Popular Prebiotic Poppi Soda Facing a Class Action Lawsuit Over Health Claims

Poppi prebiotic soda is facing legal trouble after a San Francisco woman filed a lawsuit against the company. She and her legal team are alleging that the drink doesn't actually offer the healthy qualities it boasts in advertisements, and as a result, she's filing a class action lawsuit against Poppi.

Do fans of Poppi soda need to worry? Keep reading to learn more about the lawsuit, including what this means for your the fizzy beverages you may already have in your fridge.

According to CBS News, Kristin Cobbs has filed a suit against the company over the quantity of prebiotic fiber included in each soda can. The court documents claim that there just aren't enough nutrients in the drink to get the results promised and that anyone wanting to benefit from the beverage would need to down more than four cans of the soft drink in a day.

Given how much sweetener is included in each can, Cobbs and her legal team say any health benefits that could've been realized would've been lost due to the high sugar content.

Since Poppi touts its low sugar content as one of the perks of drinking the soda, it may be hard to understand why Cobbs and others joining her suit may be concerned. To understand this, you need to look at the source of Poppi's sweetness, which comes from agave inulin and natural cane sugar.

CBS News explains that agave inulin is also a prebiotic, and that having too much of it could cause some concerning health symptoms which include:

• Abdominal discomfort
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Liver damage

And as for the cane sugar, Cobbs' team says that you'd simply ingest too much of it to experience any prebiotic benefits, which include improved digestion, amongst other claims.

When it comes to whether or not those "healthy" sodas live up to their promises, it seems like the experts say the answer depends on what you're looking for.

The Graciously Nourished blog did a side-by-side comparison of Olipop and Poppi to see how the drinks stacked up to one another. While both drinks appear to be chock full of the prebiotics that many folks turn to when they want to keep their gut microbiomes in check, Olipop is the winner when it comes to fiber content.

That being said, too much fiber can cause digestive upset, including gas, bloating, and cramping, which is why some people will still reach for Poppi when looking for a soda that packs a nutritional punch.

Anyone worried about caffeine content should double-check the label of their Poppi soda before drinking it, because some of the company's products have a tiny bit, including their Classic Cola and Doc Pop, both of which are modeled after traditional sodas like Coke and Dr. Pepper.

According to the website, if you're expecting, you should reach out to your doctor to check and see if Poppi is right for you before drinking it. While the Poppi website claims it should be safe to consume, the company notes that all pregnancies are different, and it's always best to check with your medical provider to ensure that you'll be okay adding the prebiotic to your diet.