I love a functional beverage — whether it’s an exorbitantly priced ginger shot, a smoothie with special supplements added in, or an electrolyte beverage that’s natural yet delicious. If you’re looking for me, you can find me in the beverage corner of a health food store.

“If you’re looking for me, you can find me in the beverage corner of a health food store.”

Every few months when I travel to Los Angeles for work, it’s become a ritual for me to drop into Erewhon, the mecca of health food stores, for a smoothie or some prepared foods, and always, always their own Root Beer Soda Kefir. There’s something so satisfying about the natural sarsaparilla and barks coming together for the sweet and complex taste, all free of the bizarre food chemistry that’s packaged in a standard soda.

Back in NYC, between Erewhon visits, I was tempted by Olipop’s Classic Root Beer flavor. It was the beginning of a love affair with the brand. I developed a taste for the slightly strange flavor of their prebiotic fiber blend, and soon my lunchtime sushi purchase was invariably complemented by one of the cascading selection of flavors that appeared at my local grocery store daily. After a few months, I realized that I’d probably tasted most of the flavors on offer. Not only that, but I have strong preferences about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to Olipop.

“I felt great about fibermaxxing since its benefits support gut microbiome and health, blood sugar regulation, and can even protect against colon cancer.”

For this review, I tried all of the flavors over the course of more than six months. Usually with my lunch, I’d try a new flavor or an old favorite. I found that for the added 35–50 calories, it sat well with me, and added a little extra wellness and fun oomph to my meal. I felt great about fibermaxxing since its benefits support gut microbiome and health, blood sugar regulation, and can even protect against colon cancer. Though when I did need to cram at the end, I learned a lesson about too much inulin. My sage advice? Limit yourself to one Olipop per day! Only when I ramped up to two cans a day, and sustained it for three consecutive days did I start to feel the side effects of bloating and what I’d classify as your common stomach ache.

What’s in Olipop?

Each Olipop has a basic formula of natural juices and botanicals for flavoring, stevia for added sweetness, Himalayan pink salt for balance, and the brand’s OLISMART blend, which is the prebiotic fiber powerhouse. The OLISMART blend includes cassava root fiber, chicory root inulin, and Jerusalem artichoke inulin (as well as acacia fiber and guar fiber in 6g blends), and nopal cactus, marshmallow root, calendula flower, and kudzu root. Inulin is a soluble fiber — that’s the kind that slows digestion and regulates blood sugar, as opposed to the insoluble fiber you might seek out if you’re constipated.

“A can of Olipop has between 2–5g of sugar, which is a minuscule percentage of what you find in a normal soda.”

A can of Olipop has between 2–5g of sugar, which is a minuscule percentage of what you find in a normal soda. The ingredients are all non-GMO, and totally rely on natural juices and concentrates to achieve their cravable flavors. No weird chemicals!

Most of the flavors in Olipop’s repertoire are not caffeinated, but four in the collection currently are. That’s Citrus Rush (fittingly since it is the brand’s take on Mountain Dew), Vintage Cola, Doctor Goodwin, and Cherry Cola. Each caffeinated flavor contains 50–60 mg of caffeine from green tea extract — about half of what you’d find in a cup of coffee —  if you’re looking to use it as a midday pick-me-up

How I ranked the flavors:

How do you feel about ordering a milkshake alongside your burger and fries? I think perhaps this is the best litmus test for deciding if you’d be into Olipop. If yes, welcome to your future. There’s something about the proprietary OLISMART blend that does , especially when combined with a fruity flavor too.

My preference is for flavors that capitalize on the sweetness with more natural-tasting fruit flavor. A number of the flavors tip into gummy candy territory — like Peaches & Cream, which the brand accurately compares to white peach gummies — and those, I’m not as big of a fan of. I also took into account each flavor’s daily drinkability and how they pair with food, though ultimately I chose the best testing Olipops overall for my top rankings.

Below, I’ve ranked each flavor from my least favorite (still, pretty good!) to my most obsessed-over flavor, with brief tasting notes on each.

The best way to try Olipop:

On the Olipop site, you can order a 12-pack of a single flavor or choose from three variety packs. My favorite of the variety packs is, fittingly, the Favorites Pack, since three of the four flavors included in it are top-notch picks for me. It’s a great place to start if you’re Olipop curious.

“There have been times where I’ve woken in the middle of the night and ordered the 12-pack of my top flavor — and I haven’t regretted it.”

But honestly, there have been times where I’ve woken in the middle of the night and ordered the 12-pack of my top flavor — and I haven’t regretted it. Getting into an Olipop flavor is one of those micro-obsessions that comes to define a period of your life, or can sustain you through weeks where not much else is going on. I think for any of my top five flavors, you can’t go wrong with a full 12-pack.

Of course, you can also pick up single Olipops at many of the major grocery chains, including Whole Foods, as well as Instacart and Costco, where they have special seasonal packs of limited-release flavors. Now onward for the rankings…

My review and ranking of Olipop flavors:

22. Lemon Lime 🍋
9g fiber
4g sugar
40 cal

What I was hoping would taste like Sprite actually recalls Brisk Iced Tea. Not a bad flavor, but not my preference or what I was expecting. If you like a lemon-flavored iced tea, you’re in luck.

21. Ginger Lemon 🫚🍋
9g fiber
3g sugar
40 cal

I was anticipating greatness with this flavor — and the mulling spices (a mix of European and Caribbean) are interesting — but lemon and ginger are such a classic health food combination that it is almost impossible to improve on. Both get dulled down in this formula that is neither spicy nor tart. Nothing beats the real thing, so why compete?

20. Peaches & Cream 🍑
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

As explained above, this one is more evocative of white peach gummy rings than the decadent dessert of its namesake. It could be a fun one if you’re into gummy candy, I’m just not!

