Healthy Energy Drinks

While coffee has been a beloved pick-me-up beverage for centuries, energy drinks have taken the front stage in recent decades.

Large brands like Rockstar, Monster, and Redbull have dominated the market across the world, promoting an alternative to coffee that appeals to all ages.

Despite this success, many questions about the effects of energy drinks on our health remain unanswered.

Are energy drinks healthy?

Can I drink them every day?

What is the healthiest energy drink?

This article covers everything you need to know about these energy-boosting beverages, from the worst and safest energy drinks to how to find energy drinks that are good for you.

How Healthy Are Energy Drinks?

All energy drinks are different, so it is impossible to make a sweeping claim that energy drinks are healthy or unhealthy.

The nutritional value of an energy drink depends on the ingredients they contain.

That being said, many energy drinks are not good for you. Unfortunately, the most popular, tasty energy drinks on the market tend to be the worst ones.

This is large because these energy drinks contain high sugar and caffeine levels, both of which can lead to an array of health issues, which we will touch on later.

However, there are also healthier energy drink options on the market.

These drinks contain lower sugar and caffeine levels, and they might even include other healthy ingredients that provide additional benefits.

In addition, when it comes to energy drinks, moderation is key.

Consuming too much of even the healthiest energy drink out there can do more harm than good.

Why Some Energy Drinks Are Marketed as “Healthy”

As I mentioned above, the nutritional value of an energy drink depends on its individual ingredients.

Some energy drinks are marketed as “healthy” because they might have lower sugar and caffeine levels than comparable products.

However, just because a company advertises its energy drink as “healthy” does not mean it is actually healthy.

As health-conscious consumers, we have to be the judge of these claims by taking a closer look at a product’s active ingredients.

Healthy Energy Drink Ingredients to Look For

If you are trying to find the safest energy drink, you should look for these ingredients.

Low Sugar Content

The very first thing you should look for in a healthy energy drink is little to no sugar content.

Sugar is a very effective energy booster, which is why many energy drinks have shockingly high levels of it.

It tastes pretty darn good too, which leaves people wanting more.

However, if you want a natural, sustainable boost of energy, sugar is not the way to go.

Luckily, there are plenty of energy drinks with zero sugars to choose from.

There is a common misconception that low or zero-sugar drinks are worse than their sugary counterparts because they contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which can cause cancer.

However, the amount of artificial sweeteners in these beverages is so low that their use is considered safe by the FDA.

So do not let this discourage you from trying zero-sugar energy drinks.

Reasonable Caffeine Levels

Let’s be honest, caffeine is the real reason we reach for an energy drink or coffee throughout the day.

And while caffeine gets a bad rep, it is okay to drink in moderation.

The FDA recommends drinking 400 mg of caffeine or less per day, so you should look for energy drinks that have caffeine levels within that range.

Additional Health-Boosting Ingredients

Low sugar and caffeine levels are great, but the healthiest energy drink will contain ingredients that provide additional health benefits.

Common additional ingredients include vitamin B, taurine, L-Theanine, and Creatine.

Vitamin B Complexes

Vitamin B contributes to a variety of essential bodily functions, from breaking down amino acids to generate energy to transferring oxygen and energy throughout the body. (Source)

Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid that improves blood flow regulation.

It complements caffeine and, when used together, can enhance concentration and increase energy levels. (Source)

L-Theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid that provides a calming effect.

When consumed with caffeine, it can offset caffeine’s negative side effects and provide a smoother energy boost. (Source)

Creatine

Creatine is an amino acid that is known to enhance athletic performance.

It is commonly found in pre-workout supplements and might complement caffeine’s effects.

However, many energy drinks do not include enough creatine to be considered effective.

3 Healthy Energy Drinks Worth Trying

It can be hard to find energy drinks that are good for you and taste good.

Wondering what is the healthiest energy drink on the market?

Here are three options that are low in sugar, have reasonable caffeine levels, and contain additional health benefits.

1. Celsius Energy Drinks

Celsius offers an array of energy drinks that come with unique benefits.

With so many different flavors, there is a Celsius drink for every taste palette.

In addition, all of their products are gluten-free, suitable for vegan diets, and contain zero sugars, which are all markers of a healthy energy drink.

The one downside of Celsius is that it uses proprietary blends.

If you do not know what a proprietary blend is, it is a mixture or “blend” of ingredients commonly used in supplements.

The company typically owns their “blend” so that it can not be replicated by other competing companies.

Because proprietary blends are a mixture of ingredients, consumers do not know how much value each ingredient provides.

Therefore, you do not know how impactful each ingredient is.

I will go over this in more detail in the next section if you are interested in learning more.

In my humble opinion, the fact that Celsius uses proprietary blends makes it less credible.

However, it is well-received and contains zero added sugars. Of all the energy drinks out there, Celsius is on the healthier side.

2. G Fuel Energy Formula

The G Fuel Energy Formula is a popular energy drink in the gaming world for improving energy levels and enhancing concentration.

