Everything You Need To Know About Prebiotic Sodas

I’m not going to lie, I’ve never really been a soda person. Not just because I’m a dietitian and think it’s unhealthy, but because I find I never get that thirst quench I’m looking for. 

When I want something refreshing that’s not regular water, I typically reach for a flavoured sparkling water. Many of my friends, family and previous nutrition clients absolutely love sodas and I’m not one to judge. However, it’s no secret that they lack any form of nutritional value and tend to be packed with sugar.

That was until prebiotic sodas entered the market. 

With the rise of health conscious living, consumers have been demanding more “functional foods”. In other words, foods that actually have some sort of benefit when we consume them.  

Gut health in particular has gained a lot of interest over the last few years. Brands like Athletic Greens, Arrae, and Cymbiotika have been all over social media promoting their supplements with digestive and health benefits. And more recently Cove, Poppi, and Olipop have entered the chat with their functional sodas. 

So what exactly are these drinks and what benefits do they provide? Let’s dig in.

The Facts on Pre and Probiotics 

To help us understand prebiotic sodas, let’s first review the difference between probiotics and prebiotics.

Probiotics and prebiotics are not the same. Probiotics such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi are sources of live bacteria. When ingested, these bacteria offer immune and digestive health boosting benefits. 

Prebiotics on the other hand, are actually plant fibers that typically make it all the way to our guts undigested. Once in our gut, these fibers act as a source of food for the healthy bacteria living in our microbiome. 

Microbiome is a fancy term used to describe the collection of microbes (e.g. bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that naturally live in/on our bodies. Studies have shown us that our microbiome can influence our digestion, immune system, and even our mental health.

What are Prebiotics Sodas?

Now that we’ve reviewed the basics, it may not be surprising that prebiotic sodas are sodas that have plant fiber added to them. This fiber is a source of food for the healthy bacteria in our guts. 

Health Benefits of Prebiotic Sodas 

1. Gut Health

As I was mentioning earlier, prebiotics are thought to influence our gut health by acting as a source of food for healthy bacteria. When we feed these bacteria, we promote their growth and activity. 

As a result, our microbiome has a healthier balance of beneficial bacteria. This can have positive effects on our digestion (e.g. less boating and improved bowel regularity), and improved absorption of nutrients. 

2. Immune Function

Research shows that when we maintain a healthy microbiome, we may actually have strengthened immunity to certain illnesses. By supporting our microbiome, prebiotics help maintain a good supply of immune cells and defend against germs and pathogens. 

3. Metabolic Health

Another potential benefit of prebiotic sodas that I find interesting is improved blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity. Where regular high sugar sodas are known for their negative effects on blood sugar, the opposite may be true for prebiotic sodas. Though more research is needed, there may be a link between metabolic syndrome and lower levels of healthy bacteria in the gut. 

4. Weight Management 

With prebiotic sodas being high in fiber and lower in both sugar and calories, they are a healthier option compared to their traditional high sugar low fiber counterparts. Prebiotic sodas may help contribute to feelings of fullness without the extra sugar and calories. 

5. Bone Health 

When it comes to bone health, the research is not yet conclusive. It seems that by increasing the health of our microbiome, prebiotics may play a role in increasing the absorption of important minerals for bone health (e.g. calcium) and decreasing bone loss. More high quality human studies are needed, but animal studies show some promise. 

6. Mental and Cognitive Health 

More and more studies are highlighting the connection between our gut health and mental health. Researchers have found an important communication pathway between our brains and intestines called the “gut brain axis”. 

Through this axis, our gut sends messages to our brain and vice versa. Feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety can all trigger symptoms in our gut. And although we tend to think of our brain when we talk about mood and hormones, many of our bodies' mood changing hormones and neurotransmitters are actually created in the gut. 

Have you ever been anxious before an exam or presentation and unable to eat?

You can thank your gut brain axis. 

Poppi & Olipop - My Personal Thoughts 

Though I haven’t tried all of the prebiotic sodas on the market, I have given both Poppi and Olipop a whirl. To be honest, if I were to be in the mood for a regular soda I think I would go for a small amount of the regular version vs. a prebiotic soda.  

I don’t tend to crave or want soda often, but if I did I think these are a really nice alternative if you like the taste. They are subtly sweet and many of the flavors (cola, root beer, and orange) really came through for me. The only thing I disliked was the taste of sweetener. I don’t tend to love the aftertaste of low sugar sweeteners like stevia and aspartame. 

Though I personally prefer to focus on whole foods first when it comes to nutrition, I can’t deny that if you are already craving a soda these are a decent alternative. They are lower in sugar (something our diets are typically quite high in), and offer subtle health benefits compared to their traditional high sugar alternatives. 

Though this blog is not sponsored, if I had to pick my favourite, I’d go with Poppi (especially the orange flavour). One extra bonus with Poppi is that it’s totally safe for pregnant folks.

In terms of disadvantages, I’d say the biggest red flag would be cost. These drinks aren’t cheap. Considering the research isn’t totally clear at this point, if you are choosing these specifically for gut health you may want to focus your time and money on whole foods first. 

Should You Try Prebiotic Sodas? 

It depends. More fiber and less sugar and calories is great, so if you are looking for a soda alternative I think they are great for this purpose.

If you are strictly consuming these drinks for gut benefits - I’d be weary. Research on these sodas is still limited. The type of fiber in these drinks is processed and it's not clear that they have the same benefits as getting it from whole foods.

I will always preach that there’s no one food or drink that can replace the health benefits of a healthy diet. If your diet is lacking fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it may be best to focus on increasing consumption of those first. 

Have you tried prebiotic sodas?

Let me know what you did or didn’t like in the comments!