For an energy boost before a long day at work, a challenging workout, or a late-night study session, many individuals turn to energy drinks. Not all energy drinks, though, are healthy. The majority of energy drinks contain sugars, caffeine, and artificial flavours, all of which are bad for one’s health.
There are many healthy energy drinks on the market today that have beneficial vitamins and minerals and less sugar, caffeine, and calories.
WHAT ARE ENERGY DRINKS?
Energy drinks are touted as offering mental and physical stimulation because they contain stimulant substances, most often caffeine. In addition to sugar and other sweeteners, herbal extracts, taurine, and amino acids may be carbonated or not. As opposed to sports beverages, which are promoted as enhancing athletic performance, they are a subset of the larger category of energy goods, which also include bars and gels. There are many different brands and varieties of drinks in this category.
There is scant to no empirical evidence that the other ingredients in energy drinks—which also contain sugar and caffeine—have any impact. Most of the impacts on cognitive performance, including improved focus and responsiveness, are caused by caffeine. Other studies claim that the combination of substances’ actions are what led to enhanced performance. Advertisements for energy drinks frequently tout improved power and endurance, but there is no supporting data from science.
Young people are encouraged to drink energy drinks because they offer the health benefits of caffeine as well as those from the other substances they contain. Health professionals claim that energy drinks with caffeine increase alertness. Energy drink marketers have mostly targeted teens, sponsoring or advertising at extreme sports competitions and music festivals as well as focusing on a young demographic on social media.
Selecting a healthy energy drink can occasionally be difficult and time-consuming. Making a decision when faced with numerous options and conflicting marketing messages can be overwhelming and challenging. Let us see a few energy drinks that are healthy in nature too.
1] Yachak
Another yerba mate-based beverage made organically, Yachak has a similar composition to Guyaki’s yerba mate but somewhat more sugar and caffeine. A 15.5-ounce can contains 165 milligrammes of caffeine. It is consequently among the beverages on our list with the highest caffeine content.
Each can of Yachak has 150 calories and 34 grammes of sugar ( excluding Berry Red, which contains 33 grammes of sugar). Although it may seem like a lot of sugar, the “organic cane sugar” is USDA organic certified, Fair Trade certified, and Non-GMO verified.
The following flavours of this beverage are available: blackberry, passionfruit, ultimate mint, berry red, and berry blue.
2] NeuroSonic
The second beverage on the list is neuroSONIC, a product of the Neuro brand, which also sells other beverages like one that boosts immunity and sleeps quality. Each beverage is made to help the user with a specific component of their way of life. After drinking the neuroSONIC beverage, users are said to feel renewed and rejuvenated. Their website also advertises beverages like neuroBLISS for stress alleviation and neuro sleep for improved sleep.
L-Theanine is a common ingredient in neuroSONIC and several other energy drinks. L-Theanine is typically added to drinks that increase attention and energy since it is believed to improve brain function, according to Medical News Today. Blood pressure management, immunity, and stress reduction are further possible benefits.
Each serving of this neuroSONIC beverage has 35 calories. In this instance, a serving size is equal to one 14.5-ounce bottle. There are 9 grammes of sugar in each beverage. Additionally, it has brain enhancers that combine to improve concentration, focus, short-term memory, and energy. One of the best natural energy beverages on the market, in fact.
Antioxidants, vitamins D2, B6, and B12 are also present. The two flavours that are offered are blood orange passion and superfruit infusion.
3] EBOOST super fuel
In addition to having 110 milligrammes of caffeine per 11.5-ounce can, 10 or 15 calories, and a range of vitamins and minerals, EBOOST energy drinks are non-GMO, keto-friendly, gluten-free, and soy-free. Despite being relatively new to the market, BevNET media rated this beverage as one of the year’s top new items.
Electrolytes like potassium, which promote hydration, are one of the additional advantages of EBoost, making it suited as both a sports drink and an energy booster. Additionally, it includes silymarin, a potent antioxidant that improves liver function, and dihydromyricetin, a herbal extract that some experts think may alleviate hangovers. Orange Mango, Ginger Lime, and Strawberry Lemonade are the three delicious flavours available.
4] Matcha LOVE
Green tea and matcha are combined in Matcha Love Energy, a wholesome energy drink that promotes mental clarity and a mild energy boost that is high in antioxidants. ITO EN is a Japanese firm that specialises in green tea goods, and Matcha LOVE is just one of their numerous items.
The 5.2-ounce can of the unsweetened Matcha LOVE beverage weighs 28 milligrammes of caffeine. There is slightly more caffeine in the sweetened version of the same size, which is roughly 29 milligrammes.
