Olipop Review: Best and Worst Flavors Ranked

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If you are in the market for a healthier alternative to regular soda, you may have come across Olipop, a new kind of carbonated drink marketed as a non-GMO prebiotic beverage that is not only better for you than regular pop but also comes along with a number of health benefits. After having personally tried every flavor of Olipop myself, below is my unbiased review of this prebiotic soda option, as well as what I think are the best Olipop flavors to try.

Olipop Flavor Reviews

I’ll start by answering the million-dollar question: What does Olipop taste like? In my opinion, it’s a pretty close match to many popular types of traditional pop. However, I’ve heard from friends and family members who more frequently drink regular pop than I do, and they said the taste was a far cry from regular soda.

That said, I personally really enjoy the taste of Olipop and haven’t found a flavor yet that I wouldn’t try again. Some, though, are better than others, so here are my personal thoughts on how each flavor of Olipop tastes:

• Classic Root Beer (5/5): I think the Olipop Classic Root Beer is one of the closest matches to the real deal of the entire lineup.
• Cream Soda (5/5): This is one of my top three favorites, which is surprising because I don’t really like normal cream soda.
• Ginger Lemon (5/5): This one really surprised me in that the ginger taste is there but not overpowering, and it is probably the most refreshing flavor of the bunch.
• Cherry Cola (5/5): This one also comes close to the taste of regular cherry cola. I prefer it slightly over the Vintage Cola flavor below, mostly because I don’t think the aftertaste is quite as noticeable with this flavor.
• Orange Squeeze (5/5): While this one doesn’t exactly mimic orange soda to me, it was surprisingly light and refreshing and is not sickeningly sweet like regular fruity pops can be.
• Crisp Apple (5/5): Everything about this drink scream both “crisp” and “apple.” It’s got a very smooth flavor that tastes reminiscent of a refreshing hard cider drink without the alcohol. I will definitely be stocking up on this flavor for fall!
• Vintage Cola (4.5/5): Vintage cola comes pretty darn close to the taste of regular cola, in my opinion, making this a solid option to start with. There is, however, a slight aftertaste that might take some getting used to for some.
• Classic Grape (4.5/5): This is another flavor that comes really close to the taste of regular pop and has a subtly fruity taste to it.
• Ginger Ale (4/5): I didn’t find Olipop Ginger Ale to be quite as strong-tasting as regular ginger ale, but it has a refreshing kick to it.
• Lemon Lime (4/5): I’m not a huge lemon lime fan, but this Olipop version is light and refreshing. It has a stronger lime taste to it than most regular lemon lime pops.
• Ridge Rush(4/5): This is Olipop’s version of Mountain Dew. It was a bit of a letdown for me because it tastes so similar to the lemon lime flavor that I couldn’t really tell a difference. But nonetheless, it’s a refreshing sip.
• Tropical Punch (4/5): As with some of the other fruity flavors on this list, Tropical Punch has a subtle fruit flavor to it, but it’s not exactly reminiscent of any existing drink. Still, it’s a good choice if you’re looking for something fruity.
• Watermelon Lime (4/5): I’m not a huge fan of watermelon flavors, but this one surprised me. It was light and refreshing, with only a hint of lime.
• Cherry Vanilla (3.5/5): Cherry is one of my favorite flavors, so I was surprised that I didn’t like this one more. It wasn’t quite what I expected and tastes a little too sweet for me.
• Strawberry Vanilla (3.5/5): Similar to the Cherry Vanilla flavor, this one is a little on the sweeter side.
• Banana Cream (3.5/5): Banana is a tough flavor to get right. While I’ll say that this one is one of the better banana flavors I’ve tried, it still has an artificial taste to it. That says, if you love banana flavor, you’ll probably enjoy this pop.
• Peaches & Cream (Barbie edition) (3/5): This is another super-sweet one and with more of an artificial taste to the peach flavor than most of Olipop’s other fruity flavors. I wouldn’t get in line to try this one again.
• Doctor Goodwin (3/5): I really wanted to like this one, but sadly, it’s last on my list. It doesn’t taste much like regular Dr. Pepper, in my opinion, and is pretty sweet with a fairly strong aftertaste. If you’re a die-hard Dr. Pepper fan, you might be disappointed.

