Are Prebiotic Sodas Good for Your Health?

Once upon a time, the “Cola Wars” just referred to Coke versus Pepsi. But these days, grocery stores are filled with numerous brands of soda that claim to satisfy your cravings in a healthy way. And some of the newer offerings are labeled prebiotic.

Prebiotic sodas are so-called functional beverages that combine carbonation with plant-based carbohydrates purported to help improve gut bacteria, among other benefits. Fun, colorfully packaged brands like Poppi, Bloom, Olipop, and Health-Ade have become increasingly popular.

But are prebiotic sodas actually good for you? Nutrition experts discuss what the research shows — and what you need to know before you buy.

“As public attention to the importance of a healthy gut continues to grow, companies have also begun to fortify prebiotics into various beverages, breakfast cereals, or snack foods,” says Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and an assistant professor of nutrition at Saint Louis University in Missouri.

Most people get prebiotics in the foods they eat each day, specifically from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and seeds. To capitalize on this new awareness of prebiotics, beverage makers are extracting fibers (inulin is a popular one) from food sources and adding them to packaged drinks like soda.

While the nutrition facts of prebiotic drinks vary from brand to brand, most tend to be a bit lower in calories and sugar than traditional sodas. For example, here are the nutrition facts for common prebiotic soda brands:

• Poppi A 12-ounce (oz) can of orange Poppi contains 30 calories and 5 grams (g) of sugar
• Olipop A 12 oz can of orange squeeze Olipop contains 45 calories and 4 g of sugar
• Bloom A 12 oz can of classic orange Bloom Pop contains 20 calories and 4 g of sugar

But these nutrition facts don’t always tell the whole story. “I caution those consuming purportedly ‘healthy’ beverages to be wary of the fact that some products contain large amounts of added sugar, which we do know to be detrimental to gut health and brain health,” says Uma Naidoo, MD, director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and author of This Is Your Brain on Food.

While these prebiotic sodas are better alternatives than regular, high-sugar sodas, it’s still important to consume them in moderation, as they may not be as healthy as advertised.

Of course, the main draw of prebiotic sodas is the idea that they promote gut health. So, do they? The shorter answer is that it depends on the brand and how much of it you’re drinking.

“Some of the prebiotic sodas on the market contain up to 8 to 10 g of prebiotics, so the dosage is appropriate to support claimed benefits,” says Laura Cochrun, MPH, RDN, who is based in Washington, DC. “Other prebiotic sodas on the market contain fewer prebiotics. Check the label!”

Poppi’s makers, for instance, claim that the beverage gets its prebiotic powers (responsible, the company claims, for glowing skin, weight loss, and lower cholesterol, among other perks) from apple cider vinegar and its added plant fibers. However, Poppi only has about 2 to 3 g of fiber in each can, which isn’t enough to provide actual benefits for gut health. Even the prebiotics in straight apple cider vinegar will be minimal compared with what you can get from whole foods, says Dr. Linsenmeyer.

While prebiotic sodas can supplement healthy gut bacteria, they aren’t the be-all and end-all answer to good gut health. Instead of relying solely on these types of sodas, getting prebiotics from the food you eat is likely to be more beneficial for your gut bacteria and overall intestinal health.

Before you head out to the supermarket and stock up on one of the many new flavors of prebiotic sodas, it’s a good idea to know the pros and cons of these drinks.

For starters, prebiotic sodas do have less sugar and calories than other popular sodas. So if you’re looking to get your fizzy fix, prebiotic drinks may be the way to go. Depending on the brand, some of the prebiotic sodas also provide some dietary fiber that can be helpful if you’re someone who needs a little more support reaching their daily fiber goals. Prebiotic sodas are also a good option if you are an avid soda drinker and are looking for ways to reduce your consumption of drinks like Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

It’s also worth noting that “prebiotic beverages will never replace a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains,” Linsenmeyer says, “but can be a fine addition to your overall beverage intake when you're looking for something other than water, especially if you’re using them to kick a soda habit.” She recommends looking for a brand with no more than 5 g of sugar per 12 oz can, and some added fiber.

But don’t rely on prebiotic beverages to support your gut health. “They are not a replacement for prebiotic-rich whole foods,” she adds. Your best option is to try to incorporate more of those foods — garlic, onions, bananas, asparagus, oats, and apples, to name a few — into your diet as often as possible.