Olipop Reviews: What You Should Know+ Health Benefits

Olipop reviews are “popping” up all over the place, and for good reason.  This healthy soda is starting to compete with the unhealthy big-name company sodas on the market today. But, how does it taste, and does it really hold up in terms of health? 

In this post, I give you my honest, unsponsored and unsolicited review from the lens of a health professional and also a person who really loves food. 

Olipop Reviews: Overview

First, you need to know that Olipop isn’t Pepsi or Coke.  Once you understand that, it is easier to judge its taste for its own unique properties.  It comes in many flavors from Classic Root Beer, Strawberry Vanilla, Ginger Lemon, Cherry Vanilla, Orange, Classic Grape, Vintage Cola, Cherry Cola, Cream Soda, Tropical Punch, and Dr. Goodwin. Word has it that there will be a new Banana Cream flavor out soon as well. 

Remember, when you first taste Olipop, keep in mind that it is actually a health drink and not some unhealthy soda.  From there, you can appreciate the thoughtful flavors and taste that Olipop brings. 

Olipop Reviews: Taste 

One thing that I really love about the taste of Olipop is that it does not have the awful, sticky after-feel of soda or weird artificial sweetener aftertaste that comes with Diet Coke. 

Honestly, because I never touch regular sodas and diet sodas because of how unhealthy they are, I am just thrilled to have a nice soda drink without all of the horrible ingredients that come with regular soda. 

Does Olipop Taste Better Than Regular Soda?

Back to the taste of Olipop soda.  My favorite flavor by far is the Classic Root Beer because it has very intense root beer flavors, which I love.  I dare say it is a much better root beer flavor than most root beers on the market today. 

I recommend trying your favorite flavor of soda and seeing how it compares.  For example, Dr. Goodwin is the flavor profile of Dr. Pepper. But, it’s got natural flavors, so don’t expect the in-your-face flavor of Dr. Pepper.

And contrary to what other reviewers say, Olipop doesn’t taste much like stevia. And I know because stevia frankly grosses me out.  I can’t stand the bitterness of stevia. That stevia taste simply doesn’t exist with Olipop Root Beer flavor.  Maybe other reviewers are picking up on the flavors of the healthy herbs. I’m not sure. 

The texture of Olipop has a bit more mouthfeel than regular sodas because of its herbal ingredients and I’ll explain why in the next section. 

Taste verdict: compared to other “natural” sodas, Olipop is by far my favorite.  It is better than Rebel, Zevia, Poppi, Bubly, and Spindrift for taste. The only thing that I think comes close to its taste profile is Zentopia Huckleberry Lemonade and Unicorn Tears CBD beverage. 

This soda may not be for people who love common sodas but is definitely for people who love to be healthy and enjoy a yummy carbonated drink. 

Olipop Soda Review: Ingredients

Let’s compare the ingredients of Olipop to standard Welch’s sodas. I highlight any unhealthy ingredients in red. Keep in mind that Welch’s Grape soda isn’t as bad as some of the sodas on the market today. 

Olipop Classic Grape Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Olismart® (Cassava Root Fiber, Chicory Root Inulin, Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin, Nopal Cactus, Calendula Flower, Kudzu Root, Marshmallow Root, Slippery Elm Bark), Concord Grape Juice Concentrate, Lime Juice, Apple Juice Concentrate, Cassava Root Syrup, Tartaric Acid from Grapes, Stevia Leaf, Himalayan Pink Salt, and Natural Grape Flavor Extract. 

Contains 4 grams of natural sugar from juice and cassava root syrup.

The Olismart® blend of herbs and fibers gives this drink a bit more mouthfeel, which reminds me of the texture of the juice from an orange.

Welch’s Grape Soda Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or Sugar, Grape Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Grape Flavors, Sodium Benzoate ( Preservative ), Red 40, Blue 1. 

Contains 48 grams of added sugars

You can see that regular soda has 40 more grams of sugar per can than Ollipop. That’s a hefty amount of sugar in regular soda that contributes to chronic diseases of all kinds. This is a stark contrast to Olipop with only 4 grams of sugar. 

Welch’s and all other typical sodas contain lots of synthetic ingredients. These chemicals are just downright bad for your gut and your whole body.

Olipop: Health Benefits or Bust?

If you are wondering about Olipop health benefits, there are many potential ones. 

Let’s break down its ingredients so you know why.  

• Cassava Root Fiber– a healthy fiber that acts like a prebiotic by increasing healthy Lactobacillus bacteria while decreasing harmful bacteria like E. coli. 
• Chicory Root Inulin reduces blood sugar levels and fasting glucose levels 
• Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin: reduces cholesterol, may bind and remove heavy metals from the body, and reduces blood sugar.
• Nopol Cactus-helps regulate blood glucose levels, may reduce cholesterol levels, and is rich in antioxidants
• Calendula Flower-rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and may help with neuroprotection. 
• Kudzu Root– acts as a prebiotic to promote a healthy microbiome.  Also has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties that may help protect the liver.  May help reduce blood sugar spikes. 
• Marshmallow Root-contains mucin which helps protect the stomach and may reduce the chances of stomach ulcers. 
• Slippery Elm Bark-reduces inflammation and protects the stomach lining. 
• Stevia Leaf-may improve the microbiome diversity and reduces inflammation compounds in the blood. 
• Fruit Juice-Olipop contains various juices from fruits. While large amounts of juice can increase blood sugar levels, each serving of Olipop has less than 2 tablespoons of juice. 
• Himalayan Pink Salt– contains a small amount of Himalayan salt, but this type of salt is richer in minerals than table salt. 
• Cassava Root Syrup-contains natural sugar, which can be a problem ingredient, but each serving of Olipop contains a very small amount of it. 

