Prebiotic soda sales skyrocket in San Francisco metro

• It can cause bloating and be "incredibly difficult to tolerate," especially for those with conditions like IBS, says Tamara Duker Freuman, a dietitian and author.
• And consuming regular inulin "may increase risk of cancer, potentially by dampening anti-tumor immunity," according to Andrew Gewirtz — a biomedical science professor at Georgia State University who's conducted early animal studies and a case report about inulin.

By the numbers: San Francisco locals are more likely to buy a prebiotic beverage, compared to the average national consumer.

• In the San Francisco metro area, the share of soft drink sales that are prebiotic drinks surged from 1% during the year of 2021-2022 to over 5% during the year of 2024-2025, according to NielsenIQ.
• That translated to $2.7 million in prebiotic soft drink sales during the year of 2021-2022 and jumped to $18.5 million during the year of 2024-2025.

How it works: Eating prebiotics — food for gut bacteria — can be anti-inflammatory and "increase the good guys in your gut," Freuman says.

Yes, but: "You should be aiming to get your fiber from foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes," says Hannah Holscher, registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

Reality check: Less than 10% of American adults get the daily recommended amount of fiber, and many Americans regularly drink sugary soda — which has links to a host of health risks.

• Substituting a prebiotic soda in place of a higher-sugar one "could be a good, helpful swap" and "help bridge the fiber gap," Holscher says.
• "The occasional can is unlikely to cause major harm," Gewirtz says. "It's regular consumption that I'm not convinced is safe."

The bottom line: Aim for a diverse diet that includes naturally fibrous foods — but if you crave soda, don't go overboard with the prebiotic drinks.

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