Neither Olipop nor Poppi is objectively “better.” They’re built around different formulas with different tradeoffs, and the right choice depends on whether you prioritize fiber content, calorie count, taste preferences, or digestive comfort. Here’s how they actually compare.
Nutrition at a Glance
Poppi is the lighter option by the numbers. A 12-ounce can has 25 calories or less and up to 5 grams of sugar, all from cane sugar. It contains about 2 grams of dietary fiber.
Olipop packs more into each can: 35 to 50 calories, 2 to 5 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of dietary fiber. That fiber count is significant. Most Americans get only about 15 grams of fiber per day, roughly half the recommended amount, so a single Olipop covers a meaningful chunk of the gap. If fiber is your priority, Olipop wins this category easily.
What’s Actually Inside Each Can
The two brands take fundamentally different approaches to gut health. Olipop uses a proprietary blend it calls “Olismart,” which combines cassava root fiber, acacia fiber, guar fiber, nopal cactus extract, marshmallow root extract, calendula flower extract, and kudzu root extract. It’s a fiber-forward formula designed to feed beneficial bacteria in your large intestine.
Poppi’s functional ingredient is apple cider vinegar. The brand started as a bottled apple cider vinegar drink called Mother Beverage before appearing on Shark Tank in 2018 and rebranding. While apple cider vinegar has a long folk-health reputation, the prebiotic fiber content in Poppi is modest at 2 grams per can, which limits how much it can realistically shift your gut microbiome.
How They’re Sweetened
This is one of the sharpest differences between the two brands, and it matters depending on your health goals. Poppi uses cane sugar, contributing about 5 grams of added sugar per can. That’s dramatically less than a regular soda’s 39 grams, but it’s real sugar that can contribute to blood sugar spikes if you’re drinking multiple cans throughout the day.
Olipop takes a different route. It uses stevia (a zero-calorie plant-derived sweetener), cassava root syrup, and allulose syrup, which is a rare sugar that tastes like regular sugar but contributes minimal calories and doesn’t spike blood sugar the way cane sugar does. Olipop also contains erythritol, a sugar alcohol. This combination keeps calories low while avoiding cane sugar entirely, which can be appealing if you’re managing blood sugar or insulin resistance. The downside: some people find the taste of stevia slightly bitter or metallic, and the combination of stevia with erythritol can cause digestive discomfort in sensitive individuals.
Digestive Side Effects
This is where Olipop’s biggest strength becomes its potential weakness. The 9 grams of inulin-based prebiotic fiber per can is enough to cause real digestive issues for some people. Research from the University of Illinois notes that as little as 1 to 5 grams of inulin can cause mild gas, and larger doses can lead to bloating. Some people, as one researcher put it, “can’t even look at a food product that contains inulin without getting gas and bloating,” while others tolerate it fine.
People with irritable bowel syndrome should be particularly cautious with Olipop. Inulin and similar prebiotic fibers are classified as FODMAPs, a group of carbohydrates known to worsen IBS symptoms. If you have a sensitive digestive system, Poppi’s 2 grams of fiber is far less likely to cause problems. You could also ease into Olipop by drinking half a can at first to test your tolerance.
Taste and Flavor Range
Both brands offer a wide range of flavors designed to mimic classic sodas: cola, root beer, orange, grape, and various fruit combinations. Taste is subjective, but the sweetener difference creates a noticeable split. Poppi tends to taste more like a lightly sweetened sparkling juice because of the cane sugar. Olipop has a slightly more complex flavor profile, partly from the stevia and partly from the botanical extracts in its fiber blend. Some people describe Olipop as closer to a craft soda, while Poppi leans more toward a flavored sparkling water with a bit more body.
If you’re coming from regular soda, Poppi’s simpler sweetness profile may feel more familiar. If you’re already comfortable with stevia-sweetened drinks, Olipop’s taste likely won’t bother you.
Do Either Actually Improve Gut Health?
Both brands market themselves as gut-friendly, but the evidence is more nuanced than the labels suggest. Prebiotic fibers like inulin genuinely do feed beneficial bacteria in the large intestine, and Olipop’s 9-gram dose is within the range that research suggests can make a difference. Poppi’s 2 grams of fiber is a smaller contribution, and its apple cider vinegar, while popular in wellness circles, lacks strong clinical evidence for meaningful microbiome changes at the amounts found in a single can.
That said, neither product is a substitute for a fiber-rich diet built on whole foods like vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. A prebiotic soda is a better choice than a regular Coke, but it’s a supplement to good habits, not a replacement for them.
Which One to Choose
Pick Olipop if you want maximum fiber per can, prefer to avoid cane sugar, or are specifically trying to support your gut microbiome with prebiotic fiber. Just be aware that the high fiber content can cause gas and bloating, especially at first.
Pick Poppi if you want a lower-calorie option, prefer the taste of real sugar over stevia, have a sensitive stomach, or want a lighter drink that’s less likely to cause digestive discomfort. It’s closer to a healthier sparkling beverage than a functional fiber supplement.
Price is roughly comparable for both brands, typically $2.50 to $3.00 per can at most grocery stores, with slight variations depending on retailer and whether you buy singles or multipacks. At that price point, it’s worth trying a few flavors of each to see which one you actually enjoy drinking, because the healthiest soda alternative is the one you’ll reach for instead of the regular stuff.