Depending on the quality of the tea, Matcha LOVE’s health benefits may differ. ITO EN claims that the matcha utilised in these beverages is high-quality and sourced from Japan.
5] Celcius
Celsius is an excellent option if you need an energy boost when working out. It aims to increase energy and metabolism before exercise. The manufacturer claims that this fictitious “dietary supplement” could increase your body fat loss and calorie expenditure when exercising.
According to Celsius, this can happen when green tea, caffeine, ginger root extract, taurine, and guarana are used to speed up the metabolism. These final two ingredients are frequently seen in energy drinks. Every Celsius can, according to the manufacturer, is sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and kosher. Each can of Celsius has a whooping 200mg of caffeine.
Each Celsius can have some vitamins and nutrients depending on the type. B, C, B6, and B12 vitamins are contained in Celsius.
How to choose an energy drink?
Energy drinks are not very healthy and should only be consumed occasionally. This is due to the high doses of sugar and caffeine in some energy drinks. However, there are numerous energy drinks on the market that have little to no sugar and a decent amount of caffeine. These energy drinks are less harmful to your health even though they aren’t precisely “healthy.”
However, as long as you don’t already have any health problems, it’s completely fine to drink one or two of the healthier energy drinks each day. Additionally, a modest amount of caffeine might be advantageous for you; however, if you consume too much, you run the danger of developing health problems.
There are some nutritional and ingredient claims you must watch out for when purchasing an energy drink.
Sugar levels
Numerous energy drinks have significant sugar content, and too much sugar is bad for you. Due to its immediate energy boost and ability to sweeten the taste, sugar is a prominent ingredient in energy drinks. Sugar usually gives you short-lived energy that is followed by a sugar crash. Long-term use of excess sugar has been related to a number of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, several types of cancer, and, of course, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Look for sugar-free energy drinks when you’re purchasing them. If you can’t locate a sugar-free energy drink, look for one with significantly less sugar and calories than the competition.
Caffeine levels
When searching for the healthiest energy drink, you should also take caffeine concentration into account. The FDA generally advises keeping daily caffeine intake to no more than 400mg. When consumed in excess, caffeine can lead to a number of health problems, including headaches, anxiety, and insomnia. This means that you should choose a healthy energy drink with a moderate dose of caffeine.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the average healthy adult can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine each day. This was supported by a group from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which similarly came to the conclusion that people can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day.
Amino acid derivatives
Look for an energy drink that contains a decent level of taurine, B vitamins, and other components while looking for healthy energy drinks. The commonly cited but essentially useless additions L-theanine and B vitamins are acceptable, but they are not a selling factor. Supplements that offer additional health benefits are definitely a plus.
Energy drinks often include a variety of additional compounds in addition to caffeine to increase overall energy levels, such as taurine and a B vitamin complex. When coupled with coffee, the amino acid taurine enhances cognitive function. Contrarily, your body needs B vitamins in order to convert food into energy. Despite the fact that B vitamins are water-soluble, taking too much of them can be harmful.
HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO THE CONSUMPTION OF ENERGY DRINKS
Due to the high sugar and caffeine content, using energy drinks in excess can have major health consequences, especially for kids, teenagers, and young adults. Adults’ sleep cycles may be disrupted by excessive energy drink usage, which has also been linked to a rise in risk-taking behaviour. Extreme or regular energy drink intake can lead to cardiac problems like arrhythmias and heart attacks as well as psychological problems like anxiety and phobias.
Energy drinks with added sugar and caffeine have been blamed for several athlete fatalities in Europe. The studies found that there was a need for more research and government regulation and that the combination of other ingredients in energy drinks made them riskier than beverages with just caffeine.
Additionally, a considerable number of visits to the emergency room are brought on by the usage and abuse of these caffeinated beverages. The United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that patients consumed energy drinks alone in 58% of cases, while in 42% of cases they blended them with another stimulant.
More than 400 mg of caffeine per day has been related to anxiety, irritability, insomnia, increased urination, dyspepsia, and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia). The dilating of the pupils has also been connected to excessive intake.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against giving caffeinated energy drinks to kids.
TAKEAWAY
Your energy level, attentiveness, and concentration will all enhance thanks to energy drinks. They are consumed by people of all ages, and their acceptance is expanding. By boosting brain function and assisting your body in functioning when you’re fatigued, healthy energy drinks might help you perform better when you’re weary or sleep-deprived.
Energy drinks, however, come with a number of health hazards, particularly those connected to overconsumption of caffeine, and sugar content, and combining them with alcohol.
Avoid “energy shots” and limit your daily intake of healthy energy drinks to 16 ounces (473 ml). Try to keep your intake of other caffeinated beverages to a minimum to avoid the side effects of too much caffeine.
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