Research suggests myriad health and wellness benefits from having a healthy gut microbiome. As more research becomes available, interest in improving gut health grows exponentially. Beverages are a trendy way to incorporate functional ingredients that may improve gut health. New prebiotic and probiotic soda brands like Olipop have recently emerged on the functional drink scene, claiming to improve digestive health. Learn more about Olipop below, including key ingredients, benefits, and potential side effects.
What is Olipop?
Olipop is a prebiotic soda option that is marketed as a healthier alternative to regular sodas. Olipop sodas contain prebiotic fiber and other functional ingredients with reported health benefits.
All Olipop flavor options contain three sources of prebiotic fiber: cassava root fiber, chicory root inulin, and Jerusalem artichoke inulin. Olipop also contains botanical ingredients, including calendula flower, kudzu root, marshmallow root, and slippery elm bark.
The sodas contain no artificial sweeteners, but Olipop is not a sugar-free soda. Instead, Olipop uses natural sweeteners like cassava syrup, stevia, and fruit juice.
Currently, the brand comes in 17 flavors, including vintage cola, peaches and cream, cream soda, strawberry vanilla, and lemon-lime.
Aid your microbiome and digestive health with a sparkling OLIPOP soda blend made of botanicals, probiotics, and plant fiber.
Is Olipop good for you?
If you enjoy soda and need to increase your fiber intake, Olipop might be a fun and tasty option. However, if you already eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, legumes like beans and lentils, fruits, and vegetables, Olipop is probably not necessary.
Eating fiber from whole food sources has more nutritional benefits than supplementing fiber from a product like Olipop. Food naturally contains other vitamins and minerals in their more bioavailable state.
However, most people don’t meet their daily dietary fiber goals. According to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 97% of men and 90% of women do not meet their recommended fiber intake.
Ideally, a person would consume 14 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories your body requires. A person with a 2,000-calorie diet needs about 28 grams of fiber daily.
Olipop has the added benefit of little added sugar versus standard soda. However, more research is needed to determine if Olipop has additional health benefits and is good for you.
Olipop ingredients and nutritional value
Compared to standard full-sugar sodas, Olipop contains a more comprehensive nutritional profile. Instead of containing primarily sugar, water, and flavorings, Oliopop has health benefits, including fiber, natural ingredients, and significantly less sugar.
One can of vintage cola Olipop has 35 calories, 9 grams of fiber, and only 2 grams of added sugars. In contrast, a can of regular Coca-Cola soda has 138 calories, 39 grams of sugar, and no dietary fiber.
Nutrition facts
Olipop uses natural ingredients to flavor their sodas, which vary. The sodas contain flavorings such as vanilla, banana puree, lemon juice, cinnamon, and apple juice concentrate. Standard sodas, on the other hand, typically contain artificial flavors and color additives.
Olipop contains prebiotics, a fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics are broken down by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids, which help maintain a slightly acidic pH in the large intestine. This creates a suitable environment for beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium spp.
A review of studies focusing on dietary fiber and health outcomes found that higher dietary fiber intake is associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease, some cancer types, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Further research is needed, but increasing prebiotic fiber intake may possibly have a role in weight management due to its effects on the microbiome.
OLISmart
The OLISmart blend is a proprietary combination of seven ingredients: chicory root, cassava root, Jerusalem artichoke, nopal cactus, calendula flower, kudzu root, and marshmallow root. Per Olipop, each ingredient was chosen because it supports the microbiome in different ways.
Cassava root syrup
Cassava is a starchy tuber grown in tropical environments. Cassava root syrup is used in Olipop as a sweetener. While it contains sugar, cassava syrup is a more natural option than high fructose corn syrup found in most standard sodas.
Stevia leaf
Stevia is a plant. Stevia leaves are used as a natural sugar-free sweetener. In Olipop, stevia leaf adds sweetness without adding calories.
Himalayan pink salt
Himalayan pink salt is less processed and refined than regular table salt. As a result, Himalayan salt may have more natural minerals than table salt. That salt is used in small quantities in Olipop, though, so health benefits are likely minimal.
Potential side effects of Olipop
The main source of fiber in Olipop is inulin. Increasing inulin in the diet sometimes causes increased bloating and flatulence. While increased bloating and gas aren’t necessarily harmful to health, inulin might cause abdominal discomfort.
Each can of Olipop has 9 grams of fiber, which is likely a significant increase for many people. Increasing fiber might initially cause constipation, so drinking extra water is a good idea.
If you enjoy the taste, you might be tempted to drink several cans per day. However, suddenly increasing fiber intake can cause abdominal discomfort or pain. Olipop intake should be increased slowly and as tolerated.
With any functional food or drink, side effects can vary from person to person. Stop drinking Olipop if it isn’t working for you.
Olipop vs Poppi: which is healthier?
Both Olipop and Poppi make health claims about enhancing gut health by providing prebiotic fibers. Olipop has much more fiber per serving — 9 grams per can — compared to Poppi’s 2 grams per can. Both sodas are much lower in sugar and calories than traditional soda and are flavored naturally instead of with artificial ingredients.
| Olipop | Poppi | |
| Ingredients | Fruit juices Inulin (chicory root, cassava, Jerusalem artichoke) Natural flavorings Botanical ingredients Himalayan pink salt | Apple cider vinegar Agave inulin Natural flavorings Organic cane sugar Fruit juices |
| Sugar content | 2–5 grams per can | 3–5 grams per can |
| Fiber content and type | 9 grams, from inulin in chicory root, cassava root, and Jerusalem artichoke | 2 grams per can, from agave inulin |
If you enjoy soda and want a more natural lower-sugar option, Olipop could be a good choice for you. Each can contains 9 grams of prebiotic fiber per serving, which may help improve your gut health over time. However, even healthy sodas with added fiber aren't an equal substitute for a varied and balanced diet.
FAQ
Why is Olipop so expensive?
Olipop uses natural sweeteners and ingredients, which are more expensive than standard high fructose corn syrup and flavorings found in regular soda. Olipop is also a heavily marketed drink, so some of the cost could be related to marketing expenses.
How many Olipops can you drink in a day?
Olipop recommends starting with one can per day and increasing over time as tolerated. Since Olipop has nine grams of fiber per serving, beginning with half to one can per day would be ideal for determining if this soda causes digestive discomfort.
Does Olipop make you lose weight?
Olipop won’t directly cause weight loss, but some studies suggest a link between weight and the gut microbiome. The foods and drinks you consume impact the GI tract and the bacteria it contains. More research is needed to understand which prebiotics and probiotics are effective for weight management and in what doses.
Can children drink Olipop?
The Olipop website states that Olipop is “generally safe for children.” However, you should check with your doctor if you’re unsure whether it’s safe for your child. If you offer Olipop to your child, monitor their intake to ensure they don’t drink several cans in a single day, given the potential for abdominal discomfort.
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Eating a diet rich in fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes is the best way to meet dietary fiber goals, but most people don’t reach goal intake.
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Olipop has significantly less sugar than regular soda and has the key benefit of 9 grams of prebiotic fiber per can.
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If you drink Olipop, start slowly and monitor your tolerance since inulin fiber might cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, and gas.
6 resources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Dietary fiber and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Gastrointestinal tolerance of chicory inulin products.
- Preventive Nutrition and Food Science. The influence of the gut microbiome on obesity in adults and the role of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for weight loss.
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Gut microbiota and short chain fatty acids: implications in glucose homeostasis.
- Drinkolipop. Why is Olipop more expensive than regular soda?
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