Prebiotic sodas may contain less fiber and more sugar

Prebiotic sodas have turn out to be extra common lately, with a wave of recent merchandise promising intestine well being advantages and low-calorie enjoyment. In accordance with a brand new evaluation, nonetheless, many of those drinks include comparatively little prebiotic fiber content material and extra sugar than advertising and marketing claims would possibly suggest.

Many merchandise embody vitamin and purposeful claims that will overstate their dietary high quality. For instance, some labels declare ‘no added sugar,’ but the product should still include round 10 grams of complete sugars from sources like juice. This raises considerations that such claims could create a ‘well being halo,’ main shoppers to consider the product is more healthy than its general dietary profile suggests.”

Carlos R. Soto Díaz, MPH, PhD candidate, College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Soto Díaz will current the findings at NUTRITION 2026, the flagship annual assembly of the American Society for Vitamin, held July 25–28 in Nationwide Harbor, Maryland, simply exterior Washington, D.C. Soto Díaz carried out the analysis with Lindsey Smith Taillie, PhD, a professor on the College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Prebiotic sodas symbolize one of many quickest rising beverage segments within the U.S. market, with estimated gross sales of $777 million in 2025. Utilizing information from the Mintel World New Merchandise Database, researchers analyzed 108 prebiotic sodas launched within the U.S. between 2021-2025. These have been outlined as carbonated drinks that include fiber and use the time period “prebiotic” within the product title, bundle claims or ingredient lists. They in contrast prebiotic sodas’ dietary contents to common sodas, food plan sodas, fruit drinks and flavored glowing waters launched throughout the identical time interval.

On common, prebiotic sodas contained about 35 energy, 5 grams of sugar and 5 grams of fiber per 12-ounce can. When it comes to energy and sugar, they ranked decrease than common sodas and fruit drinks however greater than food plan sodas and flavored glowing waters. As well as, almost two-thirds of prebiotic sodas contained non-nutritive sweeteners equivalent to stevia. By comparability, over 90% of food plan sodas contained non-nutritive sweeteners, whereas lower than 28% of fruit drinks, 16% of flavored glowing waters and 12% of normal sodas contained them.

Prebiotic sodas constantly contained extra fiber than different drinks, starting from about 2 to 9 grams of fiber per can. Within the U.S. market, the time period “prebiotic” isn’t tied to a certain amount of fiber, so researchers cautioned that customers mustn’t assume a product comprises a significant quantity just because it’s labeled as prebiotic, and sodas shouldn’t be relied upon as a main supply of dietary fiber.

“I’d encourage shoppers to not be swayed by advertising and marketing claims and to fastidiously evaluate the Vitamin Information label,” stated Soto Díaz. “Whereas sure kinds of prebiotic fibers have been proven to assist intestine well being, the extent to which the quantities present in these drinks present significant advantages continues to be unclear. Any potential advantages needs to be thought-about alongside the product’s general dietary profile, together with energy, sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners.”

When contemplating the healthfulness of prebiotic sodas, the researchers say it is very important take into account what they’re changing. For individuals who recurrently devour sugary drinks, switching to prebiotic sodas might assist to cut back general calorie and sugar consumption. Then again, switching to prebiotic sodas won’t be as useful for individuals who usually select low- or no-calorie drinks.