It checks off many of the “healthy” energy drink boxes.

It contains zero sugar, which is good.

You should be able to take this without crashing later in the day.

G Fuel also contains additional ingredients that deliver potential health benefits.

Taurine is included, which is one of the ingredients I said to look for in an energy drink.

However, these additional benefits are packaged in proprietary blends.

It is hard to say how much Taurine is in this and how much value it offers.

Compared to all the energy drinks, G Fuel is a healthier product.

3. Monster Zero Ultra

I give the original Monster Energy its due criticism in a later section, but Monster Zero Ultra is not that bad.

In fact, it also checks off most of the “healthy” energy drink boxes.

First, it contains zero sugar, which is a huge plus.

Second, it contains 150 mg of caffeine in every serving, which is within the limits of the FDA’s recommendation.

It also offers a variety of flavors so that there is something for everyone.

Monster Zero Ultra contains neither extra health-boosting ingredients nor proprietary blends.

So while you might be missing out on helpful ingredients like vitamin B and Taurine, you have transparency on which ingredients you are getting, which is equally as important.

Unhealthy Energy Drink Ingredients to Avoid

Unfortunately, there are far more unhealthy energy drinks than healthy ones.

The worst energy drink will have the following ingredients.

Sugar

I said earlier in this article that healthy energy drinks should contain little or no sugar.

In the same light, you can assume any energy drink that is high in sugar is bad for you.

While sugar can give you an instant energy boost, it can also cause a crash later.

In addition, excess sugar is linked to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Not fun. (Source)

Proprietary Blends

Proprietary blends are a mixture or “blend” of ingredients that are commonly used in supplements.

The company typically owns its “blend” so that it can not be copied by other competing companies.

The fact that all of these valuable ingredients are combined in one “blend” makes the product more desirable for consumers.

However, consumers are only told which ingredients are included in the proprietary blend, not how much of each ingredient is included.

In other words, the potency or value of each ingredient is hidden from consumers.

So, you might be wondering why this is a problem.

If you do not know the amount of each ingredient included, it is impossible to know how effective it is.

A blend could contain over 50 ingredients that sound great on the label, but if there is not enough of each ingredient, then the product is not really providing the consumer any benefit.

Unhealthy Energy Drinks To Avoid

The following three products win the “worst energy drink” prize and should be avoided.

1. Monster Energy

Of all energy drinks out there, the original Monster Energy has to be among the worst.

This drink is nothing but empty calories.

For instance, just one can contain 27 grams sugar and 160 mg caffeine.

That is almost your daily sugar recommendation in just one drink.

2. Rockstar

Rockstar is basically the same as Monster Energy, if not worse.

Just one 16-ounce bottle has 250 calories and over 60 grams of sugar.

That is over 100% of your recommended sugar intake in one single drink.

Yikes.

3. 5 Hour Energy

5 Hour Energy seems like a healthy energy drink, as it contains zero sugar.

But it also has over 2000% of your recommended vitamin B intake, which can cause side effects. (Source)

Alternative Solutions To Energy Drinks

While “healthy” energy drinks are better than “regular” energy drinks, there are even better ways to naturally boost your energy levels, including:

1. Red Superfood Powders

Red superfood powders are nutritional powder blends that contain mostly red ingredients like tomatoes and berries.

They are a better alternative to energy drinks because they contain ingredients that naturally provide the benefits that energy drinks can only offer artificially.

Red superfood powders can boost energy levels, support immune health, and enhance heart health.

Plus, its fruity ingredients give these powders a delicious taste.

2. Reds And Greens Powders

Red and greens powders provide the best of both worlds.

They contain the nutritional ingredients often included in red powders in addition to the leafy greens found in green powders.

This two-in-one powder results in double health benefits at an affordable cost.

A red and green powder is the way to go if you want a drink that gives you energy while helping you meet your nutritional needs.

3. Mushroom Coffee

Mushroom coffee is a blend of medicinal mushrooms and coffee.

Medicinal mushrooms promote longevity and well-being and, when combined with coffee, these benefits are amplified.

Mushroom coffee provides an array of health benefits, from boosting energy levels and enhancing concentration to reducing stress levels and promoting gut health.

The taste is similar to but slightly earthier than regular coffee.

Mushroom coffee is a better alternative to energy drinks because it is naturally full of antioxidants, and its rich flavor means that artificial sweeteners are not needed.

Plus, there are plenty of delicious mushroom coffee products on the market to choose from

Final Thoughts

When it comes to energy drinks, moderation is key.

When you do want a quick energy fix, it is best to opt for energy drinks that are low in sugar, have under 400mg of caffeine, and contain additional healthy ingredients.

However, an unhealthy energy drink every now and then will unlikely have a long-term impact on your health.

At the end of the day, no energy drinks are better than “healthy” energy drinks.

If you are looking to ditch energy drinks entirely, mushroom coffee, red powders, and red and green powders are more natural, healthy ways to give your energy levels a kickstart.

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