How does seltzer water have a taste when it has no calories/sweeteners?

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I know people make fun of la croix having no flavor but it and other seltzer waters obviously taste like something! As an active seltzer lover, with new brands and flavors coming out all the time now, some of these are objectively quite flavorful and sweet. Yet, they have 0 calories, 0 sweeteners or sugar, only “natural flavors.” Do they really have 0 of everything or is it just such a small amount that they call it 0?
eli5 what natural flavoring means and how it can taste so strong with no sugar or anything so I can enjoy my seltzer without mental turmoil. Thank you!

In: Chemistry

6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Probably some of both. I’m sure there is *something* in the drink containing *some* minuscule amount of calories, but it is very likely not the flavoring. The fact is that there are plenty of things which our bodies cannot harvest significant energy from which still have a taste. Salt is a very common example of such a chemical.

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