This blog was medically reviewed by Liz Placzek, MD, pediatrician and medical director of the West St. Paul primary care clinic.
In recent years, there has been a surge in the popularity of prebiotic sodas, sometimes thought of as “healthy” sodas. These beverages are marketed as a better alternative to traditional sodas, but many people are wondering: Are they really good for you?
We talked with Liz Placzek, MD, pediatrician and medical director of our West St. Paul primary care clinic, about these soda alternatives, gut health and more.
Are these prebiotic sodas really healthy?
Dr. Placzek explains that the worry pediatricians have with children and teens drinking soda is the excess sugar and calories.
When we talk about “healthy” sodas, it’s important to define what we mean by healthy. These sodas are generally healthier than regular sodas because they typically contain lower amounts of sugar and calories.
“‘Healthy’ sodas may have lower sugar and calories, but they may not have the other benefits you may be thinking,” said Dr. Placzek.
Learning about fiber, prebiotics and the importance of gut health
Prebiotics are a type of fiber. These are foods that feed the healthy bacteria in your gut. The bacteria that live in your gut help you digest food, improve your immune system and help your body absorb nutrients from other foods.
Things like fruits, vegetables and whole grains are all natural types of fiber or prebiotics. Plus, getting your prebiotics through these foods will also provide you with additional nutritional value.
“Drinking these ‘healthy’ sodas would not be the ideal way to get your prebiotics,” said Dr. Placzek. “Eating a whole food like fruits or vegetables would give you the added nutritional value that the “healthy” sodas wouldn’t.”
While drinking “healthy sodas” could provide you with some fiber and prebiotics, they shouldn’t replace the whole foods in your diet that also do that.
Advice for parents regarding prebiotic sodas
Dr. Placzek says that if you’re choosing between these “healthy” sodas or regular sodas for your kids, she would choose the “healthy” soda option.
But overall, when giving kids drinks, she recommends sticking to the basics: water and milk.
“Juice and ‘healthy’ sodas may have some nutritional value, but not as much as the basics,” Dr. Placzek said.
If your kids don’t like water, another option would be to add fruit to their water. “This could make water taste more exciting to your kids,” said Dr. Placzek.
