Functional Sodas, Explained: What’s in Them and Do They Work?

When beginning research for this article, I thought: what on Earth is a functional soda? A soda with a job? Well, yes, in a way. A functional soda is a sparkling, low-calorie, and low-sugar beverage made with ingredients that are marketed as offering benefits beyond simple refreshment. A crispy Diet Coke (AKA the fridge cigarette) it is not.

Traditional soda is typically associated with high sugar content and little nutritional value, so functional sodas position themselves…