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Bye, Coke. Hello, Healthy Probiotic Soda

Get your daily dose of probiotics and kick your soda habit.

7 different olipop soda cans on a light blue background. Two glasses full of soda sit between the cans

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Nothing beats a cold, fizzy soda. But your favorite beverage is loaded with buzzkill: sugar, artificial sweeteners, dye, and additives.

If you’re looking to cut back, probiotic soda will save the day. This healthy soda alternative touts gut health-boosting ingredients. And, thanks to findings from Purdue University, we now know there might be some truth behind wellness-promoting claims.

Researchers rigorously tested Olipop, a popular prebiotic soda, and found that one can of Olipop per day for 30 days resulted in a boost in beneficial Bifidobacteria, one of the good bacteria that live in the intestine.

Here’s everything you need to know about this buzzy new drink, and a few of the best probiotic soda brands to try.

What Is Probiotic Soda?

Probiotic soda is a bubbly alternative made with ingredients that aim to support a healthier gut.

These fizzy and fun concoctions deliver classic sweet flavors (think cola and orange cream) and gut-healthy ingredients. Plus, they cut out the sugary junk found in a traditional can of Coke.

Leading brands like Olipop, Poppi, and Health-Ade’s Booch Pop are often lumped together, but it’s important to note each brand relies on different ingredients to boost gut health.

The main difference? Whether they contain probiotics or prebiotics.

Probiotic vs. Prebiotic Soda

Probiotics and prebiotics are two distinct things.

Probiotics are living microorganisms found within fermented foods like kombucha, kimchi, and yogurt. Like a probiotic supplement, probiotic sodas—like Culture Pop—are packed with your daily dose of live probiotics.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are high-fiber foods (like bananas, apples, oats, and wheat) that serve as a food source for the healthy bacteria (probiotics) that live in your gut.

Prebiotic sodas use different ingredients to support your gut microbiota. For example, Poppi touts prebiotic properties, which derive from the inclusion of apple cider vinegar, which can promote a healthy pH balance in your gut, as well as pectin (a type of fiber).

Olipop, another prebiotic, leans on plant-based fibers found in chicory root, cassava root, and Jerusalem artichoke, as well as botanicals like nopal cactus, slippery elm bark, and calendula to feed your microbiome.

Is Probiotic Soda Good For You?

Yes. Generally speaking, prebiotic and probiotic sodas are cut back on sugar and steer clear of artificial sweeteners and refined sugar.

Instead, this healthy soda alternative leans on carbonated water, fruit juices, fermented tea, and plant-based ingredients to deliver flavor and function.

But is a can of prebiotic or probiotic soda a substitute for eating whole foods or using supplements to get your daily dose? No. While these drinks might be beneficial for your gut, they shouldn’t be your primary nutritional source of probiotics or prebiotics. The same games for other trendy gut health solutions like the fermented R’s KOSO.

Your gut thrives on diversity, so be sure to prioritize a variety of whole foods in your day-to-day for a healthy gut. If you enjoy them, probiotic sodas can be a part of a well-rounded strategy to consistently care for your gut.

Just watch your intake. There’s only two to seven grams of sugar in popular probiotic sodas (in comparison to 39 grams in a 12-ounce can of Coke). They might be lower in sugar, but drinking too many can still drive up your daily daily intake.

The Best Probiotic Soda Brands

Ready to make the switch? Here are the best probiotic sodas to try.

Olipop

Olipop uses chicory, cassava root, and a variety of botanicals to pack their sparkling tonics with prebiotics and fiber. Each can contains a mighty nine grams of fiber, which can help stabilize blood sugar, promote healthy bowel movements, stabilizes your liver, and feeds your gut microbiome. Plus, delicious flavors like orange squeeze, tropical punch, and vintage cola are hard to beat.

Nutrition Highlights:

  • Active Ingredient: Prebiotics, Plant Fiber, and Botanicals
  • 35-45 calories
  • 2-5 grams of sugar
  • 9 grams of fiber
  • Sweetened with stevia

Culture Pop

Culture pop features intriguing flavors and bright designs, but beneath the flash is a thoughtfully-crafted product with live probiotics. Although the fruity flavors may give nostalgic vibes of your favorite childhood soda, each can has a grown-up twist. Strawberry is paired with rhubarb, ginger with turmeric, and lemon-lime with cardamom.

Nutrition Highlights:

  • Active Ingredient: Probiotics
  • 40 calories
  • 6 grams of sugar
  • Naturally sweetened with fruit, herbs, and spices

Health-Ade Pop

Everyone’s favorite kombucha brand has entered the chat. The classic flavors like juicy grape, apple snap, and lemon-lime make perfect replacements for your go-tos. Plus each can is packed with good for you prebiotics, and fiber to help aid digestion.

Nutrition Highlights:

  • Active Ingredient: Prebiotics
  • 30-40 calories
  • 5-7 grams of sugar
  • 3 grams of fiber
  • Sweetened with fruit, cane sugar, and monk fruit

Poppi

Poppi uses apple cider vinegar from fermented apples to pack gut-boosting benefits into their soft drinks. ACV tends to have a strong taste but Poppi softens it with cane sugar, stevia, fruit juice, and sparkling water. The unique blend makes it lower in sugar and calories than soda, but their Cola, Root Beer, and “Doc Pop” flavors may have you fooled.

Nutrition Highlights:

  • Active Ingredient: Prebiotics
  • 15-20 calories
  • 4-5 grams of sugar
  • Sweetened with fruit juice and cane sugar

About the author

Sydney Bueckert is a Fitness & Nutrition Editor at Hone Health. She is a qualified fitness instructor with her BS in Exercise Science, C.S.C.S, NASM-C.P.T., C.E.S., F.N.S., and G.P.T.S., who specializes in human performance and corrective exercise.