Pro tip: Use coupon code “SODALOVE15” to save 15% on your order.

What Is Olipop?

Olipop is a carbonated drink that attempts to mimic the taste of classic sodas – like cola, root beer, grape soda, and many others – while minimizing the sugar content and imparting added gut health benefits. Here is the full list of ingredients for Olipop Root Beer:

Carbonated Water, Olismart (Cassava Root Fiber, Chicory Root Inulin, Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin, Nopal Cactus (Extract), Marshmallow Root (Extract), Calendula Flower (Extract), Kudzu Root (Extract)), Cassava Root Syrup, Apple Juice Concentrate, Natural Root Beer Flavor, Lemon Juice, Burdock Root Stevia Leaf (Extract), Himalayan Pink Salt, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Sweet Birch (Extract).

Olipop Root Beer contains 35 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of sugar. Compare this to a popular brand of traditional root beer, which contains 160 calories, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, and 43 grams of sugar.

Is There Caffeine in Olipop?

Only three flavors of Olipop contain caffeine: Vintage Cola, Cherry Cola, and Dr. Goodwin. These flavors each contain 50mg of caffeine from green tea extract. For comparison, one cup of coffee contains an average of 95mg of caffeine.

All other Olipop flavors are caffeine-free.

Pro tip: Use coupon code “SODALOVE15” to save 15% on your order.

Is Olipop Actually Healthy?

Yes, Olipop can actually impart health benefits and even has the research to back up this claim. First, Olipop drastically reduces sugar consumption compared to a regular can of soda, as evidenced by the mere 2 grams of sugar in its Root Beer flavor, compared to the whopping 43 grams of sugar in a popular brand of traditional root beer.

Secondly, the beneficial prebiotics found in Olipop have been shown in clinical trials to increase the presence of beneficial microorganisms in the gut after consuming this beverage once per day for 30 days.

Thirdly, Olipop can be an easy way to increase your daily fiber intake, as most Americans do not consume enough fiber on a regular basis. In fact, according to the American Society of Nutrition, only about 7% of Americans regularly consume enough fiber, leaving much of the population susceptible to a slew of health concerns related to a low-fiber diet.

Finally, the botanical ingredients in Olipop contribute to its health benefits, as shown below:

• Cassava root is a good source of many essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.

• Chicory root is known to have strong antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and antiviral properties and can also improve digestion and regulate appetite.

• Jerusalem artichoke is rich in important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, and potassium, and boosts gut health.

• Nopal cactus, or prickly pear cactus, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties and may also help in managing diabetes and high cholesterol.

• Marshmallow root has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and can be beneficial for improving digestive disorders.

• Calendula flower is rich in plant-based antioxidants called flavenoids.

• Kudzu root is naturally rich in antioxidants and is often used to help manage diabetes, heart disease, and menopausal symptoms.

What Are the Downsides of Olipop?

The biggest con to Olipop is its price: $3 a can if you buy online. However, if you have a local store that sells Olipop, consider shopping there instead of online. My local grocery store now carries Olipop, and it’s usually on sale for $2.50 a can.

The second downside to Olipop, according to some Reddit threads, is that it can cause digestive issues or an upset stomach for some people. I haven’t experienced any negative side effects whatsoever, but these complaints do seem to be fairly common after reading several online Olipop reviews. If you’ve never had Olipop before, start with only one and see how you feel before continuing to drink them. Some people may need to adjust to the botanical ingredients and fiber content.

Bottom Line: Is Olipop Worth It?

Yes! I think Olipop is absolutely worth it if you are looking for a healthier drink choice. I’ve found that drinking an Olipop in the afternoon helps me to avoid snacking around what used to be a 2:00 caffeine crash, thanks to its fiber content.

That said, if your stomach tends to easily get upset, give Olipop a gradual try to see if it agrees with you. I’d also recommend looking for in-store deals to save on Olipop, rather than buying online, since it can be pricey, especially once you tack on shipping.