Here’s the situation: Americans are consuming too much added sugar. And it’s contributing to chronic health diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the average intake of added sugars for adults aged 20 and older from 2017 to 2018 was 17 teaspoons per day. By gender, men are consuming 19 teaspoons of added sugar and women are consuming 15 teaspoons of added sugar every single day. 

Sugar-sweetened beverages are one of the biggest culprits for all this added sugar in our diet. But luckily, it looks like Americans are starting to get fed up. Low-sugar and gut-healthy alternatives are rising in popularity as options like prebiotic soda join the soda shelves. Below I’ll dive into a recent survey uncovering the latest trends in beverages with benefits. Plus I’m sharing all the reasons why as a registered dietitian I recommend opting for prebiotic soda instead of sugar-laden beverages.

The Consequences of Added Sugar

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than 10% of total daily calories from added sugars for those two years and older. For an average 2,000-calorie diet, this would mean no more than 200 calories or around 12 teaspoons of added sugars per day.

Sources of added sugars include:

• Sucrose
• Dextrose
• Table sugar
• Syrups
• Honey
• Sugars from concentrated fruit and vegetable juices

According to the guidelines, Americans are eating 266 calories per day of added sugars. And the top sources of that sugar include sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and sweet snacks. These added sugar sources, including sugar-sweetened beverages, do not provide good-for-you nutrients. As such, consuming fewer added sugars, specifically top sources like sugar-sweetened beverages, can help Americans live healthier, longer lives.

The Growing Interest in Beverages With Health Benefits

According to the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) 2024 Food and Health Survey, Americans of all generations are turning to food and beverages to get more health benefits. The survey found that 66% of consumers are trying to limit their sugar consumption. Instead of high-sugar, the top benefits consumers seek from food, beverages, and nutrients are energy, healthy aging, weight loss and management, and digestive health.

It appears that consumer interest in digestive health is taking more of a center stage! In fact, the 2024 survey found that 36% of consumers are looking for digestive health benefits in their foods and beverages, up from 25% in 2022. And 27% of consumers are looking for options to improve their immune health. According to a 2022 Consumer Insights on Gut Health & Probiotics IFIC report, nearly one in four survey respondents (24%) said digestive health is the most important aspect of their overall health. 

Why are we seeing this increase in interest in digestive health? Well, according to the survey, people are looking for more from their foods and beverages. They want products that provide health benefits, not just a delicious taste. As a result, there has been an increase in gut-health beverages and other functional foods and beverages on store shelves. So instead of grabbing a traditional sugar-filled soda to drink, folks are now grabbing prebiotic soda instead.

The Advantages of Prebiotic Soda

Replacing traditional soda with gut-healthy prebiotic soda offers numerous health benefits, including digestive. These better-for-you sodas add botanicals, plant compounds, and other ingredients to increase nutritional value.

Prebiotics is one ingredient found in OLIPOP that provides unique health benefits. Prebiotics are indigestible fibers that feed the trillions of “good” bacteria in the gut. These “good” bacteria help break down the food you eat, help defend against foreign invaders in your body, release energy, and produce vitamins. Prebiotic fiber help keep your gut microbiota happy and healthy. 

Other benefits of prebiotic fiber include: 

• Increasing the “good” bacteria while decreasing the harmful bacteria
• Reducing occasional bloating and other digestive discomforts
• Helping promote regular bowel movements
• Aiding the absorption of calcium and other nutrients into the body
• And breaking down cholesterol to help with heart health

Why OLIPOP?

You’ll get the delicious taste and bubbly soda experience with many health benefits when you sip on OLIPOP. This prebiotic soda provides gut-supporting fiber from ingredients like chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, and nopal cactus. It also has 2 to 5 grams of sugar— much less than traditional soda—for only 35 to 50 calories per can. 

Enjoy this prebiotic soda with meals or snacks, or pop one open when you’re craving a fizzy drink. Stock up on your favorite flavors including classic root beer, vintage cola, cherry cola, tropical punch, orange squeeze, ginger lemon, cherry vanilla, strawberry vanilla, banana cream, and more!

Sources

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf  
2. International Food Information Council.  Consumer Insights on Gut Health & Probiotics. April 2022. https://foodinsight.org/consumer-insights-on-gut-health-and-probiotics/
3. International Food Information Council. 2024 Food & Health Survey. June 20, 2024. https://foodinsight.org/2024-food-health-survey/
4. Alverson, C. (2023, March 22). Sugar is out, functionality is in for soft drink market. Beverage Industry. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.bevindustry.com/articles/95717-sugar-is-out-functionality-is-in-for-soft-drink-market

Meet our Expert This article is written by Toby Amidor, MS,RD, CDN, FAND.  Toby is the founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition, PC, where she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services for individuals, restaurants, and food brands. She is a Wall Street Journal bestselling cookbook author and has 9 published cookbooks and her upcoming cookbook Up Your Veggies: Flexitarian Recipes for the Whole Family is due out October 2023.  For close to 17 years Toby has been the nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com, and founding contributor to their Healthy Eats Blog. Toby is a regular contributor to Forbes.com, Shape.com, EatingWell.com, and others and has her own “Ask the Expert” column in Today’s Dietitian Magazine. She is also on the medical board for Forbes.com and EatThis.com and on the editorial board for Today's Dietitian Magazine. As a nutrition expert, she has been quoted in hundreds of publications and appears on local and national television shows. For 11 years Toby was an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University teaching food service management, and also taught at CUNY Hunter School of Public Urban Health in New York City. Toby trained as a clinical dietitian at New York University. Through ongoing consulting and faculty positions, she has established herself as one of the top experts in culinary nutrition, food safety, and media communications. In 2018, Toby was awarded by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics the coveted Media Excellence Award.