Neurotransmitter and soda? The latest functional ingredients in your drink

A drinks can with ice, mint and lemon alongside

For more wellbeing guides, check out our 10 ways to boost energy and our health expert guide to serotonin – what it is and how to boost it for your health.

Why drink water when you could choose a beverage that boosts your gut health with prebiotics, calms you with cannabinoids or even enhances your cognitive function?

That’s the sort of proposition being put to us by a new generation of functional drinks brands, whose fast-growing niche encompasses nutrient-enriched sodas, mushroom supplements, hydrating electrolyte powders, CBD drinks, GABA spirits and more.

It seems that there’s now a brightly branded drink for every ailment or aspiration – but how do they taste, and do they function as claimed? I sampled a cornucopia of functional drinks to find out.

What is a functional drink?

You might wonder what distinguishes a functional drink from other drinks which have always been prized for their specific effects, such as coffee or alcohol.

Food scientists call products of this type ‘nutraceuticals’, which the Cambridge Dictionary defines as “a food to which vitamins, minerals, or drugs have been added to make it healthier”. Researchers have long recognised the potential for beverages to act as a “nutraceutical delivery system”, and the current functional drinks boom sees that idea reaching commercial fruition.

“Driven largely by younger consumers, the market is due to grow in sales approximately 34% YoY, and firms are investing heavily in the space, specifically in new science-led innovations,” says Amanda Hardwick, a headhunter at Hartmann Young, which recruits for functional drinks brands.

“Rather than the standard caffeine boost and crash, these products provide broader benefits such as better gut health, relaxation, and mental clarity,” she adds.

“It started out as a trend that has now transitioned into a way of life for health-conscious people.”

CBD drinks

Just a decade ago, few among us would have expected that CBD drinks would soon be stocked at supermarkets like Waitrose and Sainsburys, with one maker ranking as the fastest growing soft drinks brand in the UK by 2023.

These drinks contain a plant compound called cannabidiol, which is found naturally in cannabis. It is not considered psychoactive when used in isolation from THC (a high-inducing cannabinoid which can cause anxiety and paranoia). Cannabidiol, as found in CBD drinks, is thought to have mostly positive effects, including relief from stress, anxiety and pain.

The amount of cannabidiol in CBD drinks is often (but not always) lower than the doses found in other CBD products such as oils. Weaker ones are a good entry point for those interested in trying CBD, albeit not the best option if you're seeking a strong therapeutic effect.

Leading brand, Trip, makes tasty CBD sodas that have taken the UK by storm. Their raspberry orange blossom flavour (containing a hearty 25mg of CBD, as well as some magnesium and l-theanine) is crisp, refreshing and flavourful – and it did seem to chill me out after a frenzied house-cleaning session.

Nutritionist, Holly Dunn, warns that there’s limited scientific evidence around the efficacy of CBD products or the long-term effects of CBD consumption.

“Whilst small clinical trials (using verified CBD) suggest it to be safe to use, large-scale evidence of safety is lacking, and there is no definitive consensus on the safety of CBD drinks,” she says.

“Many of these products incorporate a variety of sweeteners and flavour enhancers using a sparkling water base. Some of these ingredients, like erythritol, can cause digestive problems in some individuals, especially when consumed in significant quantities. It’s a contentious subject in the nutrition industry!”

Hydrating electrolyte drinks

Some functional drinks are prepared at home, by mixing powder or an effervescent tablet with water or other drinks, like coffee.

Hydration drinks supposedly hydrate you far more thoroughly than water. They contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, combined with glucose. Collectively, these ingredients replace salt lost in sweat and can support kidney function.

I tried one brand, O.R.S. Hydration Tablets, on a particularly parched morning, and I did seem to feel less thirsty for a few hours afterwards. There was an unmistakable salty, mineral taste to the drink, but this was nicely counterbalanced by a range of mellow fruit flavours – Blackcurrent being my favourite. The same brand’s ‘Sports’ formulations (I liked the Orange flavour) have added vitamin D to support muscle function, while the ‘Immune’ option incorporates vitamins C and D3, iron and zinc.

Another brand, Liquid I.V., provides its hydrating electrolyte drinks as a powder. I tried the Raspberry Lemonade, which has an oddly satisfying, sherbety-yet-salty flavour that proves livening after exercise. I certainly felt well hydrated for hours after drinking. There’s also a Watermelon flavour, which could give you some fruity variety if consuming these drinks daily.

According to Dunn, the average person can get all the electrolytes needed for health and proper hydration by maintaining a healthy, balanced diet – but there are exceptions where a top-up could be beneficial.

“If you’re exercising intensely for over an hour (especially in the heat) or sweating a lot due to heat, illness, hormonal factors or personal disposition, you might be losing more minerals through sweat than your body is able to replace efficiently,” she says.

“Electrolyte replacement supplements come in various drinkable forms, but it’s worth noting that real foods like salted nuts, cheese sticks, jerky, marmite can also be used to replace these minerals.”

Mushroom supplements

Like many, I have a distrust of mushrooms, so I felt wary of trying this type of functional drink.

Nonetheless, there are many mushroom supplements on the market, most of which are designed for adding to tea, coffee or water as a concentrated extract or powder.

New brand Mush offers three types of mushroom extract to enrich your drinks, including reishi (‘Mush Stress Less’), cordyceps (‘Mush Energy’) and chaga (‘Mush Defence’). Pipetted into tea, I found that the reishi extract added a slight earthy tang (which was in no way unpleasant) to a cup of Earl Grey. I’m not sure whether it made me feel calmer, but I certainly took on board a hearty dose of the adaptogenic fungus, which is believed to lower our cortisol levels.

