The major difference between Fresca and LaCroix is that Fresca is sparkling soda whereas LaCroix is sparkling water. We will dive into the specifics below regarding what sets these two beverages apart. We think you will be able to decide the best beverage for you after you read this article.
Fresca vs LaCroix
Flavors
Fresca makes less than a handful of flavors whereas LaCroix makes multiple flavors of its sparkling water. Here are the details:
Fresca has four flavors: Grapefruit Citrus, Black Cherry Citrus, Peach Citrus, and Blackberry Citrus.
LaCroix makes over 30 different sparkling water flavors/products. We won’t list them all but you can view them here. Some of the favorites include Lemon, Pamplemousse, Lime, Tangerine, Passionfruit, and Peach-Pear.
Nutrition
There are no major differences between Fresca versus LaCroix in regard to nutrition. One nutrition fact of note is sodium. Fresca has 35 grams per can whereas LaCroix is sodium-free.
| Fresca | LaCroix | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 12 fl. oz. (1 can) | 12 fl. oz. (1 can) |
| Calories | 0 | 0g |
| Total Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Sodium | 35mg | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1g* | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 0g | 0g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g |
Ingredients
Here is a look at the ingredients of two flavors of Fresca and La Croix:
Fresca Grapefruit Citrus – Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Concentrated Grapefruit Juice, Potassium Citrate, Aspartame, Potassium Sorbate (To Protect Taste), Acacia Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, Natural Flavors, Glycerol Ester Of Rosin, Potassium Benzoate And Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Taste), Carob Bean Gum.
LaCroix Lemon – Carbonated Water, Naturally Essenced.
Fresca is artificially sweetened with aspartame and acesulfame potassium. It also contains preservatives that include potassium sorbate, potassium benzoate, and calcium disodium. The glycerol ester of rosin is a stabilizer while carob bean gum and acacia gum are used to maintain a palatable texture.
LaCroix is simply carbonated water with natural flavoring and no artificial ingredients.
Overall, LaCroix is the better option in regard to ingredients because they are simple and natural. Fresca’s artificial ingredients simply make it inferior to LaCroix.
Caffeine
Fresca and LaCroix are caffeine-free.
Ownership
Fresca – It is a brand of The Coca-Cola Company that was launched in 1966. Fresca was originally marketed as both a mixer and a sparkling beverage. Coca-Cola states that it was the company’s second low-calories product after Tab which was introduced in 1963.
LaCroix – This sparkling water brand is owned by National Beverage Corp., which also makes Shasta, Faygo, Everfresh, Rip it, Clear Fruit, and others. LaCroix was introduced in 1981 by G. Heileman Brewing Company and was acquired by National Beverage in 1996. As trends changed from sodas to healthier drinks like sparkling water, LaCroix’s popularity began to skyrocket around the mid-2010s.
Price
The table below reflects a sampling of prices for Fresca versus LaCroix. Quantity sold often varies at stores (i.e. Fresca 12-packs vs. LaCroix 8-packs) so we also calculated the price per can.
In summary, you will typically pay much less for LaCroix over Fresca based on the below data. It is quite a difference if you compare the average per can of Fresca and LaCroix on the last line of the table.
| Store | Fresca | LaCroix |
|---|---|---|
| Kroger | $6.99 per 12-pack/$.58 per can | $4.49 per 8-pack/$.56 per can |
| Walmart | $6.48 per 12-pack/$.54 per can | $3.68 per 8-pack/$.46 per can |
| Target | $6.19 per 12-pack/$.52 per can | $3.99 per 8-pack/$.50 per can |
| Safeway | $8.99 per 12-pack/$.75 per can | $3.67 per 8-pack/$.46 per can |
| Meijer | $6.59 per 12-pack/$.55 per can | $4.99 per 12-pack/$.42 per can |
| Weis Market | $7.49 per 12-pack/$.62 per can | $5.00 per 12-pack/$.42 per can |
| Wegmans | $6.49 per 12-pack/$.54 per can | $5.49 per 12-pack/$.46 per can |
| Average Per Can | $.59 | $.47 |
Poll: Fresca vs LaCroix
If you have tried both of these sparkling beverages, please consider voting for your favorite!
