Is Poppi Good For You? Dietitians Explain Gut Health Claims And Lawsuit

As alternatives to traditional sugary sodas continue to pop up, particularly those promising health benefits, you might find yourself wondering if they’re actually “better for you,” as the brand Poppi, is claims. Its prebiotic soda boasts fiber, lower sugar content and a taste that holds up to the calorically dense sodas. But, while it might taste good, is Poppi actually good for you?

This is the question at the center of a new lawsuit filed against Poppi on May 30 by a woman in San Francisco. In her complaint, she says Poppi’s promises that its prebiotic soda is a good alternative to conventional sugar-loaded sodas are misleading. The product claims to be “‘gut healthy’” due to its inclusion of ‘prebiotics,’” but there’s not enough prebiotic fiber in a single can to produce “meaningful gut health benefits,” she alleges.

In a statement given to TODAY.com, Poppi said this lawsuit is unfounded: “We are proud of the Poppi brand and stand behind our products. We are on a mission to revolutionize soda for the next generation of soda drinkers, and we have diligently innovated to provide a tasting experience that millions of people have come to enjoy. We believe the lawsuit is baseless, and we will vigorously defend against these allegations.”

Each can of Poppi has about 2 grams of dietary fiber, according to the Poppi website. The branding that once said Poppi supports gut health is no longer on cans or the Poppi website. (Poppi declined to comment on when the change occurred due to ongoing litigation. NBC News found references in internet archives to gut health benefits in Poppi’s advertising as recently as last month.)

Ahead, learn all there is to know about Poppi and prebiotic sodas, and tips if you’re looking for healthier soda options.

What is prebiotic soda?

“A prebiotic soda is simply a soda that contain prebiotic fibers, with the intent to be gut healthy,” Keri Gans, registered dietitian and author of “The Small Change Diet,” told TODAY.com.

Prebiotics are fibers that feed probiotics, the microorganisms living in our intestines, per the Cleveland Clinic. By eating prebiotics, you’re helping to fortify the probiotics in your gut, which work to improve digestion, immune health and other bodily functions, TODAY.com previously reported.

In Poppi’s case, the soda is enhanced with a prebiotic fiber called inulin, the only fiber found in the product, according to its website. “Inulin is commonly used in many food and beverage products, likely because it mixes well with other ingredients,” Gans explains.

Inulin naturally occurs in foods including artichokes, asparagus, garlic, soybeans, onions and oats, among many others, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The kind that used in Poppi comes from the plant agave.

Olipop, another popular prebiotic soda brand, contains 9 grams of prebiotic fiber, including inulin, per can, according to its site.

What are Poppi’s claims about gut health?

The Poppi website says the product is made with apple cider vinegar, it has 5 grams of sugar, fewer than 25 calories, and it’s made with inulin from agave, a “special type of fiber that can act as food for healthy bacteria in your gut.”

In a TODAY segment from April 2024, co-founder Allison Elsworth said she created Poppi after experiencing “health problems,” including stomach discomfort. When medication made her feel worse, she began researching remedies and came across apple cider vinegar again and again. After drinking it every day for two weeks, she was inspired to make the “better-for-you soda with all clean ingredients,” she added.

In February 2024, the brand’s commercial premiered during the Super Bowl and made no mention of gut health. Instead, it described Poppi as soda with “with none of the bad stuff” and “all of the flavor.” Poppi was founded in 2015.

Is Poppi good for you?

Poppi and other prebiotic soda brands are better for you than regular soda, Caitlin Dow, a senior nutrition scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an independent advocacy organization, told NBC News.

Because they contain less sugar and fewer calories than other sodas, in moderation, prebiotic sodas like Poppi “can fit into a healthful and balanced diet,” Theresa Gentile, a registered dietitian in New York City and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, previously told TODAY.com.

Does Poppi really help with gut health?

There is no recommended daily amount of prebiotics to consume, so “it’s hard to say if the prebiotics in Poppi are making a huge dent in your gut health,” Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and nutrition editor at TODAY.com, says.

Of the few studies on prebiotics out there, some have shown that they do benefit gut health, Rizzo explains. “But the research uses varying doses and strains, so it’s difficult to know how much prebiotics you really need and what strains are the most beneficial. Poppi has about 2 grams of prebiotics in each can, and most of the research uses at least 4 grams per day.”

Poppi also isn’t promising to meet all your nutritional goals, Gans points out. “They are simply stating that it can be gut healthy. I cannot disagree that the prebiotics in Poppi offer some benefits. Its just that they don’t offer all (you need).”

Regardless, Poppi and prebiotic sodas shouldn’t be your first choice for meeting fiber intake goals, says Gans. The better choice is to include high-fiber foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds into your diet, as well, she adds.

Why is Poppi being sued?

Kristin Cobbs is suing Poppi for its claims that it’s a gut-healthy drink. The class action claims amount to more than $5 million.

“Poppi soda only contains 2 grams of prebiotic fiber, an amount too low to cause meaningful gut health benefits for the consumer from just one can,” the suit reads. “Accordingly, a consumer would need to drink more than four Poppi sodas in a day to realize any potential health benefits from its prebiotic fiber. However, even if a consumer were to do this, Poppi’s high sugar content would offset most, if not all, of these purported gut health benefits.”

There are currently no official dietary guidelines for how much prebiotic fiber to consume a day, Rizzo points out in response to the lawsuit’s four cans claim.

“Current dietary guidelines for Americans suggests that people age 2 and older get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in the daily diet,” adds Gans. “For children ages 12 months through 23 months, the guidelines suggest getting 19 grams of fiber a day.”

But there are no guidelines that specify how much of that fiber should come from prebiotics.

Rizzo agrees, however, about the lawsuit’s concerns around the amount of sugar in four cans, which would amount to one-third of the amount of sugar you should have in a day. “Drinking (one-third) of your added sugar intake isn’t great because added sugar pops up in many other foods we eat throughout the day,” says Rizzo.

What are the alleged side effects of Poppi?

The suit also alleges that Poppi doesn’t warn consumers about potential side effects. Researchers, the suit claims, have found consuming too much inulin can lead to gas and abdominal discomfort.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recommended maximum daily intake of inulin is 15 to 20 grams, and going over that amount may cause nausea, bloating and flatulence, Rizzo says. “Poppi only has 2 grams of inulin per can, so it doesn’t come close to the maximum amount you can have in a day,” she adds. However, in smaller amounts, inulin may cause issues for people with inflammatory bowel disease or allergies.

What to drink instead of prebiotic soda

If you’re looking to cut back on soda, even the better-for-you ones, Gentile and other dietitians previously recommended to TODAY.com trying:

• Infused water
• Seltzer and sparking waters
• Unsweetened tea
• Coconut water
• Kombucha
• Ice coffee

If you want to jazz any of these up, consider adding a lime or lemon wedge, or even a splash of natural fruit juice for some extra flavor, the dietitians suggest. And if you’re looking for a caffeine jolt that you can get from some sodas, iced coffee is a good swap as long as you go easy on the sugars, syrups and creamers.