The best prebiotic and probiotic sodas are the new cool kids in the drink aisle. Packed with plant fiber (prebiotic) or live bacteria (probiotic), these fizzy options promise to support your digestive health without the guilt of traditional sugary sodas. Influencers on TikTok are singing the drink’s praises, but are they truly a better choice?
If you’d like to indulge in this new fizzy fad, but don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. StudyFinds has created a list of the top five best prebiotic and probiotic sodas most recommended by nutritionists across seven expert reviews. Did we miss one that you love? Let us know in the comments!
The List: Best Prebiotic and Probiotic Sodas, Ranked
1. Olipop
According to The Edge, Olipop is the best prebiotic soda on the market because each can contain a whopping nine grams of fiber from chicory and several other botanicals and it’s sweetened with Stevia instead of sugar. It comes in many flavors including vintage cola. The fiber is known to help stabilize your blood sugar and your liver and promote healthy digestion.
Autostraddle gives a perfect 10 to the cherry vanilla and classic root beer flavors of Olipop saying they are “absolutely perfect.” The website says to stay away from the Orange Squeeze, which misses the mark. If you like Hawaiian Punch with a fizz, you’ll like the Tropical Punch flavor.
Want the best replacement for traditional soda? Taste of Home says this fits the bill because it’s low in sugar, has more fiber than any other prebiotic soda on the market, and comes in 16 flavors. Talk about a trifecta! It’s more expensive than other options, but the website says it’s worth it.
2. Culture Pop
This brand has no added sugar and Prevention says it’s essentially a seltzer with a probiotic boost. It has only 40 calories and includes “billions of live probiotics” to improve your gut health. It contains real juice and comes in seven different flavors, including ginger lemon.
If you want a probiotic soda that doesn’t taste fake, Taste of Home says this is it. It’s more expensive than some of the other brands on the market and comes in unique flavors, like strawberry-rhubarb. It’s easy to find in stores and online.
Each can of Culture Pop is vegan-friendly and doesn’t need to be refrigerated before opening. Well + Good says it’s made with all-natural ingredients and a great alternative to traditional sodas made with artificial ingredients.
3. Poppi
Poppi uses apple cider vinegar as its not-so-secret prebiotic ingredient to help boost gut health. While ACV can have a strong taste, The Edge says the company softens the taste with cane sugar, stevia, fruit juice, and sparkling water. It’s so close, you may think you’re drinking real soda.
This brand is cheaper than some of the others and according to Taste of Home the flavors are “mouthwatering and accurate.” If you’re a grape Jolly Rancher fan, you’ll love the grape flavor. The two grams of fiber per serving is a lot less than other brands, but it also has fewer than 25 calories.
A Moscow mule, without the liquor. That’s how Autostraddle describes the taste of the ginger lime Poppi, giving it a ten out of ten. The Root Beer flavor and the Doc Pop also get high marks. Again, this website isn’t a huge fan of the Orange flavor.
4. Wild Wonder
This is a prebiotic and probiotic hybrid that offers both fiber and live bacteria cultures. According to Y! Sports, it “tastes like a California produce stand.” Each can is about 30 calories and it’s USDA organic and GMO-free.
Taste of Home was “blown away by just how much every one of these ingredients shines through.” The website says the drink, which was featured on Shark Tank, is refreshing and “worth cracking open any time of day.”
As far as flavor goes, Autostraddle says the Peach Ginger flavor is “juicy and refreshing,” while the Guava Rose is “horrendous.” Choose wisely!
5. Health-Ade
This brand is best known for its kombucha, but Foodzie says its soda line is just as good. It has seven flavors with plant-based prebiotics.
Mind Body Green loves the strawberry vanilla flavor of this soda. The website says the drinks have antioxidants and several acids that support natural detoxification.
Health-Ade also makes a probiotic soda called Sunsip. Taste of Home says it’s “delicious and flavorful” and relatively low in calories. It does not contain Stevia, which can upset some people’s stomachs. Both of these lines from Health-Ade are worth giving a try!
Are prebiotic sodas actually healthy for you?
Research is limited because the products are so new. However, StudyFinds’ Registered Dietician, Shyla Cadogan, sheds some light on these beverages. While they do pack a punch of fiber that you would otherwise not get from traditional sodas, they are not necessarily the ticket to changing gut health.
“Many are rushing to grab these new sodas because they provide fiber that they struggle to get in their regular diets, which can dissuade people from actually changing their diet for the better,” says Cadogan. “If your overall diet is generally full of ultra-processed foods, adding a prebiotic soda likely won’t be the saving grace.”
Sources:
- The Edge
- Auto Straddle
- Well + Good
- Taste of Home
- Prevention
- Eat This, Not That!
- Mind Body Green
- Foodzie
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This article may contain affiliate links in which we receive a commission if you make a purchase.