So this company called Poppi, which has social media awareness of “gut health” sodas, is now being sued for their claims that the drinks they offer are the “gut health” ones. You see, one of the former customers of the company filed a lawsuit, as per the customer, Poppi’s claims are misleading. The brand promotes its drinks as being “gut healthy”, but the lawsuit alleges that these offers are kinda exaggerated. It is said that each can of Poppi has around 2 grams of inulin, a prebiotic fiber extracted from agave.
Though, analysts say that such a small amount would not be enough to have a real impact on gut health. So now, the lawsuit was filed in California and is seeking over $5 million in damages for customers who believe they were misled by these health claims. Let’s just see what is in this Poppi Prebiotic Soda Lawsuit for you.
Is Poppi Really “Gut Healthy”? Let’s Break It Down
You see, if we want to accurately find out if Poppi is really healthy for the gut, we need to analyze its claims, especially the centerpiece: inulin. You know, Inulin is the major element that Poppi declares as a helper for the gut. It is the best prebiotic-type fiber that is often sourced from the agave plant and other plants. It is beneficial in producing good gut microbes, making digestion smoother.
However, it is a known fact that, according to studies, any beneficial effects on gut health are statistically relevant only with a minimum dose of 5 grams a day, while Poppi sodas contain just 2 grams of inulin per can and the rest are other ingredients. You see, some research even suggests doses of 7.5 grams of inulin are needed for desirable effects such as softer stools or regular bowel movements. On the contrary, with just 2 grams of inulin per serving, experts argue a single can is not strong enough to deliver the gut health benefits it claims, and that’s kinda the main concern in this lawsuit. Like, you’d have to drink multiple cans of Poppi gut healthy soda to get that much inulin.
Is This Only a Problem for Poppi or for all “Healthy” Sodas?
You see, the Poppi Prebiotic Soda Lawsuit is not an isolated case, it is part of a bigger scam of “healthy” sodas like Fizz that are claiming to make us feel better, you know? Like, other examples such as Olipop and Culture Pop also put emphasis on gut health significantly in different ingredients. For instance, Olipop is made up of a mixture of fibers, while Culture Pop has probiotics which are live bacteria that some scientists believe may help us digest food better.
Though, with Poppi’s lawsuit as a backdrop, experts are warning consumers to take these claims with a pinch of salt. You see, these so-called healthy sodas can never actually deliver what a good diet can. The same result on health could be achieved with unrefined, unprocessed, and organic foods as well as some supplements. At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind that the companies making these claims are just advertising to sell more of their products, they usually do not care about your health, so, it is you YOURSELF who must take charge of your health.
How Is Poppi Responding?
As you could have imagined, Poppi came out and said that the lawsuit is “baseless” and is affirming its products as well. In fact, Poppi recently modified its product labels by eliminating the gut health claims in individual cans, though. And sure, when asked about the reasons behind such a change, Poppi simply replied that it is due to the ongoing legal issues and that is why they did not part with any information.
