Quick Review – Olipop Doctor Goodwin

Doctor Goodwin is a $2.50, “healthy” Dr. Pepper clone from Olipop. It’s got 45 calories, lower sugar than a regular soda, and fiber for pooping. There are also fiber-adjacent prebiotics, promoted as good for your “microbiome,” although the FDA has not, last I checked, recognized any particular food product for its “gut health” claims.

Real Dr. Pepper claims 23 flavors, but the main ones are cherry and almond (the flavor of maraschino cherries). Doctor Goodwin tastes more like a cherry fruit punch with hints of air freshener and, I swear, caramel corn. Famously, Dr. Pepper has denied the rumor that it contains prune juice, but Doctor Goodwin has both prune and plum concentrates.

Dr. Pepper’s full ingredient list is largely hidden inside “natural and artificial flavors.” Doctor Goodwin is a little more upfront, but still lumps a bunch of stuff together as “natural spice flavor” and “natural spice flavor.” At least, Doctor Goodwin’s label lists tart cherry juice, lemon juice, Himalayan pink salt, and double-fold vanilla.

Most Olipop sodas don’t include caffeine, but Doctor Goodwin has about 50 mg from green tea extract, as do the cola and cherry cola flavors. That’s a little more than a Dr. Pepper (41 mg), or a Coke (34 mg.) For comparison, a cup of coffee is 95 mg and a Celsius energy drink is 200 mg.