LaCroix vs Bubly: Does Either Have Sweetener?

On the core cans with verified labels, LaCroix and bubly both list carbonated water plus a flavoring, with 0 kcal and no sweetener on the label. The wording differs: LaCroix uses 'natural flavor' on some cans and 'naturally essenced' on others. bubly Burst Triple Berry, a 16.9 fl oz bottle, is the sweetened exception, with 10 kcal and both sucralose and acesulfame potassium in its ingredient list. This page sets the label facts side by side so you can compare them directly.

Key takeaways

• Core LaCroix and core bubly cans list only carbonated water and flavoring, with 0 kcal and no sweetener on the verified labels.
• Sodium is 0 mg on the verified LaCroix Passionfruit and bubly cherry entries.
• bubly Burst Triple Berry (16.9 fl oz bottle) lists sucralose and acesulfame potassium, with 10 kcal and 0 g sugar.
• Federal rules define 'natural flavor' by source and process. The specific fruit or essence oils used by either brand are not disclosed.
• FDA has no formal definition of 'natural' for food.

Are LaCroix and Bubly the same? Core can labels compared side by side

On the core cans with verified labels, both brands list carbonated water plus one flavoring term, and neither lists a sweetener, added sugar or sodium. The table below sets out each verified entry.

Product (verified label)	Serving	Ingredient line	Calories	Sugar	Sodium	Sweetener listed
LaCroix Passionfruit (Naturally Essenced)	1 can, 355 ml	Carbonated water, natural flavor	0 kcal	0 g added sugars	0 mg	None
LaCroix Pure	355 mL can	Carbonated water	0 kcal	Not stated in verified data	0	None
LaCroix Lime (Naturally Essenced, 2024 listing)	Can	Only carbonated water, naturally essenced.	0 kcal	0 sugars	0 mg	None
bubly lime	1 can, 12 fl oz	Carbonated water, natural flavor.	0 kcal	0 g added sugars	Not stated in verified data	None
bubly cherry	1 can, 12 fl oz	Carbonated water, natural flavor	0 kcal	0 g sugars	0 mg	None
bubly Burst Triple Berry	1 bottle, 16.9 fl oz	Carbonated water, blueberry juice concentrate, citric acid, natural flavor, malic acid, potassium benzoate, black carrot juice concentrate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, zinc gluconate, calcium disodium EDTA, vitamin E acetate	10 kcal	0 g sugar	Not stated in verified data	Acesulfame potassium, sucralose

Serving sizes differ (355 ml, 12 fl oz and 16.9 fl oz), so per-container numbers are not directly comparable by volume. The LaCroix Lime entry is an older 2024 listing, so the current Lime can may differ.

Does LaCroix have sweetener?

None of the LaCroix cans with verified labels lists a sweetener. The LaCroix Passionfruit can (355 ml) lists 'Carbonated water, natural flavor.' with 0 g added sugars, and the Pure and Lime entries list no sweetener either.

Whether any other LaCroix flavor contains a sweetener is not disclosed in the verified data, so the answer applies only to the cans named here. The Nutrition Facts panel on the can in hand is the place to confirm the current formulation. For a wider look at how sweeteners appear on other drink labels, see Olipop vs Poppi: Fiber, Sugar and Sweeteners Compared.

Does bubly have sweetener or artificial sweeteners?

The verified bubly lime and bubly cherry cans, each 12 fl oz, list carbonated water and natural flavor, with no sweetener on the label. Both list 0 g added sugars or 0 g sugars.

The exception is bubly Burst Triple Berry, a 16.9 fl oz bottle, whose ingredient list includes acesulfame potassium and sucralose. These are high-intensity sweeteners; the core cans list neither. Readers comparing aspartame labels across other brands may also find Fresca vs Diet Coke: Does Fresca Have Aspartame? Labels Compared useful.

Does LaCroix have sodium, and does bubly have sodium?

The LaCroix Passionfruit can (355 ml) lists 0 mg sodium, and the bubly cherry can (12 fl oz) lists 0 mg sodium. The verified LaCroix Pure and Lime entries list 0 sodium.

The verified bubly lime entry does not report a sodium figure, and the sodium figure for bubly Burst Triple Berry is not in the verified data. A missing figure in a database entry does not show that a product contains none, so checking the Nutrition Facts panel on the product in hand is the reliable step. Whether a given sodium amount fits an individual's needs is a question for that person and their clinician, and a label cannot answer it.

How many calories are in a LaCroix or Bubly can?

Each verified core can lists 0 kcal: the LaCroix Passionfruit can per 355 ml, and the bubly lime and bubly cherry cans per 12 fl oz.

bubly Burst Triple Berry lists 10 kcal per 16.9 fl oz bottle, which is a larger container than a 12 fl oz can. Calories for other Burst flavors are not disclosed in the verified data. The Nutrition Facts panel is the authoritative source for calories on any specific product.

