Are 'healthy' booze-free fizzy drinks like La Croix really good for you? Dietitians reveal the 6 cans you should be choosing

Seltzers are having a moment.

As increasing numbers of Americans vow to ditch booze, zero-alcohol, fruity, fizzy drinks are more popular than ever. 

The market for these beverages - many of which are also free from nasty additives and flavorings - is currently valued at more than $200 billion, and is set to grow annually. 

Far from the sodas we're used to, many of the newest products are low-calorie sparkling waters, seltzers and healthier colas. Some claim to have health benefits - such as aiding digestion, calming you down or waking you up.

In comparison to traditional sodas like Pepsi and Coke, these newer options will mostly win out, since they're generally lower in calories and sugars. 

But just how healthy are they? 

Dietitians have revealed the six favorites that they're most likely to recommend to clients who are trying to cut their soda habit but still want carbonation. 

Jessica Cording, a registered dietitian and health coach, told DailyMail.com: 'Beverages with low or no added sugar that are free of alcohol can be better choices, but too much of a good thing can still be possible. 

'Many of these drinks can be packed full of caffeine which could pose heart health risks for people with underlying medical conditions, or who are prone to anxiety.'

Below, DailyMail.com reviews six popular soda alternatives.  

Poppi soda: 25 calories, 4 grams of sugar per can

Poppi bills itself as soda reinvented. It's not sparkling water or flavored seltzer, it's soda - just better for you. 

Loved by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Kylie Jenner, Poppi contains fruit juice, apple cider vinegar and prebiotics that come together for a 'deliciously refreshing, full-of-flavor soda with benefits.'

One can of the 'fan favorite' flavor strawberry lemon contains just 25 calories and 4 grams of sugar. 

Cording said of one of the drink's main ingredients: 'While not a magic bullet for wellness, some studies have suggested apple cider vinegar may offer heart health benefits.'

She told DailyMail.com the vinegar could help with controlling blood sugar, but because of its high acidity, it is best to dilute it in water or another beverage - like Poppi - before drinking.

Dr Carolyn Williams, a registered dietitian, told DailyMail.com Poppi is one of her personal favorites and she has a stock in her fridge for 'when I'm just tired of water, tea and coffee.'

She said: '[Sometimes] I just need a little more bubbly and a little sweet. I like Poppi for its simplicity and ingredients. It's just really straightforward.' 

Aside from its taste, Dr Williams also likes that it has five grams of bowel-boosting fiber in it, which she says is 'an added bonus,' though it's unclear how well absorbed the fiber in the beverage is compared to when consumed in food. 

A 12-pack costs $24, compared to $8 for a 12-pack of Coke, which contains five times the calories and more than eight times the sugar. 

LaCroix sparkling water: 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar per can

LaCroix sparkling water, which has flavors ranging from lime to popular Pamplemousse - AKA grapefruit -contains no sugars, calories, sodium or artificial ingredients. 

Dr Williams told this website the beverage, 'is essentially just flavored water without sweetness' and is a fine option to help you stay hydrated.

The drink contains carbonated water and 'natural flavors,' the company says.

In 2018, a classaction lawsuit was filed against the company, alleging it used ingredients linked to insecticides and it's ingredients label wsa misleading. 

However, the lawsuit was dropped in 2020 and the filers completely retracted their complaints after third-party lab testing revealed the drink contained no artificial ingredients. 

LaCroix costs about $5 for a 12-pack.  

Olipop soda: 40 calories, 2 grams of sugar per can

Advertised as a 'new kind of soda' made with plant fiber and prebiotics, Olipop may actually benefit your gut health.

The company says: 'Olipop takes like the soda you grew up sipping, but with the added benefit of microbiome and digestive health support.

'With plant fiber, prebiotics, botanicals and a touch of magic, we made soda healthier and more delicious.' 

It calls its recipe a 'functional formula.'

