And the simplest way to effectively support your gut health
Probiotic and prebiotic sodas are taking social media by storm. They’re touted as a delicious, convenient way to improve your gut health without making any lifestyle changes.
But when you break it down, it’s really not that simple.
Are these sodas better for you than the traditional version? Yes.
Will they improve your gut health…?
Let’s find out! We'll explore what science has to say about these new "healthy soda" options and an even simpler, convenient, and proven way to transform your gut health.
Why Bother with Probiotics and Prebiotics?
The idea sounds great: Drink soda and fix your gut at the same time. But that’s not really how it works.
Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria—both beneficial probiotics and harmful pathogens. In a healthy gut, beneficial probiotics vastly outnumber pathogens. Probiotic bacteria help keep your gut and your whole body healthy.
Want to listen instead of read? CLICK HERE
Prebiotics are special kinds of dietary fiber that nourish probiotic bacteria so they can grow and flourish.
Probiotic gut bacteria transform certain prebiotics—their favorite food—into compounds like vitamins and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that contribute to your overall wellness. (These beneficial byproducts are also known as postbiotics.)
When your gut becomes unbalanced—a condition called dysbiosis—pathogens grow out of control and take over the microbiome. Those pathogens produce compounds that trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune system overreactions.
So making sure your gut microbiome is healthy and balanced can drastically improve your health, and taking effective probiotics and prebiotics is a crucial part of that process.
Are Prebiotic and Probiotic Sodas Effective?
You need the right kinds of prebiotics and probiotics to maintain a healthy gut. And it can take even more targeted support to overcome dysbiosis.
To impact microbiome balance, probiotics need to arrive in your gut alive. However, this can be particularly challenging when they’ve sat on a shelf for who knows how long. On top of that, they have to survive the treacherous journey through your digestive system to get to your gut microbiome. Most commercial probiotics won’t make it to your gut alive. And after they’ve been sitting in a can of soda for weeks or months, they may not even be alive when you get them.
One popular probiotic soda brand even hints at this on their website, saying each can contains “billions of CFUs of our of live probiotics at the time of canning.”
So in terms of efficacy, those probiotic sodas are going to have little to no impact on your gut.
Now, what about prebiotic sodas?
You need prebiotic fiber to keep the good gut microbes fueled, and even more importantly, the type of fiber you choose really matters.
Many popular prebiotic sodas use inulin as their fiber source, and inulin is well known for causing gas, bloating, and digestive distress.[1] Inulin may be especially irritating for people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or IBD (inflammatory bowel disease).[2] That means that prebiotic sodas with inulin may actually be doing more harm than good.
Other types of prebiotic fiber such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are known to deliver benefits without causing stomach upset.[3,4,5]
The Sugar Situation
One key selling point of many probiotic and prebiotic sodas is their “low” sugar content. To be fair, most of these products have less sugar than regular soda. But that’s not saying much.
Labels show sugar contents ranging from 2 to 8 grams per serving, with most weighing in at around 5 grams—more than a teaspoon of added sugar.
Research shows that consuming sugar can cause dysbiosis and harm the protective gut barrier, destroying gut health.[6] Dietary sugar—no matter the source—feeds pathogens and encourages their growth and overgrowth.[7]
There’s no question: Sugar interferes with gut health. And if your goal is to make your gut as healthy as possible, you’re better off with prebiotic and probiotic solutions that don’t add that much sugar into the mix.
The Carbonation Situation
Another big issue with probiotic and prebiotic sodas: the bubbles. Carbonation might be fun to drink, but your digestive system may not agree.
Consuming carbonated beverages like soda can cause gas, belching, and bloating. Research shows that carbonation can trigger IBS symptoms.[8] It also appears to increase symptoms and incidence of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).[9]
One study found that carbonated beverages caused dyspepsia symptoms such as stomach pain, acid reflux, and heartburn in 86.7% of subjects.[10]
So if you’re trying to help your gut feel better, probiotic and prebiotic sodas may not be the best choices.
A Better Way to Support Gut Health in Less Than a Minute
Adding probiotics and prebiotics to your daily routine can make a huge impact on your gut health… as long as you choose effective options.
When it comes to probiotics, you want clinically studied strains proven to have a clear impact on gut health. And you want probiotics you can rely on to actually arrive alive in your gut. Your best option here: spore probiotics.
Spore probiotics are protected by their natural endospore shell. This allows them to survive the hazards of digestion, like stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes, that kill off most other bacteria. They can also withstand the high temperatures of your digestive tract and arrive in your gut 100% alive and ready to get to work every time.
As for efficacy, a unique combination of four spore probiotics has been shown to effectively shift the gut balance in favor of the good guys. That combination includes Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus indicus, and Bacillus clausii, and research shows that these probiotics help increase bacterial diversity, a key component of a healthy microbiome.[11]
And when your gut is full of a wide variety of beneficial probiotic bacteria, targeted prebiotics support their survival and growth, helping them flourish. The best prebiotics selectively nourish probiotic bacteria, but not pathogens. Three highly effective prebiotics include fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and xylooligosaccharides (XOS).[12]
So while probiotic and prebiotic sodas are alluring with their colorful packaging, trendy marketing, and promises of easy and convenient gut support, they fall flat on lasting results and can even make your gut troubles worse.
Are they better than chugging regular soda every day? Yes. Are they the best option for balancing and maintaining a healthy gut? No.
The most effective way to promote your gut health is with supplements that include the right types of probiotics and prebiotics, like those from Just Thrive.
