Do functional sodas and seltzers actually deliver on their immune and energy boost claims?

Some visit Los Angeles to see the Hollywood sign, but I flew from New York to experience the culty health-food store Erewhon. I came for the Hailey Bieber strawberry smoothie, but it was an array of colourful canned beverages that caught my eye. As I leaned in closer, I didn’t recognise any alcoholic drinks or familiar sodas—just buzzwords I had seen only in my daily supplements, like ashwagandha and vitamin D.

Other drinks boasted ingredients I often eat in salads, like apple-cider vinegar and mushrooms. I suddenly felt out of the loop. “These drinks are testing the limits of what can be turned into a beverage,” says Andrea Hernández, a food and drink forecaster and founder of Snaxshot, a newsletter about popular snacks and sips. “Consumers are looking for shortcuts to better health or beauty, and these drinks fill the void while also tasting good.”

It’s part of a trend she calls “functional unwinding”. “It’s the antidote to the extremist habits of previous generations, consisting of highly caffeinated energy drinks and sugary sodas,” Hernández says. Brands like Kin Euphorics, cofounded by Bella Hadid, and Heywell claim that extracts from mood-stabilising plants and fungi called adaptogens—such as L-theanine from green tea, ashwagandha, and reishi mushrooms—can elevate serotonin, ease stress, and aid sleep. Adaptogens have also made their way into upgraded mocktails from brands like De Soi, cofounded by Katy Perry, and Ghia. Zero-proof-spirit brand Aplós pairs five uplifting adaptogens said to increase the production of serotonin and dopamine with vitamins D3 and B12 in its Arise drink.

As for what they taste like? Aplós Arise delivers the flavour cues of tequila, while Calme is more like a citrus herbal iced tea. Heywell mimics fruit-infused sparkling water, and Sunwink’s tonics are like wellness shots in the form of refreshing iced tea. Kin’s Bloom is sparkling and fruity, like a glass of rosé (minus the alcohol). I found that some of the drinks pictured here really did give me a boost of sustained energy, and others lent a feeling of calm. And while adaptogens have been shown in studies to blunt the effects of stress, more research is needed on other claims—especially since not all adaptogens are created equal, says Atlanta dietitian Marisa Moore. Bottom line: Functional beverages aren’t subject to FDA approval, so experts suggest finding a drink that not only feels good but is tasty too.

One category capitalising on flavour: pre-biotic sodas that help feed the good bacteria in your gut. Olipop, fueled by plant fibers, and Poppi, dosed with apple-cider vinegar, put a nostalgic, low-sugar spin on flavours like root beer and cherry cola. I could barely tell the difference between a Diet Pepsi and Poppi Classic Cola in a blind taste test. “The number-one reason people drink Poppi is for the taste, and that’s where kombucha fell short,” says cofounder Allison Ellsworth.

The wellness benefits of these tonics might be hard to quantify, but the experience of sipping one—and Instagramming it—makes me happy, and isn’t that a benefit in and of itself? “Millennials and Gen Z disrupted the industry by adding a cool factor to drinks with health benefits,” Hernández adds. “They’re not only fun, they’re a status symbol, like a fashion piece.”

This piece originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar US