Sparkling Probiotic Drinks Show That Adding Cultures To Food Has Gone Mainstream

Probiotics are really starting to gain some momentum in the United States. The country has become much more diverse in the products available that contain these beneficial bacteria, including some, like oatmeal, that normally don’t start out with the microbes inside.

One of the more interesting sets of these items comes from KeVita. They’re known for kombuchas already, but are also taking a probiotic culture and turning it into a sparkling probiotic drink.

Photo courtesy of Kevita

It’s an unconventional approach from the kombucha brand, especially with how popular their original product has become. Kombucha has fast become one of the most trendy drinks in the US because of its probiotics, ease to make at home, and multiple health aspects.

So why is a company that specializes in the booch moving to sparkling beverages? Consumers are also looking for sugar-free and low-calorie drink options that taste good as replacements to Coke and other sugary sodas. It’s why flavored sparkling brands like Spindrift Soda are taking off right now and why Lacroix has dominated consumer’s taste buds in recent years.

KeVita’s kombucha packs in 70 calories a bottle, which isn’t that much, but still enough to merit a low-cal option. The new Sparkling Probiotic Drink provides that, with stevia extract used instead to provide sweetness.

In the US, the predominant health claim touted about cultured foods is their contribution to gut health. This is because the bacteria dominate our gut microbe population and help improve that area of our body. However, in doing so, the overall benefits we receive are “holistic,” as Roy Choi, the “Godfather of Street Food” and KeVita cultured foods enthusiast puts it.

“We [focus on] gut health here, but probiotics can help improve blood circulation, critical thinking, and more… probiotics help across all functions, that’s what makes them so special and important.”

We would typically get these healthy boosts via kimchi, yogurt, and other naturally cultured foods. However, companies like KeVita are pushing the envelope into the mainstream and creating products like their sparkling drink that can convey those benefits too.