Bummed

Expert Insight: "Generally, soft drink consumption is tied to obesity because these beverages are packed with extra sugars and nutritionally void, providing 'empty calories' that do not leave you feeling satisfied," says New York City-based nutritionist Claire Shorenstein, RDN, MA in clinical nutrition.

"This study raises an interesting implication that carbon dioxide could be tied to weight gain, but there is not a large enough body of research to show that carbonation alone will cause someone to gain weight. There are so many factors that also affect the hunger and satiety hormones, such as how much you are sleeping or your stress levels, for instance, and you must also take into account lifestyle factors like physical activity and overall diet. And these components were not incorporated in the study performed on the rats," notes Shorenstein.



The Bottom Line: Don't give up your can of La Croix just yet. "More research is needed. The human trial was not a large enough sample size and the effect seen in rats might not be the same for humans," adds Shorenstein.