Why There Isn't Just One 'Healthy' Diet Soda

Diet sodas fulfill Americans' endless desire for a supposedly healthy alternative to our favorite indulgences. Going on decades now, people have known soda isn't good for you, being nothing but sugar water full of empty calories at its core, but we do really really love our sodas and giving them up isn't so easy. The average American drinks at least one 12 ounce can of soda a day, and if we want to cut back on sugar, we want something to fill that little treat void. Hence the proliferation not just of diet sodas, but of prebiotic sodas such as Olipop and Poppi, that promise a more nourishing sweet drink. But while you might go looking for the one "healthiest" soda to help you make your decision, there isn't really an answer to that question, because there is no one definition of "healthiest."

What is healthy for you is going to vary significantly based on your preferences and dietary needs. If you're someone who leads an active lifestyle, calories might not be a big concern for you, so the artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas might do more harm than good. While artificial sweeteners have not been shown to have significant health downsides for the majority of Americans, there is concern that they can desensitize tastebuds to sugar, which can encourage overeating of other sources of sugar. So if you get plenty of exercise the ideal healthy soda option for you might be something that has some calories, but is low in artificial ingredients, such as Spindrift or Culture Pop.

If you look at more traditional diet soda, they also have their place, but they are really only healthy if you are trying to watch your calories or lose weight. While "calories in, calories out" oversimplifies the process of losing weight, it is still the basic formula for people who are trying to shed some pounds. So if that is your health goal, and you are a regular consumer of sugary soda, replacing it with popular zero-sugar sodas that are calorie free can be a good choice. But these sodas are still devoid of nutrients, and they don't even hydrate you that well.

Then there are all the new prebiotic soda brands touting health benefits. Ingredients vary between brands, but they generally strike a balance by having fewer calories than traditional soda, while also offering some genuine nutrition. Some brands such as Olipop and Sunsip, contain fiber as a prebiotic, while others like Evolution and Culture Pop contain live probiotic cultures. Some studies show the fiber and probiotics in these sodas can have a beneficial impact on gut health, and also help you feel more full. However the research is limited, and those same prebiotics and probiotics can also cause bloating and gas depending on your digestion. Many of these new brands also have added sugar, even if it's less than traditional soda brands. And if you are concerned about artificial sweeteners, some prebiotic sodas also use them to augment their natural sugar.

While artificial sweeteners don't have clear proven health risks, some nutritionists aren't fans of them, and there's concern about how they impact gut health as well, especially with stevia. You also might just personally want to avoid as many artificial additives as possible. If that's the case, know that not just Poppi and Olipop, but also the relaunched Slice and Evolution all contain stevia leaf extract in addition to the real juice used to sweeten them. Then there are the options sweetened with monk fruit extract, of which Wildwonder and SunSip are the most well known. Monk fruit is another zero-calorie sweetener, and there are no known side effects, however it is pretty new to the U.S. market, and not much research has been done. So if you are looking for soda sweetened only with natural fruit juice, Culture Pop and Spindrift are your two best options.

Finally there's the question of caffeine. While caffeine is not that bad consumed in moderation, you may have concerns over being jittery, or high blood pressure. If you're trying to cut caffeine out then healthy options are going to go more by flavor than brand. Most soda brands have both caffeinated and caffeine-free options, including the newer brands such as Poppi and Olipop, so in this case it's best to check individual labels for caffeine content. In the end, only you can decide what soda is the most healthy for your diet and lifestyle.