Prebiotic soda in Canada: Poppi, Cove, Novasecco and healthy soda swaps

Prebiotic soda is pop with a little fibre in it: the fizz and flavour of a cola or root beer, with far less sugar than the classic kind. For anyone easing off regular pop, here's how Poppi, Novasecco, Cove, Zevia and our flavoured sparkling waters compare, and how to pick a can you'll enjoy.

What is prebiotic soda?

A prebiotic soda is a sparkling drink made with prebiotic fibre. Prebiotics are fibres that feed the helpful bacteria already living in your gut, which is why these sodas are often sold as a gut healthy swap for regular pop. They belong to a group often called functional beverages, and they're one of the fastest-growing corners of the soda aisle. You'll see them listed on the can as agave inulin, cassava root fibre, soluble fibre or simply "plant-based prebiotics".

The amount varies by brand. A can of Poppi Classic Cola has 3 g of fibre, and Novasecco prints "6 g rich in fibre" right on the front. Most Canadians don't get enough fibre in a day, and a soda is a fun place to find a few grams. Whole foods like beans, oats, onions, garlic and bananas bring the rest. When gut bacteria ferment prebiotic fibre, they make short-chain fatty acids, one reason fibre gets so much attention.

Prebiotic vs probiotic soda

The two words sound alike, but they mean different things. Probiotics are live bacteria. Prebiotics are the fibre that feeds the good bacteria you already have. Some drinks carry one, some carry both, and plenty of great sparkling drinks carry neither.

If live cultures are what you're after, our kombucha shelf has more fermented drinks, and our guide to probiotics for gut health covers the supplement side. Our guides to kombucha and kefir cover those in more detail.

Sugar and sweeteners, in plain numbers

Better-for-you sodas keep sugar low in a few different ways. Some use a little cane sugar with stevia, some use no sugar at all, and sparkling water skips sweetness altogether. Here's what's in a 355 mL can of each.

Stevia is a sweetener from the leaf of the stevia plant. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that your body doesn't process the way it does sugar, so it barely registers in calories. You won't find aspartame or sucralose in any of these cans, which is part of why people who have given up diet soda often like them. If you prefer no sweetener at all, flavoured sparkling water is the simple switch. Swapping a regular pop for any of these also cuts out glucose-fructose, the name for high-fructose corn syrup on Canadian labels.

Pick the soda you'd happily drink twice. The best swap is the one that tastes like a treat.

Poppi: the prebiotic soda that started in a Texas kitchen

Poppi launched in 2015, when founder Allison Ellsworth wanted a soda she felt good about and started mixing fruit juice and sparkling water in her kitchen in Texas. She took her bottles to a local farmers' market, and she and her husband, Stephen, grew it from there.

Every can is made with apple cider vinegar and agave inulin, and most flavours add cassava root fibre. Each one has 5 g of sugar or less, sweetened with cane sugar and stevia, with real fruit juice in the fruity flavours. Classic Cola and Doc Pop contain caffeine, so pick Strawberry Lemon, Orange or Root Beer for an evening sip.

Made in Nova Scotia: Novasecco prebiotic soda

Novasecco is made by Bulwark, the cider makers from New Ross, Nova Scotia, and the same folks behind the non-alcoholic ciders on our shelves. We love seeing a local craft cidery bring its know-how to soda, and every can helps support a Nova Scotia company. Each can has zero sugar, 6 g of fibre from plant-based prebiotics and 375 mg of taurine.

The flavours are friendly classics: a lightly sweet, refreshing lemon lime, a rich classic cola, a bubbly ginger ale with a hint of citrus, and a white grape and peach that feels a little fancy for a Tuesday.

Looking for more from close to home? Our local makers page rounds up the Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canadian products we carry.

Cove: zero-sugar soda with live cultures

Cove is family-founded: two brothers started it in 2017 with a cooler and a folding table at a local farmers' market, and their mom gave it its name. Today the company makes nostalgic flavours, each one crafted to taste like the soda you grew up on. Every can has zero sugar, sweetened with erythritol and stevia, and is caffeine-free and a good source of vitamin C.

Most of the Cove cans on our shelf carry the probiotic Bacillus subtilis DE111, and Cream Soda and Grape add a prebiotic fibre and a second culture, Bacillus coagulans. That makes Cove the pick if you'd like probiotics and prebiotics in the same can.

More healthy soda options

ZeviaGinger Ale, 6 x 355 mLSugar-free and caffeine-free, crisp enough to use as a mixer.Shop →

Flavoured sparkling water: LaCroix and friends

Sometimes you just want something cold and fizzy with lunch. Flavoured sparkling water has zero calories and no sweetener at all. LaCroix gets its flavour from the natural oils of the fruit, so Lemon tastes like lemon without the sourness of juice or the sweetness of lemonade.

A splash of fruit juice, a scoop of ice cream

Sparkling water and soda both mix into easy, fun drinks for a crowd, year-round. A few we like:

1. Citrus cooler. Put 2 Tbsp orange juice and a squeeze of lemon in a glass with ice and a few mint leaves, then top with a chilled can of LaCroix Lemon. The juice brings the sweetness; the bubbles stretch it into something light.
2. Root beer float. Put a small scoop of vanilla ice cream in a glass and slowly pour a cold Poppi or Cove Root Beer over it, pausing as it foams. It's dessert, and a very good one.
3. Flavoured ice cubes. Freeze a few berries, mint leaves or lemon slices in an ice cube tray. They dress up plain sparkling water or infused water as they melt.
4. Keep the fizz. Chill the cans well and add the bubbles just before serving, so nothing goes flat in the pitcher.

PoppiRoot BeerSweet, creamy root beer flavour with 5 g of sugar or less. Made for floats.Shop →

Questions we get a lot

Is prebiotic soda good for gut health?

Prebiotic fibre feeds the helpful bacteria in your gut, and most of us could use more fibre. A can adds a few grams, so it's a nice extra alongside fibre-rich foods like beans, oats and vegetables.

Is it okay to drink prebiotic soda every day?

Many people enjoy one a day. If fibre is new to you, start with a single can and build up from there.

Is Poppi actually good for you?

Poppi is a soda with 5 g of sugar or less, apple cider vinegar and prebiotic fibre. It's a lighter, more fun choice when you want a pop, and it's a hit at kids' parties.

Is Poppi Canadian?

Poppi started in Texas. The cans we carry are sold in Canada with Canadian nutrition panels. For a soda made close to home, try Novasecco from Nova Scotia.

Do you carry Olipop?

Not at the moment. If you like the idea of a fibre-forward soda, Poppi and Novasecco are the closest matches on our shelf, and we're happy to suggest a flavour.

What is the best prebiotic soda?

The one you'll enjoy. Pick Poppi for a little real sugar and fruit juice, Novasecco for zero sugar and the most fibre, or Cove if you'd like probiotics in the can too.

Does prebiotic soda have caffeine?

Most flavours don't. Poppi Classic Cola and Doc Pop contain caffeine, and so does Zevia Cola. Every Cove flavour is caffeine-free.

Prebiotic soda and sparkling water are in the drinks fridges and aisles at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. For a grown-up drink without the alcohol, see our guide to non-alcoholic spirits. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup.

Sources: Poppi, Our story; Poppi Classic Cola nutrition facts; Cove, Our story; Cove FAQ; Bulwark Cider; ISAPP, criteria for prebiotics; product labels.