Wouldn’t it be great if the drink you got in your meal deal at lunch solved all of your digestive issues? More than 60 per cent of Brits have bloated bellies – and a disgruntled disposition to show for it. So, it’s safe to say we’d probably all be elated.
Enter: the era of so-called “gut-friendly” and “high fibre” sodas, which have been steadily creeping onto supermarket shelves to capitalise on our national need for bloat relief and the trend towards what is now being called “fibremaxxing”.
While traditional, high sugar, fizzy drinks like Coke or Fanta are positioned as the villains of the beverage aisle, these new sodas, adorned with dietarily-conscious buzzwords, wear glimmering health halos.
But, as is often the way with nutrition, all is not as simple as it appears. When the health soda Poppi, which was bought by Pepsi for $1.95bn (£1.54 bn) in last May, launched in the UK, it had to remove its prebiotic claim as it only contains three – rather than the required 12 – grams of fibre.
Nevertheless, the drink, which is now stocked at Tesco and Pret A Manger, is allowed to shout about the fact that it contains added fibre. As is Poppi’s main competitor Hip Pop, which contains 5g – and is now the country’s fastest-growing carbonated soft drinks brand.
“That doesn’t mean it contains enough to make a real difference,” says IBS and gut health nutritionist Amanda Callenberg. “Terms like ‘prebiotic’, ‘gut-friendly’, or ‘digestive support’ aren’t tightly defined, and can mean different things depending on the brand,” she warns of the claims.
Callenberg also explains that it’s not just how much fibre you have, but how and when you have it that’s important. “Context and timing matter,” she says. “A fizzy prebiotic drink used when you’re stressed or rushing may affect you differently than when you’re more settled.”
Meanwhile, The Gut Health Doctor, Dr Megan Rossi, points out that dumping a load of fibre on your gut in one sitting, rather than eating it in your diet steadily, will irritate your stomach further, anyway.
“It’s better to have smaller amounts,” she says. “It’s a bit of a gimmick. If you look at all these various ingredients and preservatives that are in them too, they are an ultra-processed food (UPF) by definition.”
“They’re trying to capitalise on the gut health movement and make people think that drinking a soda is healthy for them when it’s just not.”
This is not to say that everyone should just stick with their daily Diet Coke habit and be done with it, though. Both experts say these sodas can have a place, if they’re being used as a “stepping stone” to wean yourself off of fizzy drinks rather than becoming a new daily addition.
Last February, Coca-Cola itself got in on the game and launched its first foray into the gut-health sector in the US: a prebiotic soda called Simply Pop, which contains 6g of fibre, Vitamin C and Zinc.
But, even then, these health sodas aren’t the best alternative option. “What I recommend for people is switching to sparkling waters with natural fruit in it,” says Rossi. “Things like Dash or Aqua Libra.
“Or, if you’re at home you can get some soda water and add some frozen berries; That way you’re getting prebiotics, polyphenols (antioxidants), flavour and fibre – but in a more natural setting.”
If you’re part of the 10 per cent of the population who suffer from IBS, then you may want to be especially wary of ”gut-friendly” sodas, says Rossi. “Even with 5g of fibre in them, that is probably enough to aggravate your bloating,” she explains.
“So, notice after having one, you know, in the next 10 hours if you’re bloated, it’s likely because of that drink you had.”
As is often the case with nutrition, a one-size-fits-all approach or “miracle product” is something to be wary of. Boringly, the best approach to gut health isn’t a fun little drink, but a healthy routine.
“There isn’t a single product that ‘fixes’ gut health. It’s a reflection of choices and behaviours over time. At a basic level, that means a varied, fibre-rich diet, regular meals, and overall consistency,” says Callenberg.
“The gut is often treated as something you can optimise with a product, but in practice it responds far more to consistency and individual tolerance than to any single drink or ingredient.
“This reflects a broader shift in how we approach health, towards quick fixes or what to add in, rather than building a steady relationship with food and the body.” So, listen to your gut – and treat it accordingly.
