Olipop helps support digestive health and a healthy microbiome

Question

Olipop, a new-and-popular probiotic soda brand, claims to support gut health through the use of prebiotics and probiotics in their ingredient list.

"(Olipop) will give your body a boost of nutrients to support your overall health."

Are there studies to prove that Olipop is effective in supporting gut health, or is this a well-thought-out marketing tactic?

Answer 1

Goodwin, the co-founder of Olipop, said that "he’s added prebiotic fiber and botanicals to the recipe to fulfill the brand’s promise of being a functional food." Additionally, they went under testing and research studies, specifically in the Purdue one. "The Purdue findings indicated that consuming the equivalent of at least one can of OLIPOP per day for 30 days results in a boost in beneficial Bifidobacteria, one of the critically important good bacteria that live in the intestines." Therefore, Olipop can be considered effective in supporting gut heatlth. However, as more research comes out this could change. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasuhrawardi/2022/08/17/wellness-soda-how-olipops-academic-research-studies-cement-their-position-as-the-true-functional-pop/?sh=25b2671d5b79

Answer 2

This is true, a research shows that having this soda will have very positive affect to gut, and it is being proven by experiment. 

"The Purdue findings indicated that consuming the equivalent of at least one can of OLIPOP per day for 30 days results in a boost in beneficial Bifidobacteria, one of the critically important good bacteria that live in the intestines."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasuhrawardi/2022/08/17/wellness-soda-how-olipops-academic-research-studies-cement-their-position-as-the-true-functional-pop/?sh=33ef8ffd5b79

Answer 3

OLIPOP has been branded as a beverage alternative to sugary drinks. In a physiological sense, our ancestors have had healthier lifestyles due to lack of artificial ingredients, which forced them to look towards natural reagents, according to researchers. In a conversation with the OLIPOP CEO, Ben Goodwin, the beverage has incorporated tactics used in the 1800s. In the past, fermentation of botanicals and soda were designed to help health rejuvenation. Similarly, OLIPOP has reproduced this concept. Moreover, during the clinical trials of OLIPOP, researchers at Purdue backed the biological feedback that occurs from the beverage, indicating that consuming "at least one can of OLIPOP a day for 30 days" results in the boost in production of a specific gut bacteria, which is responsible for maintaining intestine functionality. Thus, OLIPOP has been found to directly interact with the gut microbiome environment and improve its status.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasuhrawardi/2022/08/17/wellness-soda-how-olipops-academic-research-studies-cement-their-position-as-the-true-functional-pop/?sh=2b6eb205b79d

Comments

Nice explanation! Going forward, you can dig deeper and find another source that hasn't been used by other fact-checkers, such as this one that I located pretty easily. https://www.healthdigest.com/1006883/is-olipop-actually-good-for-you/

Answer 4

This statement is true. Olipop is enriched with natural prebiotics and fibers.

Prebiotics are very good for your gut health, as they are fibers that stimulate the growth of normal gastrointestinal flora. In more simple terms, prebiotics help probiotics (the good bacteria in your intestinal system) grow.

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Health-Benefits-of-Prebiotics.aspx

There are many sources diving into Olipop's ingredient list and defining what each ingredient does, for example this review done by Dan Scalo and Emily Brewster: https://foodboxhq.com/reviews/olipop/

The Olipop website itself also gives a detailed look into their ingredients and how they assist intestinal health.

https://drinkolipop.com/pages/digestive-health

Answer 5

This is true, as Olipop does indeed support digestive health and a healthy biome.

According to the Olipop website, the soda is a "blend of 8 unique botanicals, plant fibers, and probiotics (the primo food source for beneficial bacteria), each hand-picked for their biome-supporting benefits."

The ingredients within Olipop promote healthy digestion because they feed the microbiome that already exists within every human body.

https://drinkolipop.com/blogs/digest/olipop-and-digestive-health

Answer 6

According to Olipop's website, the drink Olipop contains prebotics. These prebiotics are helpful to the gut, as they are "good" bacteria that work with the probiotics that are already in our system. The drink is also said to contain high amounts of fiber, which is known to lead to a healthier gut as well.

Source: https://drinkolipop.com/pages/digestive-health

Answer 7

Emily Laurence, an author on wellandgood.com said, "Olipop is a gut-healthy soda that's high in fiber, which is great for digestion; the nutrient clocks in at 9 grams per can and is sourced from a few different prebiotic sources, primarily chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke. It also has almost zero sugar." It is also said that too much sugar can negatively affect gut health, so Olipop having almost zero sugar also contributes to it's positive effects on gut health. 

https://www.wellandgood.com/gut-healthy-soda/

Answer 8

Yes, it is true that Olipop is effective in supporting gut health. In "OLIPOP brings digestive health benefits, less sugar and ‘pop’ to the industry", the author says "Goodwin explains that he started with clinical recommendations around prebiotic and fiber types that have the most well researched impact. “We have a proprietary combination of botanicals that we include for digestive and microbiome health — kudzu root, marshmallow root, slippery elm bark, nopal cactus and calendula flower,” he notes. “We’ve now completed our own clinical trials on our functional blend and the results have been outstanding." 

This shows that the effects of Olipop are being backed up by trials that show the soda is beneficial for your gut health. It isn't just said as a marketing tactic, and the founders of Olipop actually care about making a product that helps people. 

Answer 9

This is true.

In Forbes article "Wellness Soda? How Olipop's Academic Research Studies Cement Their Position as the True Functional Pop" CEO, co-founder, and formulator of the soda, Ben Goodwin created a formula that is "lowering the sugar content from the average soda brand’s 40g of sugar to OLIPOP’s 2-to-5g. Second, he’s added prebiotic fiber and botanicals to the recipe to fulfill the brand’s promise of being a functional food" (Suhrawardi). 

Healthline uses evidence based research to define functional foods as "foods that offer health benefits beyond their nutritional value. In addition to nutrient-rich ingredients like fruits and veggies, the category also includes foods fortified with vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and fiber." 

Purdue's research also showed that drinking one can every day for just 30 days increases the good bacteria found in the small intestine. (Suhrawardi)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasuhrawardi/2022/08/17/wellness-soda-how-olipops-academic-research-studies-cement-their-position-as-the-true-functional-pop/?sh=35710fc15b79

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/functional-foods#definition

Comments

Expanding on your claim, Olipop itself claims that the fiber and prebiotics aid in dispersing nutrients throughout the digestive tract. There are definitely limitations to that source considering it comes from Olipop themselves, but it also interesting to look into if health benefits are guaranteed. According to your source from Forbes, the article uses words like "may" and "could/can" which adds skepticism on the products health benefits, and if the product is actually helpful to consumers for digestive health. It is also interesting that the article comes from the contributor, Rebecca Suhrawardi, who specializes in fashion journalism, which has nothing to do with Olipop, or digestive health benefits. I am curious if using a different source from someone who specializes in digestive health would give a different answer or conclusion to the benefits from consuming Olipop.

Answer 10

According to Olipop, each can contains 9 grams of dietary fiber, which helps promote regular digestion. Each can includes various prebiotics such as inulin, Nopal cactus, and Jerusalem artichoke, which “feed the gut microbiome and support a balanced digestive system.”

https://drinkolipop.com/pages/digestive-health?srsltid=AfmBOoqmqbjV55UqOHS2Oa2tfyBBhLMPyfNjntgdBzcjBq-GaDiHE90A

According to the Mayo clinc, dietary fiber is essential to a healthy diet and helps bowel health, lowering cholesterol levels, regulating blood sugar, and aiding in achieving a healthy weight.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983