Is prebiotic soda a good alternative to regular soda?
By Ashley Oiler
April 10, 2024
Image Credit: Photo by Megan Bucknall on Unsplash
Prebiotic sodas, like Poppi and Olipop, are just like soda - but healthy. These beverages still have the same carbonation and flavors as soda we know and love, but without the bad ingredients.
So, what is a prebiotic soda?
Prebiotics are usually in food or supplements, like yogurt or daily vitamins, that boost a person’s immune system and improve the good bacteria in your body.
These new sodas, specifically Poppi, market their drinks by mentioning apple cider vinegar, fruit juice, and prebiotics, which are all ingredients meant to improve gut health according to their website.
Sophomore communications major, Maeve Campbell said she started buying Poppi last semester to see what the hype was about.
“I think it's really good and it definitely makes me feel better than drinking soda,” she said.
Ollipop also focuses on a healthy, digestive-supportive, and fiber-packed drink. Their cans include nine grams of fiber with only two to five grams of sugar, according to their website.
While a regular 12 oz Pepsi which has 41 grams of sugar and no fiber or digestive prebiotic benefits, according to their website. Both Poppi and Ollipop have at least a 36-gram difference from Pepsi in sugar content alone.
“I thought it was good, but I don’t drink soda very often so there’s no need for me to buy healthier soda just because,” said senior communications major Alaina Hallmark.
She thinks that the idea is interesting, but there are so many options for drinks now that these healthy soda options might get lost with all the rest.
In the University of Maryland area, Poppi and Ollipop are available at Target, most grocery stores, and Amazon.
Emily Lewis, a registered dietitian with Hartford Healthcare, reviewed these healthier options and said, “Prebiotic sodas contain substances such as inulin, a prebiotic form of fiber. This has the potential to boost gut health by feeding advantageous gut bacteria, and helping you reach the recommended daily fiber intake.”.
Overall, Lewis said the sodas are a good alternative to soda but more studies need to be done to see how healthy and beneficial the new sodas actually are.
Prebiotic sodas are a trendy, ideally healthier alternative to soda. These sodas have less sugar and processed products in them, but health professionals are still figuring out if all the benefits of the Poppi and Ollipop cans are true.
So, what is a prebiotic soda?
Prebiotics are usually in food or supplements, like yogurt or daily vitamins, that boost a person’s immune system and improve the good bacteria in your body.
These new sodas, specifically Poppi, market their drinks by mentioning apple cider vinegar, fruit juice, and prebiotics, which are all ingredients meant to improve gut health according to their website.
Sophomore communications major, Maeve Campbell said she started buying Poppi last semester to see what the hype was about.
“I think it's really good and it definitely makes me feel better than drinking soda,” she said.
Ollipop also focuses on a healthy, digestive-supportive, and fiber-packed drink. Their cans include nine grams of fiber with only two to five grams of sugar, according to their website.
While a regular 12 oz Pepsi which has 41 grams of sugar and no fiber or digestive prebiotic benefits, according to their website. Both Poppi and Ollipop have at least a 36-gram difference from Pepsi in sugar content alone.
“I thought it was good, but I don’t drink soda very often so there’s no need for me to buy healthier soda just because,” said senior communications major Alaina Hallmark.
She thinks that the idea is interesting, but there are so many options for drinks now that these healthy soda options might get lost with all the rest.
In the University of Maryland area, Poppi and Ollipop are available at Target, most grocery stores, and Amazon.
Emily Lewis, a registered dietitian with Hartford Healthcare, reviewed these healthier options and said, “Prebiotic sodas contain substances such as inulin, a prebiotic form of fiber. This has the potential to boost gut health by feeding advantageous gut bacteria, and helping you reach the recommended daily fiber intake.”.
Overall, Lewis said the sodas are a good alternative to soda but more studies need to be done to see how healthy and beneficial the new sodas actually are.
Prebiotic sodas are a trendy, ideally healthier alternative to soda. These sodas have less sugar and processed products in them, but health professionals are still figuring out if all the benefits of the Poppi and Ollipop cans are true.