19. Vintage Cola 🥤
50mg caffeine
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

What is a classic for other soda companies just doesn’t work for Olipop. I mean, I’ll drink it, but there’s really something missing when you compare it to a crispy Coke or Diet Coke. Olipop is not at their best when they’re aiming for these classic sodas.

18. Orange Squeeze 🍊
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

It’s an orange soda, with a slightly sherbet-y aftertaste. Basically, I just wish it was Orange & Cream. See #11.

17. Ginger Ale 🫚
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

This is good! It just isn’t an exact fit for the Olipop flavor profile. The ginger is sharp, but the dull sweetness means it’s missing an extra kick that defines a really good ginger beer.

16. Doctor Goodwin 🥤
50mg caffeine
9g fiber
3g sugar
35 cal

I’m a huge DP fan, and an even bigger DDP fan. (That’s Doctor Pepper and Diet Doctor Pepper for the uninitiated!) This just ain’t it. Overly syrupy. Skip to the Root Beer.

15. Citrus Rush 🏔️
60mg caffeine
9g fiber
4g sugar
50 cal

Alright, here we go! A true competitor to Mountain Dew with the added caffeine. This is one of the more successful adaptations of a classic soda in the Olipop family. Worth a try.

14. Classic Grape 🍇
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

This flavor and the next are basically just as they seem. It’s a sweet grape juice turned soda. If you love grape juice, or you have a teenager in your home who does, this is a winner.

13. Crisp Apple 🍎
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

Same deal! Beautiful apple juice flavor turned into prebiotic soda. It’s clean and crisp and reminds you of leaves crunching under your feet. If you love apple juice, this is for you.

12. Shirley Temple (seasonal) 🌸
6g fiber
4g sugar
40 cal

Surprisingly not as high as I had hoped! Go for Cherry Vanilla or Strawberry Vanilla instead. It captures that sweet, sweet nostalgic drink better.

11. Raspberry Sherbet (seasonal) 🍧
6g fiber
2g sugar
30 cal

It’s sweet, and tastes very pleasantly like the melted dregs of raspberry sorbet left in your cup at the end of a summer night. This would be so good to crack open in your backyard on a summer night after a long day of work.

10. Tropical Punch 🍍
9g fiber
4g sugar
45 cal

This one surprised me! I’m not a Hawaiian Punch girl, so I wasn’t expecting to find this so delightful. Instead, it feels like a true mix of the tropical fruits. It’s also more of a yellow-orange color inside, rather than the red you might expect. Nice!

9. Blackberry Vanilla (seasonal) 💙
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

The deeply sweet blackberry flavor complemented with vanilla is a perfect fit for the Olipop profile. This one is worth checking out while it is still around this summer.

8. Watermelon Lime 🍉
9g fiber
5g sugar
40 cal

A classic combination! Did not disappoint. Perfect for the beach or a picnic, or really any summertime occasion. The watermelon note is the most pronounced here, but it feels nicely balanced and definitely crushable.

7. Orange Cream 🍊🍦
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

Orange cream is Olipop playing to its strengths. Another melted ice-cream type flavor. If you have a soft spot for the Dreamsicle, this will make you very happy.

6. Cherry Vanilla 🍒
9g fiber
5g sugar
45 cal

It’s basically the lesser Strawberry Vanilla. It’s good — and I love cherry more than I love strawberry — but somehow, it falls slightly behind its sweeter, more cravable sister.

5. Cherry Cola 🥤🍒
50mg caffeine
9g fiber
5g sugar
50 cal

Various considerations went into this decision. Is it my favorite Olipop? No. Do I get it to accompany my lunch fairly regularly? Yes! Is that because of the caffeine? Yes. This feels like a true daily driver. Not the best, but the benefits are there, and it pulls strongly ahead of the other classic soda flavors. Try it!

4. Classic Root Beer 🥤🤎
9g fiber
3g sugar
40 cal

My first Olipop love! It was just that then, I didn’t know there were even sweeter and more delicious flavors. This is another good daily driver, if you want a decaf option. For those who like to try every root beer, put this on your list. It won’t be the best one but…there’s fiber! And it’s easy to develop a taste for it.

3. Cream Soda 🥤🍦
9g fiber
3g sugar
50 cal

This totally sweet flavor, all marshmallow and vanilla, covers over the stevia and OLISMART blend to create a delectable flavor. It’s simply one of the best ways to enjoy Olipop.

2. Strawberry Vanilla 🍓
9g fiber
5g sugar
45 cal

A perfect mix of fruity and sweet, this is what I reach for first always if there are multiple options in the fridge. It’s reminiscent of a strawberry milkshake, but the kind where they use actual strawberries. The tangy lemon brings out the fruitiness even more. Words just don’t do it justice.

1. Banana Cream 🍌
9g fiber
4g sugar
45 cal

My absolute favorite all-time Olipop, and perhaps soda in general, the Banana Cream Olipop. I’ve never tasted such a clear, natural banana flavor in a beverage. Now, I’ve heard the complaints that it is too sweet to drink daily, or even for some to finish, but that wasn’t the case for me. This is absolutely worth trying. A singular delight!!!

Ashley D’Arcy is the Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She holds an MA in Philosophy from The New School for Social Research and has contributed to esteemed outlets such as The Nation, 032c, and Yale School of Management’s Insights where she’s leveraged her expertise in making complex ideas accessible to a broad audience. In addition to her editorial work, she is training as a psychoanalytic mental health professional and provides care to patients in New York City. Ashley also explores sustainable fashion, clean beauty, and wellness trends, combining thoughtful cultural critiques with a commitment to mindful living.