If you’ve targeted a certain type of mushroom extract for its specific reputed health effects, why not consume it in the form of a satisfyingly rich cuppa?

Neurotransmitters and soda? The latest functional ingredients in your drink

Prebiotic drinks

In basic terms, a prebiotic is a foodstuff that strengthens good bacteria in the gut. Plant-based fibre from vegetables and fruits is a key source, and there’s a good array of very pleasant drinks on the market that deliver these prebiotics in amped-up quantities.

My favourite example, Jamu Wild Water, is wonderfully refreshing, with mild but satisfying fruit flavours. The brand’s Sparkling Raspberry flavour is especially delicious, and gives you 5g of prebiotic plant fibre. 10% of the company’s profits are used to help fund rewilding projects and support young people, so as well as feeling some initial benefits, you might eventually spot some wider ones while spending time in nature.

I was also a big fan of XOXO, a brand specialising in prebiotic-rich, low-sugar, plant-based sodas. As a lover of watermelon sodas (which are often very high in sugar), I gravitated to its Watermelon flavour. It contains real watermelon juice, but most of the prebiotic content (6g) comes from XOXO’s fibre mix (also used in other flavours) of tapioca dextrin, Jerusalem artichoke and acacia gum.

If you’d prefer a more efficient gulp to take on your regular prebiotic top-up, Deeply’s Gut Health Food with prebiotic plant fibre drinks would be a great pick. Served in a tiny 65ml bottle, the brand’s Carrot & Ginger with Turmeric recipe gives you one quarter (7.5g) of your RDA of plant fibre. It’s tasty, has the consistency of a thick smoothie, and also contains high levels of vitamins B9 and D3.

“There is still a lack of evidence on how specific combinations of prebiotics in a soda or another ready-to-drink form affect gut microbiota structure, diversity, and function,” says Dunn, “but I do think this drink category shows some promise overall and may be an enjoyable way to increase prebiotics in a person’s diet, if used in moderation.”

Alcohol alternatives (and a hangover healer)

With many people now turning their backs on alcohol – or at least planning to reduce their intake – beverage makers have stepped up their efforts to produce drinks that mirror the drug’s good effects, without its worst downsides.

Sentia’s GABA spirits are one interesting example, made with combinations of plant-based ingredients that aim to activate the neurotransmitter GABA, which reduces nerve cell hyperactivity and therefore promotes calm. I thought that this brand’s spirits tasted great, especially Sentia GABA Gold, which made a spicy, zingy combination with lime soda. It certainly made me feel calm, convivial, and perhaps even a little heady.

With a similar focus on plant-based active ingredients (but not targeting GABA), Three Spirit Drinks produces a delicious range of ‘botanical elixirs’ with various intended effects. I loved this brand’s Livener spirit, which left me feeling perky with a combination of deep berry and peppery flavours. (Its content of caffeine-rich guayusa and potentially cognition-boosting schisandra surely helped in this regard.)

While I now plan on making these non-alcoholic spirits a part of my social life, I’m not likely to stop drinking alcohol entirely. But even on boozier occasions, functional drinks may still have a role to play.

Research has shown that consuming Korean shingo pear prior to drinking alcohol can reduce the severity of hangover symptoms by 16-21%. I tried a pouch of Pre-Pear, a convenient vehicle for the traditional drinker’s remedy, before enjoying a hearty quantity of beer, and I think it’d be accurate to say my hangover symptoms were about one fifth less horrendous than they might’ve been.

The drink itself is not to my taste (although others have praised its flavour), with a strange hint of a spaghetti hoops umami mingled with the pear’s sweetness. But it was well worth drinking for its meaningful benefits to my concentration and mood the following day.

Where to start with functional drinks?

Although the sea of empty cans and bottles in my recycling bin would suggest otherwise, I’ve merely scratched the surface of the functional drinks market.

Many of the enticingly branded beverages I tested were a pleasure to drink, and they did seem to provide the advertised benefits in some cases. But with that said, the health functions you want or need might already be available in other drinks (or foods).

While writing this article, I visited Seb Wilkey, owner of a small, independent kombucha business, Kommy B, to taste a new, experimental sour cherry kombucha. Made with locally sourced organic fruit, the drink tasted radically more flavourful and interesting than any widely produced functional drink I’ve sampled. Other Kommy B creations, such as an elderflower kombucha, have been made with foraged ingredients.

“As I’ve gotten older I’ve decided against poisoning my body with alcohol, and instead to make and drink something that’s not only delicious, but beneficial to my health,” says Wilkey.

“Because it contains probiotics – healthy, live bacteria – kombucha can help with gut health and digestion, and it also has antioxidants such as polyphenols, which can help prevent disease and reduce inflammation.”

So, you might find your next functional drink (or at least the ingredients to make it), in a garden, hedgerow or farmer’s market, rather than on a supermarket shelf.

I’m personally happy to recommend any of the functional drinks featured in this article – although those with health conditions or in special circumstances should consult a healthcare provider before trying a type of drink or particular active ingredient that’s new to them. For instance, Dunn advises against drinking kombucha during pregnancy. Check the ingredients list before you buy, then try your chosen drink in moderation.

Although skeptical over certain types of functional drinks, Holly Dunn believes there’s a place for these drinks as an alternative to alcoholic and sugar-sweetened beverages.

“I think this is where functional drinks can inject some excitement into a growing market and help to satisfy increasing demand for alcohol-free beverages especially,” she says.

“That said, I would always remain mindful of the exaggerated claims about the health benefits of a single product. Rather than a dietary necessity, functional drinks may simply serve as a tasty addition to your life, with a little potential for good.”