Poppi soda lawsuit says brand misled consumers about health benefits

The class action lawsuit against VNGR Beverage LLC, the manufacturers of Poppi sodas, alleges that the drinks do not contain enough prebiotic fiber to provide meaningful gut health benefits for the consumer from just one can. The complaint states that Poppi sodas only contain two grams of prebiotic fiber, which means a consumer would need to drink more than four Poppi sodas in a day to realize any potential health benefits. However, even if a consumer were to do this, Poppi's high sugar content would offset most, if not all, of these purported gut health benefits. Drinking enough Poppi to promote gut health would cause consumers to drink harmful levels of cane sugar, which the soda is primarily made of, and too much cane sugar has been shown to harm gut health.

According to the lawsuit, in order to achieve gut health benefits from Poppi soda, a consumer would need to drink more than four cans in a day. However, the high sugar content in this quantity of Poppi sodas would offset most, if not all, of the purported gut health benefits. Consuming this amount of cane sugar, which is the primary ingredient in Poppi soda, could harm gut health. Moreover, the lawsuit also alleges that the specific type of prebiotic used in Poppi, the dietary fiber agave inulin, can lead to adverse health effects, particularly on someone who has preexisting digestive issues6. Some studies cited in the lawsuit suggest that consuming as little as 2.5 grams of prebiotic supplements, including agave inulin, can lead to a build-up of gas, causing abdominal discomfort. Another study mentioned in the suit found that an inulin-based diet can lead to inflammation and even liver damage at doses as small as 10 to 30 grams per day over a 3-week period.