There’s no official limit on how many LaCroix you can drink per day, but most dietitians and dentists suggest keeping flavored sparkling water to around two to three cans daily. Beyond that, the main concerns aren’t about the water itself but about what the carbonation and citric acid do to your teeth and digestion over time. Here’s what actually matters at different levels of consumption.
Sparkling Water Hydrates Just as Well as Still Water
The good news is that LaCroix counts toward your daily water intake. In a study where participants drank either a liter of still water or sparkling water, researchers found no difference in hydration status after four hours based on urine output. So if you’re drinking several cans a day because you prefer it to plain water, you’re not falling behind on hydration. A standard LaCroix can is 12 ounces, which means four cans gets you close to the commonly recommended 48 to 64 ounces of daily fluid (though individual needs vary by body size and activity level).
Your Teeth Are the Real Limiting Factor
The biggest practical concern with drinking multiple LaCroix per day is enamel erosion. All carbonated water is more acidic than tap water. Tap water sits at a neutral pH of six to seven, while LaCroix has been measured at a pH of about 4.71, which is below the 5.5 threshold where enamel starts to soften. For comparison, Coca-Cola is far more acidic at just over 2, so LaCroix is nowhere near soda territory. But it’s still acidic enough to matter if you’re sipping all day long.
The American Dental Association specifically warns against sipping citrus-flavored sparkling water throughout the day. The issue isn’t the total amount you drink so much as how long your teeth are bathed in the slightly acidic liquid. Drinking a can in one sitting gives your saliva time to remineralize your enamel between exposures. Nursing a can for two hours at your desk, then immediately cracking another, keeps your mouth in a mildly acidic state for extended periods. If you’re going to drink three or four cans daily, the smartest approach is to have them with meals or drink each one relatively quickly, then switch to plain water in between.
Carbonation Can Cause Bloating
Carbon dioxide creates gas in your digestive tract. One or two cans rarely causes problems, but at higher volumes, some people notice bloating, burping, or abdominal discomfort. Clinical guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome actually recommend reducing carbonated drinks because the gas can distend the stomach and intestines. If you have IBS or are prone to bloating, you’ll likely feel the effects before you hit any other limit. For most people without digestive sensitivities, three to four cans a day won’t cause significant issues, but this is highly individual.
It Won’t Weaken Your Bones
One persistent concern about carbonated water is that it leaches calcium from bones. This has been studied, and the evidence is reassuring. Research from Harvard Health found that non-cola carbonated drinks were not associated with low bone mineral density. The bone health worry comes from phosphoric acid, which is found in colas but not in plain sparkling water like LaCroix. A clinical trial comparing postmenopausal women who drank about a quart of carbonated mineral water daily to those who drank the same amount of still water found no difference in bone turnover markers after eight weeks. So even at higher daily consumption, bone health isn’t a realistic concern.
Carbonation May Increase Hunger
One surprising finding: carbonated beverages may make you hungrier. A study published in the journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice found that carbonated drinks increased levels of ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger, in both rats and a group of 20 healthy men. The carbon dioxide gas itself appeared to trigger the ghrelin release, not sugar or any other ingredient. This doesn’t mean LaCroix causes weight gain, but if you’re drinking five or six cans daily and noticing you’re snacking more than usual, the carbonation could be playing a role. This effect was observed with all carbonated beverages, not just LaCroix specifically.
A Reasonable Daily Range
Putting it all together, two to three cans of LaCroix per day is a comfortable range where you get the hydration benefits with minimal risk to your teeth or digestion. Four to five cans is still reasonable if you’re drinking them with meals or in distinct sittings rather than grazing on them all day. Going above that isn’t dangerous, but you’re increasing your exposure to mild acid on your enamel and more likely to experience gas or bloating.
If you’re currently drinking LaCroix as a replacement for soda, even six cans a day is a significant health improvement over six sodas. The calculus changes depending on what your alternative would be. For protecting your teeth at any consumption level, rinse with plain water after finishing a can, avoid brushing for at least 30 minutes (brushing softened enamel can do more damage), and try to pair your sparkling water with food rather than drinking it on an empty stomach throughout the day.