Just Thrive Gut Health Products
Want an easy DIY alternative to probiotic and prebiotic sodas? Try This:
Mix the contents of one Just Thrive Probiotic capsule and ½–1 scoop of Just Thrive PREbiotic drink mix (or 2–4 PREbiotic capsules) with 16 ounces of water for a refreshing, gut healthy beverage.
Note: We always recommend starting slow with probiotics and prebiotics to give your body time to acclimate. For the PREbiotic, begin by taking a ½ dose daily (half a scoop of the powder or 2 capsules), then work up to a full dose after about a week. For the Probiotic we recommend you take 1 capsule every other day the first week. Then at week two, increase to 1 capsule per day.
And remember:
Your gut microbiome sets the stage for your overall wellness. So you want to do everything you can to keep it in the best shape possible, full of a diverse population of beneficial bacteria.
It’s easy to support gut health with Just Thrive in less than a minute every day.
Just Thrive Probiotic contains four clinically proven spore probiotic strains studied extensively to demonstrate their effectiveness for gut health:
- Bacillus subtilis HU58™
- Bacillus indicus HU36™
- Bacillus clausii
- Bacillus coagulans
This team of spore probiotics allow a wide variety of beneficial bacteria to flourish, crowding out unwanted bacteria and supporting overall health and wellness. For added convenience, you can open the capsules and safely add to any recipe—hot or cold—without losing effectiveness. Add it into your morning coffee, mix it in a cup of soup, or bake into a pan of brownies.
Just Thrive PREbiotic contains an exclusive blend of FOS, GOS, and XOS designed to nourish a diverse population of beneficial bacteria. Just Thrive PREbiotic acts like fertilizer for only probiotic bacteria. In fact, studies show that Just Thrive PREbiotic can more than DOUBLE the population of good bacteria created by your probiotic. You can get these three smart fibers in a daily capsule or drink mix. The drink mix dissolves easily in water and can be mixed into any beverage. The capsules can also be opened and mixed with food or drink, just like the probiotic.
And if you’re unsure about trying Just Thrive Probiotic or PREbiotic, we can help.
EVERY Just Thrive purchase is covered by our Bottom of the Bottle, 100% money back guarantee.
That means you can try Just Thrive Probiotic and PREbiotic to see how well they work for you… and we’re betting that you’ll notice a positive difference.
But if for any reason you’re not satisfied, simply request a full product refund at any time. Even if it’s 3 months or 3 years later. Even if the bottle is empty! You’ll get your money back any time, no matter what.
Sources
- Bonnema AL, Kolberg LW, Thomas W, Slavin JL. Gastrointestinal tolerance of chicory inulin products. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jun;110(6):865-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.025. PMID: 20497775.
- Armstrong H, Mander I, Zhang Z, Armstrong D, Wine E. Not All Fibers Are Born Equal; Variable Response to Dietary Fiber Subtypes in IBD. Front Pediatr. 2021 Jan 15;8:620189.
- Dou Y, Yu X, Luo Y, Chen B, Ma D, Zhu J. Effect of Fructooligosaccharides Supplementation on the Gut Microbiota in Human: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2022 Aug 12;14(16):3298.
- Azcarate-Peril MA, Ritter AJ, Savaiano D, Monteagudo-Mera A, Anderson C, Magness ST, Klaenhammer TR. Impact of short-chain galactooligosaccharides on the gut microbiome of lactose-intolerant individuals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Jan 17;114(3):E367-E375.
- Lin SH, Chou LM, Chien YW, Chang JS, Lin CI. Prebiotic Effects of Xylooligosaccharides on the Improvement of Microbiota Balance in Human Subjects. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2016;2016:5789232.
- Arnone D, Chabot C, Heba AC, Kökten T, Caron B, Hansmannel F, Dreumont N, Ananthakrishnan AN, Quilliot D, Peyrin-Biroulet L. Sugars and Gastrointestinal Health. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Sep;20(9):1912-1924.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2021.12.011. Epub 2021 Dec 10. PMID: 34902573.
- Garcia K, Ferreira G, Reis F, Viana S. Impact of Dietary Sugars on Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Health. Diabetology. 2022; 3(4):549-560. https://doi.org/10.3390/diabetology3040042
- Mahyoub MA, Abbas O, Elhoumed M, Ghabisha S, Refat M, Abbas M, Al-Qurmoti S, Li Y, Ren M, He S. Dietary habits as associated factors with irritable bowel syndrome among medical students: evidence from a cross-sectional study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2024 Aug 17;24(1):268.
- Mehta RS, Song M, Staller K, Chan AT. Association Between Beverage Intake and Incidence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020 Sep;18(10):2226-2233.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2019.11.040. Epub 2019 Nov 28. PMID: 31786327.
- Akhondi-Meybodi M, Aghaei MA, Hashemian Z. The role of diet in the management of non-ulcer dyspepsia. Middle East J Dig Dis. 2015 Jan;7(1):19-24. PMID: 25628849; PMCID: PMC4293796.
- Marzorati M, Van den Abbeele P, Bubeck S, Bayne T, Krishnan K, Young A. Treatment with a spore-based probiotic containing five strains of Bacillus induced changes in the metabolic activity and community composition of the gut microbiota in a SHIME® model of the human gastrointestinal system. Food Res Int. 2021 Nov;149:110676.
- Pham VT, Calatayud M, Rotsaert C, Seifert N, Richard N, Van den Abbeele P, Marzorati M, Steinert RE. Antioxidant Vitamins and Prebiotic FOS and XOS Differentially Shift Microbiota Composition and Function and Improve Intestinal Epithelial Barrier In Vitro. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 29;13(4):1125.
