With Pepsi Co’s acquisition of Poppi several months ago, Pepsi Co has announced its new prebiotic soda. According to CNBC, “prebiotic sodas, fueled by Poppi and fellow newcomer Olipop, have won over health-conscious consumers over the past five years with their gut-health claims.”
This new soda, seemingly stemming from the acquisition, is evidently a desperate attempt to carve out a niche in health trends as the consumption of sodas has slowly been decreasing over time. The new prebiotic Pepsi, according to Yahoo, “contains 3 grams of prebiotic fiber. Given that the average daily recommendation is 3-5 grams of prebiotic fiber, these cans are a non-negligible addition to your diet. Whether they actually aid in the inner workings of your digestive system will likely vary from person to person.”
While the idea of healthy sodas sounds great and all and may be beneficial depending on who you ask, is it the best idea? At the end of the day, it’s still a soda with a healthy re-branding. It’s more so an excuse to drink soda rather than to consume anything healthy. It feels like saying burgers are healthy because they contain lettuce. It is even stated that the main goal behind this soda is to tap into health trends for money. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be drinking Pepsi’s new prebiotic soda when it starts being rolled out, as I’m sure it will still be a tasty refreshing drink, nonetheless. However, drinking soda because it’s stated to be healthy over something that is actually healthy isn’t the wisest decision. It would be wiser to hear what actual health professionals have to say about it before considering drinking prebiotic Pepsi for its health benefits.
