Coca-Cola Just Launched a Prebiotic Soda. Here’s What RDs Say These Drinks Can—and Can’t—Do for Your Gut
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Sparkly beverages pumped with prebiotic fiber have been bubbling up for some time now, positioned both as gut-helpers and healthier alts to classic soda. As popular options like Poppi and Olipop have claimed shelf space at more than just health-food stores, there’ve been grabby commercials (“What if there were a better soda?”) and news of soaring billion-dollar valuations. Now, the wave of prebiotic drinks has grown so big, it’s swept up an OG soda giant too: In a move that says “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” Coca-Cola just launched its very own fiber bevvy, Simply Pop, within its juice line Simply. And it’s rolling out in five flavors—strawberry, pineapple mango, fruit punch, lime, and citrus punch—starting this month in certain markets and expanding nationwide through 2025.
Like other prebiotic sodas on the market, Coke’s new Simply Pop contains an added boost of soluble fiber, or a type of fiber that dissolves in water (as opposed to insoluble fiber, BTW, which remains intact in liquid). All fibers generally aren’t digested well in your small intestine and slide through to your large intestine relatively unscathed, which can help keep you regular. But soluble fiber gets its unique claim to gut-health fame for what happens next: It turns into a gel that can serve as a prebiotic, or fuel for the positive gut bugs (a.k.a. probiotics) in your colon, which can support a thriving bacterial community, or microbiome. And a healthy gut is related to better health more broadly, both on the physical and mental fronts, Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, a NYC-based registered dietitian, tells SELF.
It’s no wonder these prebiotic drinks have become a magnet for gut-health aficionados. But how much of these benefits can you really expect from sipping on the occasional beverage? And do they really stack up to the perks of just…eating more fiber the regular way? Read on to learn what experts say prebiotic sodas can—and can’t—do for you, and how they recommend you work them into your life, if you choose to do so.
Prebiotic options are generally healthier than classic sodas.
When you opt for a prebiotic bevvy, you’re getting at least some of that beneficial prebiotic fiber, versus none in a regular soda—which is definitely worth something when you consider that most people don’t consume enough fiber.
As Cassetty points out, only about 5% of Americans are hitting the daily recommended intake, which ranges from 25 to 38 grams (depending on age and sex). There isn’t a guideline for prebiotic fiber, in particular, but the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics suggests a target of five grams per day (most of the fiber we get from foods is insoluble, or not prebiotic). For reference, Simply Pop clocks in at six grams per can, and Olipop packs nine grams, both of which surpass that guideline; Poppi, by contrast, contains two to three grams per can—a quantity low enough that a lawsuit was brought against the brand last year alleging that its gut-health claims were misleading.
The reason you want to feed your good gut microbes enough prebiotics in the first place is to keep them thriving and happy, as noted above, which then allows them to proliferate—and outnumber their less-supportive counterparts. As your gut bugs ferment prebiotics, they also create helpful substances like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Research shows these SCFAs “can improve the integrity of our gut barrier, which is beneficial against illness-causing pathogens,” Amy Bragagnini, MS, RD, clinical oncology dietitian at Trinity Health Lacks Cancer Center, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells SELF. There’s also evidence that the breakdown of prebiotics in your gut can contribute to satiety (or fullness), as well as alleviate constipation by helping push stool along. So at least for the prebiotic sodas that contain a substantial quantity of the stuff, there are some potential gut upsides.
There’s also what you’re not getting in a prebiotic drink, in comparison to a typical soda—specifically a ton of sugar. Yes, these fizzy drinks still contain some of the sweet stuff, but in relatively low amounts. For reference, a can of Coke or Pepsi packs about 40 grams of added sugar, whereas Poppi has about five grams of total sugar (four grams added), Olipop has two to five grams of added sugar, and Simply Pop has 10 grams of sugar from fruit juice (so none added). That sugar from fruit has some extra value: It brings along essential nutrients too, Cassetty says. (Whereas the added type has no upsides besides flavor.) But you’re still taking down 10 grams of the stuff with every can, which isn’t negligible.