What is natural flavor in LaCroix and Bubly?

'Natural flavor' appears on the LaCroix Passionfruit and bubly core-can ingredient lists. Federal rules define the term by source and process rather than by a list of specific fruits. Under 21 CFR 101.22, natural flavor means 'the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis' containing flavoring constituents from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable, herb and similar sources, 'whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.'

The word 'essence' appears inside that definition, which is one reason the wording on LaCroix labels is worth reading closely. The definition does not tell a shopper which fruit, extract or oil is in a specific can. The specific fruit extracts or essence oils used by either brand are not disclosed on the labels.

What does 'naturally essenced' mean on LaCroix labels?

On the LaCroix Lime entry, the ingredient line reads 'Only carbonated water, naturally essenced.' The Passionfruit can carries the Naturally Essenced name in its product listing, while its ingredient line reads 'Carbonated water, natural flavor.'

The labels do not say which fruit essences or oils are used, and the brand's own FAQ wording was not verified, so this article does not quote it. Because the Lime listing is from 2024, the current label may read differently.

Does bubly Burst have sucralose, and why is it different from the core cans?

Yes. bubly Burst Triple Berry (16.9 fl oz bottle) lists sucralose and acesulfame potassium among its ingredients. Its full ingredient list is carbonated water, blueberry juice concentrate, citric acid, natural flavor, malic acid, potassium benzoate, black carrot juice concentrate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, zinc gluconate, calcium disodium EDTA and vitamin E acetate.

Compared with the verified core cans, the Triple Berry label differs in several ways:

• It lists juice concentrates (blueberry and black carrot), which the verified core-can lists do not.
• It lists two sweeteners, sucralose and acesulfame potassium, and the verified core-can lists show none.
• It lists potassium benzoate, a preservative, which does not appear on the verified core-can lists.
• It lists zinc gluconate and vitamin E acetate, which the core-can entries do not show.
• It lists 10 kcal per bottle, compared with 0 kcal per core can, while both show 0 g sugar.

The name calcium disodium EDTA includes 'disodium,' but the sodium content of the finished bottle is not stated in the verified data. Ingredients and calories for other Burst flavors are not disclosed here.

How do LaCroix and Bubly compare on the FDA's definition of natural?

FDA has no formal definition of 'natural' for food. It has considered the term to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic has been added that would not normally be expected in the food, and that this includes all color additives regardless of source, according to its guidance on the use of the term natural.

Applied to these cans, that framing depends on what was added. The verified labels show carbonated water plus a flavoring, and the flavoring sources are not disclosed, so the FDA description cannot tell a reader what went into the flavoring.

Which label details are not disclosed by either brand?

Several details are not disclosed on the labels or in the verified data:

• The specific fruit extracts or essence oils inside either brand's natural flavor.
• Whether any LaCroix flavor beyond those checked contains a sweetener.
• Calories and ingredients for bubly Burst flavors other than Triple Berry.
• Caffeinated bubly variants, such as bubly bounce, which were not researched.
• The acidity, pH and carbonation level of either brand.
• LaCroix's own FAQ wording, which was not verified.

Label data shows what is printed on a package. It cannot establish how any individual responds to these ingredients, and it says nothing about groups that have not been studied.

How to read a sparkling water can label for flavor, sweetener, and sodium

A short checklist can make these comparisons easier on any can:

• Check the serving size first. A 355 ml can, a 12 fl oz can and a 16.9 fl oz bottle are different amounts.
• Read the ingredient line in order. Carbonated water is listed first on each verified entry.
• Look for sweetener names such as sucralose or acesulfame potassium. A can listing only carbonated water and flavoring shows none.
• Note whether the wording is 'natural flavor' or 'naturally essenced.' The federal definition of natural flavor turns on source and process.
• Look for juice concentrates and preservatives such as potassium benzoate, which appear on the Burst label but not on the verified core-can lists.
• Compare calories and sodium on the Nutrition Facts panel. A database entry with no sodium figure is not proof of zero.
• Remember that flavors and labels change, so the can in hand is the final reference.

People who track sodium, sugar or sweetener intake for health reasons, or who have been advised to limit particular additives, may find it useful to check the Nutrition Facts panel and speak with a clinician. Labels cannot establish individual tolerance.

Aurascan is a food-label scanner app for iPhone with a free tier. It explains each ingredient one by one with cited evidence rather than a single black-box score. It pulls product data from Open Food Facts, USDA and barcode databases and has no sponsors. Scan the can in your hand to see how each listed ingredient is explained, then decide for yourself.