Olipop Or Poppi: Which Prebiotic Soda Is Right For You?

As delicious as sodas like Pepsi and Sprite may taste, we all know they aren't that great for us. Many people feel they need to eliminate soda from their diet to encourage a nutritious lifestyle, but gone are the days when we had to abstain from soda completely to stay healthy. 

Prebiotic soda is a worthy substitute for the traditional soda we all know and love. As explained by the Mayo Clinic, improved gut health has been associated with the consumption of prebiotics, which are plant fibers that feed the probiotics in our gut that break down food after we eat. Prebiotics have also been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease, according to a review published in Nutrients. 

Drinking prebiotic soda facilitates a balanced gut microbiome and provides additional health benefits, all without sacrificing the taste of soda. However, it's also important to get prebiotics from foods like asparagus, bananas, beans, onions, and wheat. 

Olipop and Poppi are two of the most popular prebiotic sodas on the market. If you're looking to try a prebiotic soda for the first time, you'll want to know which of these brands you should reach for during your next trip to the grocery store. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, as both brands have nutritious value. Let's take a look at what each beverage can offer you, and you can decide for yourself which one may become your new favorite drink. 

With Olipop, you can enjoy a delicious beverage without risking any potentially harmful long-term effects associated with traditional sodas. Some popular flavors you can choose from include cherry vanilla, strawberry vanilla, classic grape, crisp apple, cream soda, and classic root beer, as listed on Olipop's official website. According to the company, each flavor has its own personality and contains a uniquely formulated OLISMART blend. In collaboration with leading human gut microbiome researchers, the OLISMART formula was designed to provide digestive health benefits, says Olipop. 

There are three prebiotic fibers in the OLISMART formula, including cassanova root fibers, chicory root inulins, and Jerusalem artichoke inulins. Also incorporated into the formula are botanicals that have historically been used to improve digestion, including nopal cactus extract, calendula flower extract, kudzu root extract, and marshmallow root extract. 

The number of calories found in one Olipop can range from 35 to 50, according to Just4Foodies. Olipop contains carbonated water, tartaric acid, strawberry juice concentrates, mandarin juice concentrates, and apple juice concentrates. When combined with other natural ingredients, Olipop is comprised of only 2 to 5 grams of sugar per can. As well as being low in sugar, Olipop is vegan-friendly and contains no gluten or genetically modified ingredients (GMOs), according to What Brand Review. 

In most flavors, Poppi has less dietary fiber than Olipop, but also fewer calories, according to Just4Foodies. Unlike Olipop, Poppi contains apple cider vinegar as their primary ingredient, which gives the beverage a subtle tart flavor. The addition of this ingredient may come with special health benefits, as some studies have linked apple cider vinegar to improved heart health, weight loss, and reduced diabetes symptoms (per Healthline). The apple cider vinegar in Poppi drinks may also help prevent breakouts and inflammation of the skin, as pointed out by What Brand Review. 

Like its competitor, Poppi is vegan-friendly and contains no gluten or GMOs. It also offers a range of delicious flavors, including cherry limeade, strawberry lemon, ginger lime, watermelon, classic cola, and root beer. Both Olipop and Poppi come in multi-packs, a perk if you love them so much that you can't stop at one. 

Overall, it's up to you which prebiotic soda you want to try. If you want the added benefits of apple cider vinegar, you may enjoy Poppi. If tangy flavors aren't your thing, you might prefer Olipop. Regardless of your choice, your digestive system may thank you for substituting traditional soda with prebiotic soda.