--- title: Coca-Cola Is Adding Fiber to Coke. So Is It Healthy? description: Here's how a nutritionist feels about Coca-Cola Plus and other added-fiber foods. canonical: https://time.com/4758424/coca-cola-plus-coke-fiber/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-04-27T21:41:45.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T04:38:54.539Z article:section: Health og:title: Coca-Cola Is Adding Fiber to Coke. So Is It Healthy? og:description: A nutritionist weighs in og:url: https://time.com/4758424/coca-cola-plus-coke-fiber/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt569bbef1d6fb8b2d/6988cb0b196cf40d9f03fe32/cola_plus.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2650 og:image:height: 1491 og:image:alt: cola_plus og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Coca-Cola Is Adding Fiber to Coke. So Is It Healthy? twitter:description: A nutritionist weighs in twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt569bbef1d6fb8b2d/6988cb0b196cf40d9f03fe32/cola_plus.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Coca-Cola Is Adding Fiber to Coke. Does That Make It Healthy? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. 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Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. by [Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD / Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD / Health.com Contributor Apr 27, 2017 9:41 PM UTC  by [Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD / Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD / Health.com Contributor Apr 27, 2017 9:41 PM UTC When I heard about Coca-Cola Plus, a zero-calorie Coke with added [fiber](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20553010,00.html), I thought it was an April Fool’s joke I somehow missed. Especially when the company claimed this ridiculous product is meant for a “[health-conscious](http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coca-cola-fortified-with-dietary-fiber-to-launch-in-japan) consumer.” No sugarcoating here: Adding fiber to soda of any kind, regular or diet, doesn’t make it healthy. According to Coca-Cola, one Coke Plus a day—which is currently available only in Japan—can help “[suppress fat absorption](http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coca-cola-fortified-with-dietary-fiber-to-launch-in-japan)” and “moderate the levels of triglycerides in the blood.” Even if a double-blind study comparing Coke Plus to a placebo supported these claims, I still wouldn’t recommend the soda. First of all, the added fiber is bundled with an artificial sweetener, and artificial sweeteners can wreak havoc in the body. Studies suggest they may increase sweet [cravings](http://www.health.com/weight-loss/5-steps-to-quitting-artificial-sweeteners), alter gut bacteria, potentially induce [glucose intolerance](https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nature13793.pdf), raise [stroke and dementia](http://www.health.com/alzheimers/diet-soda-linked-to-dementia-stroke) risk, and modify metabolism in ways that increase body [fat](http://www.endocrine.org/news-room/current-press-releases/low-calorie-sweeteners-promote-fat-accumulation-in-human-fat). Secondly, soda isn’t where you should be getting your fiber. [Fiber](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20553010,00.html) is important. But simply adding it to foods like candy, ice cream, donuts, and soda isn’t very helpful. It’s your overall diet that has the greatest impact on wellness and disease prevention. In other words, the benefits of fiber don’t cancel out the risks of consuming too much sugar or artificial additives—or missing out on vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and a healthy balance of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs). Instead of stocking up on “fiber-added” products, I advise my clients to keep nutrient-rich whole foods and treats in separate mental categories. The former should be the focus of your daily diet, while the latter should be occasional (and ideally planned) indulgences. **_Health.com:_** [_Here’s Why It Feels Like You Always Have Room for Dessert_](http://www.health.com/nutrition/room-for-dessert/?xid=time) So if you want ice cream, consider it a treat, and enjoy your favorite version of the real thing. Don’t be fooled into thinking that adding any kind of nutrient to an ice cream makes it good for you, or okay to eat every day. As for fiber, it’s true that most of us fall short of the recommended 25 to 30 grams per day. The [average daily fiber intake](https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400530/pdf/dbrief/12%5Ffiber%5Fintake%5F0910.pdf) for Americans is 16 grams. But the smartest way to fill the gap is to up your intake of whole foods that are fiber-rich and also chock-full of other important nutrients. The best sources include [pulses](http://www.health.com/type-2-diabetes/pulses-beans-legumes-diabetes) (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas); vegetables (especially those with tough stalks or skin, like artichokes, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts); [fruit](http://www.health.com/nutrition/fruit-isnt-making-you-fat-and-heres-why) (think edible seeds, skins, strands, and membranes, like raspberries, blackberries, pears, apples, oranges, and mangos); [whole grains](http://www.health.com/nutrition/8-awesome-whole-grains-youre-not-eating) (quinoa, black rice, oats); [nuts](http://www.health.com/nutrition/5-genius-ways-to-use-almonds); [seeds](http://www.health.com/nutrition/seed-butter); and [avocado](http://www.health.com/nutrition/5-amazing-powers-of-avocado?hootPostID=189e6b01a97850338f4b6fc681e4b435). **_Health.com:_**[_23 Best Foods for Fiber_](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20553010,00.html/?xid=time) Eating the following three foods would get you over 25 grams: Half an avocado (9 grams), 1 cup of raspberries (8 grams), and 1 cup of black beans (15 grams). I could list dozens of other combos of plant-based foods that would help you hit or surpass the mark. In fact, by aiming for at least five servings of produce per day, choosing whole grains over refined grains, eating even a half cup of pulses per day, and making nuts, seeds, and avocados staples in your diet, you’ll rack up plenty of fiber and nutrients daily–no doctored-up soda or other treats needed. **_Cynthia Sass is_** **Health** **_’s contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and consultant for the New York Yankees. See her_** [**_full bio here._**](http://news.health.com/author/cynthia-sass/) _This_ [_article_](http://www.health.com/nutrition/coke-fiber/?xid=time) _originally appeared on_ [_Health.com_](http://health.com/?xid=time) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4758424/coca-cola-plus-coke-fiber/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4758424/coca-cola-plus-coke-fiber/"},"headline":"Coca-Cola Is Adding Fiber to Coke. 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