I’ll be honest- I love me a carbonated beverage. Historically, that meant an ice cold diet coke or dr pepper. But once I began cleaning up my diet, I ditched a lot of these soda drinks and replaced them with a La Croix or another sparkling water. So when I started seeing these “soda alternatives” pop up, I was so curious. Would they be a tasty treat, or would they be a “healthier, but still not great” option?

After trying several different brands, my husband and I agreed on which our favorite was— and if you’re not wanting to read all the way— it’s Olipop. While some of the other brands (notably, Poppi) caused us upset stomachs, Olipop left us feeling great. And also had the better flavor options IMO 👏

And FYI— this is not a sponsored post. I happily purchase all my own drinks from them myself. They have generously shared a discount count with my readers though— you can save 15% off your Olipop order with code KAELYN ✨

What is Olipop?

When I first saw Olipop in my local co-op, I was so intrigued. A soda alternative with 9 grams of fiber?! Full of botanicals that support your health, without any artificial sweeteners or additives?! It almost sounded too good to be true.

What I really appreciate is that they aren’t just another drink company. But rather, they have established a full team of experts surrounding nutrition, gut and microbiome health. So while the drink is good, the science that backs it is even better 👏

Related Reads:

• 8 Easy Ways to Support Your Digestion Today

Olipop Ingredients: Are They Really Healthier?

Here is the ingredient list from my favorite flavor (Classic Root Beer):

Carbonated Water, OLISMART (Cassava Root Fiber, Chicory Root Inulin, Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin, Nopal Cactus*, Marshmallow Root*, Calendula Flower*, Kudzu Root*), Cassava Root Syrup, Apple Juice Concentrate, Natural Root Beer Flavor, Lemon Juice, Burdock Root*, Stevia Leaf*, Himalayan Pink Salt, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Sweet Birch*

*Extract

Here’s a breakdown of what some of this is and how they support your gut health:

• Cassava Root- this is the source of those prebiotic fibers that make this supportive for your gut health (and rich in fiber)

• Chicory Root- another amazing source of prebiotic fibers that supports your microbiome

• Jerusalem Artichoke- Despite the name, this is actually a root, not an artichoke. But despite the confusing name it is rich in antioxidants, iron and potassium

• Calendula Flower- Calendula is popular in herbal medicine and rich in lutein, antioxidants, and flavenoids

• Marshmallow Root- Anecdotally, marshmallow root has been shown to reduce digestive issues
  
  

Now, let’s compare that to good ol’ classic A&W Root Beer ingredients:

Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sodium benzoate (preservative), natural and artificial flavors, quillaia extract

I don’t know about you, but I much prefer the Olipop ingredient list (and so does my gut microbiome) 😉

Olipop Flavors

Hands down, no questions, my favorite is the Classic Root Beer. Second place probably would go to limited edition Crisp Apple. My husband loves the Cream Soda or Vintage Cola, with an honorable mention to the Orange Squeeze. But they literally have a version of all your favorite soda classics:

Classic Soda Variety Pack:

• Vintage Cola

• Cream Soda

• Classic Root Beer

• Doctor Goodwin

Fruity Fun Variety Pack:

• Tropical Punch

• Classic Grape

• Orange Squeeze

• Lemon Lime

Single Flavor Packs:

• Ginger Ale

• Strawberry Vanilla

• Cheery Cola

• Giner Lemon

• Banana Cream

• Cherry Vanilla

• + more because they also have new limited edition flavors rolling out to try!

Now Let’s Talk About Poppi…

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Poppi flavors are bad. But despite trying them multiple times, I personally enjoy the flavor profile of Olipop more. I find that Poppi drinks taste more herbal? And not like a true alternative to the popular soda flavors.

To keep the comparison accurate, here is the ingredient list for their Root Beer flavor:

Sparkling Water, Organic Cane Sugar, Natural Flavors, Apple Juice*, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Agave Inulin, Stevia, Natural Tartaric Acid. *Concentrate

Still, far better ingredients than A&W… but again, the flavor missed the mark for me?

Other Differences:

• Olipop is sweetened with apple juice and stevia while Poppi uses cane sugar and stevia

• Olipop comes in at 9 grams of fiber while Poppi is 2-3 grams per can

Again, both options are far and beyond healthier options than traditional soda. But personally, Olipop is personal recommendation for a healthier soda alternative!

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