Okay, so how do these prebiotic drinks stack up against diet sodas, which contain 0 grams of sugar? These zero-cal options get their flavor from an artificial non-nutritive sweetener called aspartame. Similarly, Poppi and Olipop contain some stevia, also a non-nutritive sweetener that won’t contribute to your sugar intake but one that comes from a natural source. And that’s a relevant distinction: Some animal research suggests aspartame could trip up your endocrine system (and the International Agency for Research on Cancer recently classified it as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” based on limited, but not convincing, evidence it might contribute to liver cancer), whereas the research available on stevia suggests it’s not likely to present a health concern.
But prebiotic sodas still don’t pack all the same perks as fiber-rich foods.
No matter how much fiber has been funneled into a drink, it won’t quite stack up nutritionally to whole fibrous foods for a couple reasons. The first is just its lack of other important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that you’ll find in natural prebiotics like asparagus, artichokes, bananas, apples, oats, cherries, and garlic, Bragagnini says.
And the second is its inclusion of just one or two isolated types of fiber, either plucked out of a natural source or synthetically derived; for instance, Simply Pop contains soluble corn fiber, Poppi contains inulin (from agave), and Olipop has inulin (from chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke) and resistant dextrin (from cassava root). There’s nothing wrong with any of these, per se—but all the research we have on fiber’s long-term health benefits comes from observing people eating whole fiber-rich foods, which naturally contain a blend of different soluble and insoluble fiber types (the latter of which you won’t find at all in prebiotic sodas and can especially help with regularity). “It’s very hard for us to say that if we pull this one thing out, it’ll have the exact same effect,” Cassetty says. “But we know that when you eat [fibers] as they’re found in nature, they work synergistically.”
Certain fiber types in isolation, particularly inulin, are also fermented especially rapidly by your gut bugs, which can trigger bloating and gas. And because some prebiotic drinks just have a more concentrated dose of the stuff than a whole food—not to mention, it’s easier to down a few of them than to eat, say, multiple artichokes—you could find that any of these beverages gives you a serious case of the farts. It’s worth noting that peoples’ responses to different added fibers vary considerably, Lauren Manaker, RDN, a Charleston-based registered dietitian, tells SELF. How tolerant you are can depend not only on the particular fiber you’re consuming but also on your typical diet and the unique composition of your microbiome, she says. (Cassetty does point out, however, that in comparison to other prebiotic fibers, soluble corn starch—the kind in Simply Pop—tends to be a little bit gentler on the GI system, as it ferments more slowly than some of its counterparts.)
Bottom line: Your gut may benefit from prebiotic sodas, but you shouldn’t rely on them as your sole fiber source—and it’s best to work them gradually into your diet.
All three experts emphasize that, while prebiotic sodas can help bridge the gap between your actual and ideal fiber intake, they shouldn’t be the bulk of your fiber consumption. As mentioned, they lack the diversity of fiber types and other nutrients that whole foods boast, while also including more of certain sugars and sweeteners than their natural cousins.
If you do choose to work a prebiotic soda into your life, be sure to do so incrementally. In particular, if you are prone to bloating or have a sensitive GI system, Cassetty recommends starting with half a can and working your way up from there. You can also test out different brands to see how your digestive system fares with various fibers and formulations, Bragagnini says. (If you have a GI condition, however, like irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease, it’s best to check with your doc first.) Any time you are unused to eating much fiber, bumping up your intake (regardless of the type) could cause tummy troubles, Cassetty says, so you want to be aware of that and tune into any discomfort you may feel. Incorporating fiber slowly gives your body time to adjust.
Both Cassetty and Bragagnini also stress the importance of upping your water intake as you consume more fiber. As Cassetty puts it, “fiber is thirsty.” It requires ample hydration to slip through your gut with ease, so sipping frequently could minimize uncomfy side effects.
Eating more fibrous foods at the same time can also help boost your overall tolerance while of course providing all the digestive perks of the real deal. It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference—for instance, Cassetty recommends eating one extra fruit a few times a week, swapping some of your refined grains for whole ones, or adding a quarter cup of chickpeas, lentils, or beans to a couple of your weekly meals. These little steps can meaningfully move you toward your fiber target, she says, while also going easy on your GI system.
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Originally Appeared on Self