You've probably seen a lot of ads lately on TV for better for you sodas. A lot of these new sodas claim to be healthy, but are they?
"Yes, they can be actually. And this is a surprise," said Stephanie Schiff, a registered dietitian at Huntington Hospital in New York.
Growing brands like Olipop, Poppi, and Mayawell are marketed as being good for your gut health, which is appealing to people looking to make healthier lifestyle decisions.
"I'm kind of impressed that they are including pre- and probiotics... And I love the fact that they are putting fiber into these sodas," Schiff said. "So you have your prebiotics, your probiotics, and we've all been talking about a healthy gut microbiome and a balanced gut microbiome. And that requires these pre- and probiotics."
While Shiff said it's much better for people to get pre and probiotics from real foods like fruits and vegetables and yogurt, trading a traditional soda for a "healthier" option can be benefitial.
"The fact that maybe we're switching from sodas with a ton of sugar or sodas with a lot of artificial sweeteners to these drinks, I have to say it's quite a bit better," she said.
But just like full-sugar drinks, even these better-for-you sodas should be consumed in moderation, Shiff warned.
"You can get, from too many prebiotics, you can probably get a little bit of a stomach ache if there are bubbles in the sodas or the seltzers, and that can get you bloated. You can get possibly diarrhea," she said. "So I would not recommend drinking a whole lot of it. But if it's a substitute for a less healthy drink, then I say give it a try, listen to your body, and then decide how much you do drink."
The beverages have kicked off a new round of cola wars as they continue to gain popularity and take up shelf space. And that's left brands that dominate the market looking for new ways to keep up with the competition.
As reported by Axios, the "big three" soda brands are all rolling out new flavors, including a raspberry-flavored Spiced Coca-Cola, cherry-lime Sprite Chill, Pepsi Peach, Pepsi Lime, and Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut.