their trackers.

Many of these people will turn to flavored beverages like carbonated water. However, these may not be as innocent as you think.

So, does carbonated water make you gain weight? Yes, carbonated water can actually make you gain weight by increasing hunger and expanding your stomach. However, the nutritional factors will show there is nothing in it that can promote weight gain, leading people to believe it is totally fine.

While the verdict is still out on whether or not these claims are true, there are many studies that show carbonated water may not be the best option for some people looking to lose a few extra pounds.

Does Carbonated Water Make You Gain Weight?

There are many rumors, speculation, and questions surrounding the idea of carbonated water and whether or not it can make you gain weight.

However, those who choose to disregard these beliefs are only looking at the surface. 

Ingredients in carbonated waters

Let’s take a quick look at the nutritional factors and ingredients in carbonated water.

If you drink plain carbonated waters without any additives, you are going to find one or multiple of the following:

• Sodium chloride
• Sodium citrate
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Potassium bicarbonate
• Potassium citrate
• Potassium sulfate
• Disodium phosphate

On their own, none of these ingredients are “bad” for you if consumed in small amounts. Although, they can be dangerous if you ingest them in large quantities or for an extended period of time.

As for gaining weight, there is absolutely nothing in the ingredients that will make you gain weight on its own.

To prove this, here is a list of the nutritional facts for pure carbonated water with no additives.

• Total Fat 0g
• Saturated Fat 0g
• Trans Fat g
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 21mg
• Total Carbohydrate 0g
• Dietary Fiber 0g
• Protein 0g
• Iron 0mg
• Vitamin D 0mcg 
• Calcium 5mg
• Total Sugars g
• Added Sugars 0g
• Potassium 2mg

With nothing in the water but salt, calcium, and potassium, you would think there is literally nothing to this beverage, and it is a healthy option; and, it is, compared to some other alternatives. 

Read also: Does Sparkling Water Have Sugar? (Carbonated Water)

How Does Carbonated Water Make You Gain Weight?

Now, you might think to yourself, how on earth can something with very little in it make someone gain weight? The answer is the bubbles.

The bubbles in these carbonated beverages create an adverse reaction to your digestive system and will contribute to you gaining weight. 

Carbonated water is created when CO2 is added to the drink.

This creates the bubbles that every tend to enjoy. However, these bubbles are the culprit to many negative health issues including, indigestion, bloating, heartburn, and, yes, weight gain.

There are two main reasons why carbonation will cause people to gain weight. The first is the expansion of your stomach.

When you drink carbonated beverages, these continue to bubble, creating gas, bloating, and the expansion of your stomach, requiring you to eat more in order to feel full.

Another reason carbonated water is attributed to causing weight gain is due to the interaction of carbonation with your ghrelin glands.

These glands are located at the top of your stomach and are affected when they come into contact with carbonation.

The secretion of these glands produces a feeling of hunger.

The more carbonated drinks you consume, the more you are apt to eat due to this reaction. 

Read also: 5 Most Common Disadvantages of Sparkling Water (Benefits!)

Is Carbonated Water Good To Drink While You Are on a Diet?

Whether or not carbonated water is good for someone on a diet is going to depend on the person and the product they are consuming. 

For someone who is used to drinking 2-3 sodas a day will absolutely see results when switching to carbonated water.

Whether you factor in the bubbles or not, the idea of drinking water over other beverages is going to aid in hydration and reduce the intake of calories. 

Although we listed a few reasons explaining how carbonated water can make you gain weight, there are other factors to consider that will show results in the other direction.

Let’s play a little devil’s advocate here.

While we discussed how the bubbles could expand your stomach as the gas fills up from the CO2, one can argue that this reaction may also help people feel full and, as a result, not eat as much. 

There are also those who say that while some people experience discomfort and stomach issues when drinking carbonated drinks, others will tell you they actually rely on the product when they are gassy because it will help them burp, and it is their go-to for constipation as it may also contribute to helping them go.

All we can say for sure is reaching for carbonated water over carbonated soda is going to be fairly beneficial for anyone.

What are the Healthier Carbonated Water Options?

If you are attempting to drink carbonated waters in order to help you lose weight, you definitely want to stay away from anything with added sugars or added artificial sweeteners.

Although many people believe artificial sweeteners are good for you, they actually have a lot of adverse effects on the body that can hinder weight loss, among other things.

Just because you want to lose weight doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have any flavor in your water.

These options offer some of the best-carbonated water beverages on the market, some with nothing but natural bubbling water and others with fresh real fruit juice.

• Spindrift Sparkling Water: with naturally squeezed fruit
• Perrier Carbonated Mineral Water
• Bubly Sparkling Water
• POLAR 100% Natural Seltzer
• Simple Truth Organic Seltzer Water
• La Croix Sparkling Water

Summing Things Up

There is no easy way to answer this question. While there is some evidence that can lead us to believe carbonated waters have the ability to make you gain weight, the effects are going to be different for each person and the type of beverage you drink.

If in doubt, just drink plain ole water.