#Soda

A new beverage category has surged into markets worldwide: prebiotic gut sodas. Bright packaging and simple flavors like Cherry Cola and Crisp Apple have grabbed attention, presenting a healthier twist on traditional sodas while claiming gut benefits. This trend mirrors a broader push in food and beverage toward accessibility-friendly health improvements in everyday products.

In the United States, gut soda sales are booming. Brands such as Olipop and Poppi reportedly reached hundreds of millions in revenue within a year, drawing interest from major players. Coca-Cola projects billions in sales from prebiotic offerings by the end of the decade, while PepsiCo’s acquisition of Poppi signals a strategic pivot toward healthier options. These shifts suggest a growing appetite for wellness-forward choices in mainstream markets.

A new study from researchers at a leading Indian research institute reveals that frequent sugary beverages may do more than add calories. The work introduces the idea of “molecular addiction,” showing how regular soda consumption could rewire the body’s metabolism at the cellular level, prioritizing sugar absorption and potentially impairing responses to other nutrients. The findings, while published in a scientific journal, carry clear implications for public health and daily choices in Thailand.