Intestine-Examine: The Fact About Prebiotic Sodas Taking Over Your Grocery Aisle

[ad_1] <img width="800" height="533" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gut-dheck-the-truth-about-prebiotic-sodas-1024x682.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="woman checking her phone while looking at a prebiotic soda" decoding="async" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gut-dheck-the-truth-about-prebiotic-sodas-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gut-dheck-the-truth-about-prebiotic-sodas-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gut-dheck-the-truth-about-prebiotic-sodas-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gut-dheck-the-truth-about-prebiotic-sodas.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> They’re in all places. Prebiotic sodas have taken over high-end grocery shops. They’re the drink of alternative for influencers. You would say these fizzy drinks are the buzziest drinks of 2025.

Prebiotic soda is gaining recognition as a substitute for common soda, which incorporates plenty of added sugar. Continuously ingesting sugar-sweetened drinks like soda could also be related to weight acquire, weight problems, kind 2 diabetes, dental cavities, and extra (1).

Many individuals are turning to prebiotic soda as an choice as a result of it has much less sugar and fewer energy than typical comfortable drinks, plus it has sure gut-healthy components. However is it actually higher? We checked in with a dietitian and the newest analysis to seek out out.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/protein-soda-trend-1024x683.jpg" alt="Dietitian Reacts to TikTok's New “Protein Soda” Trend | MyFitnessPal" class="wp-image-58802 size-full" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/protein-soda-trend-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/protein-soda-trend-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/protein-soda-trend-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/protein-soda-trend.jpg 1416w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> You may also like

Dietitian Reacts to TikTok’s New “Protein Soda” Development

What Are Prebiotic Sodas?

Prebiotic soda is a carbonated comfortable drink that’s meant to imitate common soda. It incorporates prebiotics, that are parts of sure meals that your intestines can not totally digest. They act as vitamin for useful intestine micro organism, serving to these micro organism develop and flourish (2).

Some prebiotic sodas are additionally probiotic, so that they include dwell microorganisms corresponding to micro organism and yeasts. Prebiotics assist feed and nourish probiotics (2).

Probiotics and prebiotics are sometimes present in entire meals which might be wealthy in fiber and good micro organism, together with:

Fruits

Greens

Entire grains

Beans

Legumes

Yogurt

Sauerkraut

In response to MyFitnessPal dietitian Katherine Basbaum, the easiest way to get prebiotics and probiotics is thru entire meals like these.

However in the event you’re going to drink certainly one of these sodas for the intestine well being advantages, select one which has each prebiotics and probiotics. “They group up in your system,” she says. Prebiotics feed the probiotics, serving to the nice micro organism develop and thrive in your intestine.

Key Elements in Prebiotic Soda

When trying to find the fitting prebiotic soda, Basbaum says the components listed beneath are a few of the mostly present in gut-healthy sodas. Though you will need to take into account any particular person sensitivities, they're all thought-about to be typically secure moderately.

Inulin

Inulin is a well-liked prebiotic in gut-healthy sodas. It’s a starchy substance present in many various fruits, greens, and herbs. Inulin is usually discovered within the type of chicory root extract when added to dietary supplements and prebiotic sodas (3).

Although prebiotics are typically a superb factor, this one could irritate your abdomen. In response to Basbaum, everybody has completely different tolerance ranges to inulin and different added fibers in prebiotic sodas. “You may expertise fuel and bloating,” she says. How a lot you'll be able to tolerate will depend on your physique.

Apple Cider Vinegar

As a result of apple cider vinegar is fermented, it naturally incorporates probiotics. The analysis proving advantages of apple cider vinegar is minimal (4), however for most individuals, reasonable use seems to be low threat. “Sodas selling intestine well being will typically add apple cider vinegar to their formulations,” says Basbaum. “It doesn’t look like dangerous,” Basbaum says.

Concerning the Knowledgeable

Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD is Meals Knowledge Curator at MyFitnessPal. She obtained her Masters in Diet Communication from the Friedman College of Diet Science & Coverage at Tufts College and accomplished her Dietetic Internship at UVA Well being, the place she additionally works as a vitamin counselor for cardiology sufferers.

Stevia and Synthetic Sweeteners

If a prebiotic soda contains stevia or different synthetic sweeteners in its components checklist, that soda often has a decrease added sugar content material—which is an effective factor. Some research even say that stevia itself could mimic a probiotic motion on the intestine (5).

On the flip facet, some people may be delicate to stevia, and synthetic sweeteners have been linked to varied unintended effects (6). Get to understand how your physique reacts to those components and ensure to eat them moderately.

Added Sugar

Discover a prebiotic soda that incorporates the bottom quantity of added sugars doable. Even some fruity soda flavors that include naturally-occurring sugar from actual fruit may even have added sugars.

Prebiotic Soda Execs and Cons

Advantages

Prebiotic soda could also be a more healthy alternative than common soda, particularly for individuals attempting to chop again on sugar. Some potential advantages embrace:

Decrease sugar and calorie content material

A doable supply of fiber

A gut-health enhance for individuals who tolerate added prebiotics properly

Be mindful, Basbaum notes, that how properly these sodas give you the results you want will depend on your particular person well being objectives, medical historical past, and tolerance.

Drawbacks

Prebiotic soda may seem to be a sensible swap for sugary drinks, but it surely’s not with out its downsides. Some necessary issues to concentrate on embrace:

It’s not a dependable supply of vitamin

It shouldn’t exchange entire meals wealthy in fiber and probiotics

Though it is going to supply some hydration, it’s not a complete substitute for water

Continuously Requested Questions (FAQs)

What's the healthiest prebiotic soda in the marketplace? By analyzing the vitamin info on a prebiotic soda can, the healthiest choice could be one with probiotics, fewer added sugars, and a few prebiotics like inulin.

What is best, gut-healthy soda or weight-reduction plan soda? Prebiotic soda appears to be the more healthy alternative of the 2. Basbaum says that weight-reduction plan sodas are non-nutritive, so that they include no energy and supply no dietary worth. Alternatively, many gut-healthy sodas do include energy and have “some potential for dietary profit.”

Is there a lot distinction in dietary worth between fruity flavors and soda-inspired flavors? It actually relies upon. It doesn't matter what taste profile a prebiotic soda could have, it’s necessary to verify the dietary info.

How a lot gut-healthy soda ought to I restrict myself to? Whereas there isn't a advisable each day restrict, it's best to start with no a couple of prebiotic soda per day. Gauge how your physique responds to the soda earlier than upping your consumption.

The Backside Line

Prebiotic soda provides some potential for dietary profit, however you shouldn’t depend on it to spice up your well being. “Whereas these gut-healthy sodas could assist make up for some fiber deficiency in your weight-reduction plan, the higher alternative will all the time be to get your prebiotics and probiotics from entire meals slightly than soda,” Basbaum says.

Consider prebiotic soda as an occasional improve—not a well being drink. It’s a wiser alternative than sugary soda, however entire meals are nonetheless the gold commonplace for intestine well being.