When a drink claims to be 'functional,' Ms Cording said it contains substances or live microorganisms like fiber, probiotics and ingredients that possibly promote health or have disease-fighting benefits.  

Its 16 different flavors contain anywhere from two to five grams of sugar - about 1/2-1 teaspoon and nine grams of fiber (the equivalent of three bananas).

Some of its natural ingredients include cassava root, which contributes to prebiotic fiber, Jerusalem artichoke, which adds antioxidants and iron, and chicory root, a good source of fiber and inulin, a type of prebiotic. 

Dr Williams told this website that many people struggle to consume enough fiber, so it can be helpful to get some from your soda.  

The company claims its prebiotics improve gut health.

Ms Cording told DailyMail.com inulin may be beneficial for gut health, but could also cause gas and bloating. 

Compare Olipop to a popular traditional cream soda, which has 180 calories and 44 sugars, and the healthier choice is clear - though more expensive.  

The drink costs $36 for a pack of 12 cans. 

Recess sparkling water: 20 calories, 3 grams of sugar per can 

Recess calls itself 'the perfect alcohol alternative' and the sparkling water beverage is 'fortified' with magnesium and adaptogens

Magnesium can help with muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, energy production and digestion, though Ms Cording warns too much can cause an upset stomach.

Adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that help the body respond to stress, anxiety and fatigue. 

The health coach told this website: 'Adaptogens are substances believed to help the body be more resilient against stress.

'[But] there is a lot of variation on the amount of research available on adaptogenic mushrooms, herbs and other ingredients that may be added to beverages.'

Recess' motto is 'calm cool collective' and it describes its flavors as 'calm for every occasion.'

The company sells drinks and powders in a variety of flavors that can help people deal with the stress of the world around the world, its website adds. 

Products in addition to its sparking water include magnesium-enriched powders and craft mocktails. 

Recess' beverages also contain 10mg of sodium and 4 grams of carbs.

Ingredients include L-theanine and lemon balm, which can help with relaxation and 'equilibrium.'

A 12-pack costs $30. 

Kirkland Signature sparkling water: 0 calories, 0 grams of sugar per can

For people more budget conscious, Costco's own brand of sparkling water is also a healthy alternative that won't make such a dent in your wallet. 

It has 0 calories, no sodium, no carbs and 0 grams of sugar, and contains 'natural flavors.' 

Ingredients include carbonated water and, depending on the flavor, can contain small amounts of green tea leaf extract and calcium.

The beverage comes in a variety of flavors including lemon, lime and grapefruit.

A 35-pack ranges from $14 to $39.

Spindrift sparkling water: 7 calories, 1 gram of sugar per can

Spindrift sparkling water contains carbonated water and real squeezed fruit in flavors ranging from grapefruit to the more creative passion fruit orange guava.

Spindrift, one of Ms Cording and Dr Williams' favorites, uses actual fruit juice to flavor its product instead of added chemicals.

The company says it has no added sugar and contains real fruit that comes from farms. 

The website says: 'When most people think of flavored sparkling water, they probably envision a bottle of hyper-carbonated, clear liquid with a sugary-sweet smell and nothing listed on the ingredients label. 

'No calories, no sugars, no… actual ingredients. We want our product to taste like fruit (not just the essence of fruit), so we use real squeezed fruit in every can.'

Ingredients vary based on flavor, but overall contain carbonated water and the juice of whatever the fruit flavor is.

Its lemonade flavor contains carbonated water and lime and lemon juice. In its blood orange tangerine, drinkers will find carbonated water, blood orange juice and tangerine juice. 

Nutritional facts vary based on flavor, but range from zero to seven calories with 1 gram of sugar and two carbs. 

Its half tea and half lemonade product contains carbonated water with lemon juice and black tea. It has five calories and zero sugars, compared to 180 calories and 44 grams of sugar in a popular traditional half-and-half drink. 

A pack of 24 cans costs $26.