Related post: The Best Fiber Supplement for IBS-D +8 Brands to Choose (thehealthyrd.com)

Olipop Nutrition Facts

Olipop contains:

• 35-50 calories per can
• 13-15 grams carb
• 9 grams of fiber (32% daily value)
• 2-5 grams added sugars
• 2-5 grams net carb
• 35 mg sodium
• 0 grams fat

With over 30% of your daily needs for fiber and low net carbs with no artificial junk, this is a healthy drink.  The plant fiber comes from gut-healing foods like cactus, cassava root, marshmallow root, and Jerusalem artichoke. 

In other words, it makes a great soda alternative, and personally, it doesn’t qualify as your typical soda because it actually is healthy.  

The only concern I have is that it is in an aluminum can.  Drinking beverages out of aluminum cans is generally not thought to be healthy but it beats out all its competition anyways.  

Other Olipop Customer Reviews

Most Olipop soda review responses online are overwhelmingly positive. Many people say that they are addicted to Olipop in a good way. Others find that they feel like it is an indulgent treat without all the guilt of sodas. 

Again, some people state that they can taste the stevia that they don’t like.  I feel like they haven’t tasted other really bad stevia drinks. But, if you don’t like stevia, you may not like this drink. However, you should know that stevia isn’t fake: it’s a natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant.

Others state that it tastes sweet without the sugar rush and crash of conventional sodas. 

Some reviewers state that for kids, Cream Soda is a favorite flavor. It also is like a dessert that you can have after dinner because it curbs your sweet tooth. 

Here are some examples of reviews on the Olipop website:

A new favorite!

Delicious! The flavor is a mix of birch beer, sweet bitters, and Dr. Pepper. I wish it was even more on the bitter side, but I still loved it!

Review left on: Doctor Goodwin-

Yum. My son says it tastes like candy.  Thumbs up.

Review left on: Doctor Goodwin –

Love root beer and feel good about drinking it whenever I want now! Wish it was a little more carbonated but it’s very tasty and doesn’t work against my stomach issues. Love it!

Review left on: Classic Root Beer – 

Interestingly, I even know a person who says that drinking Olipop helps improve his sleep at night. While this may not be true of the caffeinated versions, the fruit-flavored Ollipops, Cream Soda, and Root Beer very well may help. Let me know if you notice anything about your sleep if you drink Olipop. Since I have been having them regularly my sleep is very good, but it usually is anyways.

Best Olipop Flavor

When it comes to Olipop sodas sparkling tonic, the favorite flavor reviews vary highly based on your own personal preference. Some people prefer the Tropical Fruit Punch drink and others find the Ginger Lemon best.  Like I said before, my go-to is the Classic Root Beer, but I really do like them all.  A new flavor that is being released soon is called Olipop Banana Cream. 

As far as flavor ratings go, Classic Grape, Orange Cream, Classic Root Beer, Tropical Punch, Ginger Lemon, and Cherry Vanilla consistently get around 4.5 stars on Amazon reviews. 

Does Olipop Cause Gas?

Not in my experience. That said, if your body isn’t used to fiber, you may experience some temporary increase in gas and bloating.  Actually, all told, my belly feels great drinking these given their highly healing ingredients. 

However, if you have IBS or SIBO, you may have some struggles initially when trying this.  

Let me know if you do, and I’ll include that in my review. 

But, I honestly believe it will be helpful for people with sensitive guts and IBS because of its great healing herbal ingredients like marshmallow root. 

Does Olipop Make You Poop?

Again, not for me it didn’t and no other accounts of reviewers stating that it can cause diarrhea either.  This is probably because it contains mostly soluble fibers, which are gel-forming rather than insoluble fibers which can hurry things along so to speak. 

Overall, you should expect that your digestive health will improve, not worsen.  But, like I said, let me know if you have a different experience. 

Does Olipop Have Any Other Side Effects?

Not likely.  You may experience side effects, though, if you are sensitive or allergic to any of the ingredients included in this soda alternative.  In other words, read the ingredients carefully. 

Olipop Caffeine Content

Other than the cola flavors and Dr. Goodwin, Olipop doesn’t contain caffeine.  The caffeine content of the colas and Dr. Goodwin is around 50 mg per can which is comparable to other sodas. By the way, the caffeine comes from green tea when you drink an Olipop.

Olipop Cost

In stores, I can find Olipop at prices between $2.25-$3.00 a can.  This can seem like a lot but if you consider the price of fancy coffee drinks these days, it’s a drop in the bucket. 

It is actually cheaper than similar health drinks on the market today, such as kombucha and CBD drinks.  However, it comes in a little more expensive than your typical Bubly or Spindrift. Poppi prices are very similar to Olipop.  

Related post: 12 Calming Drink Ideas to Help with Relaxation + Focus | The Healthy RD

Olipop Reviews Summary

For a tasty soda alternative that is actually healthy, Olipop should be a go-to. It is low in carbohydrates and contains ingredients that can reduce blood sugar spikes.

Not only does it contain gut-healing herbs and fiber, it is delicious according to most reviews including my own. While you are going to spend a little more on it, the long-term cost to your health is definitely less with conventional soda.