I Just Found Out What LaCroix's "Natural Flavor" Is And I'm Delighted

It's made with heat.

If you love LaCroix*, then you've probably at one point wondered what's in it.

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*Pronounced la-CROY (rhymes with "boy"), if you didn't know already. *flips hair*

Sure, each can explicitly states "carbonated water" and "natural flavor" as its only two ingredients, but what does the latter actually mean?

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Well, earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal got to the bottom of this millennial-age-old question.

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The secret to your liquid addiction?

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It's "essence," a clear, concentrated natural chemical derived by heating the skins or rinds of fruits.

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To expand, the chemical is described as vapors that are “captured, condensed and eventually sold by the 55-gallon barrel.” Which, TBH, just makes me think of a LaCroix potions master stirring a cauldron of burning fruits.

To be fair, the website already states a version of that fact, but the article reveals the production process behind this mysterious ingredient.

lacroixwater.com

And it greatly expands on the useless answer a LaCroix spokesperson gave the Wall Street Journal: "Essence is — FEELINGS and Sensory Effects!" *facepalm*

And while, according to the FDA, essence can refer to any "flavoring constituents derived from a fruit, bark, meat, poultry, or fermentation products thereof," LaCroix states on its site that all its "flavors are derived from the natural essence oils extracted from the named fruit in each LaCroix flavor."

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So, there probably isn't any random poultry or egg essence thrown in there.

Now go forth, and enjoy your vapor-infused beverage with this knowledge!

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