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Best Energy Drinks for Health (Healthier Options)

Best Energy Drinks for Health (Healthier Options)

Top Recommendation: REIZE Energy!

Have you ever wondered how energy drinks affect your health?

I’d say it’s going to lead to side effects if consumed in excess. On the other hand, it works well in terms f providing you with the boost that you need to get through your daily task or physical activities.

In my opinion, even the healthiest things can become unhealthy in excess. The key is moderation. But XS Energy and REIZE are just some of the energy drinks worth trying.

Settle in while we dissect the issue of how healthy (or unhealthy) energy drinks are!

Is caffeine healthy?

Yes, caffeine has a range of health benefits if consumed in moderation.

Caffeine is a natural stimulant commonly found in coffee, tea and chocolates among other foods and beverages. Caffeine is also an ingredient that is common to all energy drinks.

Caffeine stimulates the brain and central nervous system, enabling you to stay awake and alert. 

Other than that, caffeine is also a mood booster that works by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine.

Studies have also shown that consuming coffee lowered the risk of suicide by 45% and also reduced rates of depression by 13%. 

Wow, drink up.

Caffeine can also help to protect against diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. 

Not to mention, something most of us would be more excited about – caffeine helps to boost metabolism by 11% and indirectly can speed up weight loss by 13% by burning fat. 

While there are a bunch of health benefits of caffeine, that doesn’t mean that you should start chugging cups of coffee or cans of energy drinks.

Caffeine addiction is a genuine concern and can pose a real threat to our health.

Did you know that the recommended daily intake of caffeine is 400mg and you shouldn’t consume more than 200mg per dose? 

If you consume more caffeine than you can tolerate, you might experience these side effects:

  • anxiety
  • restlessness
  • tremors
  • irregular heartbeat
  • trouble sleeping
  • headaches or migraines

Also, if you’re on medication, are a diabetic, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should pay close attention to your caffeine intake.

For the record, here’s a table of what the FDA recommends you take your daily caffeine.

AgeRecommended Daily Amount
Kids60-80 mg
Teenagers 100 mg
18 and above400 mg
FDA-Recommended Daily Caffeine Intake

Is sugar healthy?

Sugar is everywhere and is a huge part of daily food and drink intake, but it’s not healthy. 

Sugar occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables, which is fine. It’s the sugar that’s “hidden” in many foods and drinks that cause them to exceed the recommended daily intake.

Always read the label on your food and drink items, including energy drinks to identify how much sugar is in them.

It can be in the form of cane sugar, corn syrup, honey and apple juice concentrate (anything that sounds sweet).

Here are some reasons why you should cut down on your sugar consumption:

  • sugar triggers acne
  • sugar can increase your risk of depression
  • sugar can accelerate the skin ageing process

Also, as much as sugar provides you with short-term energy, it also drains your energy.

You will often find yourself in a sugar crash situation and will end up feeling lethargic. In order to avoid a sugar crash, consume less sugar. Having a little here is OK, but don’t overdo it.

How about artificial sweeteners? Some say they’re worst than sugar.

In the short term, artificial sweeteners won’t cause weight gain, or increase your glucose level, thus avoiding potential diseases that regular sugar might trigger. However, in the long run, artificial sweeteners might also pose some health risks.

The fact is that there isn’t conclusive data either way on the issue. To stay safe, reduce your intake of both regular sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Cutting down on sugar is one of the smartest things you can do for your health.

When it comes to choosing the best energy drink for your health, choose one with little or no sugar, like REIZE, which is sugar-free.

Are sugar-free energy drinks healthy?

Yes, zero-sugar energy drinks are healthier than sugar-filled energy drinks, but they usually have artificial sweeteners in place of sugar.

Artificial sweeteners have no calorific value, thus you would not put on the extra weight and your glucose levels won’t skyrocket.

However, this doesn’t mean you should replace nutritious meals with sugar-free energy drinks. 

Energy drinks are not a replacement for healthy eating, but they can provide supplementary energy when you need a boost.

Read more about sugar-free energy drinks and weight gain in this article.

If you’re looking for sugar-free energy drinks, I have also listed a few in this article.

What is the healthiest energy drink?

I personally prefer an energy drink that is sugar-free, contains few calories and has a caffeine content of between 50 and 100mg per serving.

This combination allows me to have an energy drink without having to worry about health issues.

I’ll recommend a few of the healthiest energy drinks for you in a moment.

Is coffee healthier than energy drinks?

Coffee and energy drinks seem to be pretty similar, both in terms of caffeine and sugar.

However, coffee is more “natural” as compared to energy drinks which are manufactured. Energy drinks also have many other ingredients in them compared to a cup of coffee.

On the surface, it appears that coffee is healthier than energy drinks, but it also depends on what type of energy drinks you’re consuming. Also, depending on what you add to your coffee, it may not be healthier than the average energy drink at all.

How many Red Bulls can I drink in a day?

I would recommend limiting your Red Bull intake to only 1 can per day. 

A can of Red Bull contains 27g of sugar, 80mg of caffeine and 110 calories.

The 27g of sugar alone already exceeds the recommended daily sugar intake, which is why you should be aware of your consumption.

If you still want to drink Red Bull, I suggest you go for Red Bull Total Zero which is the sugar-free and zero-calorie version.  

Is it healthy to drink energy drinks daily?

I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s healthy, but it is safe to drink energy drinks on a daily basis and in moderation.

It’s also important to choose ones that are low in sugar, and calories and with only a moderate amount of caffeine.

If you’re curious about what’s going to happen if you drink energy drinks every day, the video below explains it!

What happens if you drink energy drinks daily?

What’s the worst energy drink for my health?

If I have to name one, I would say Monster Energy Drink, just because it contains 54g of sugar in a single can. That’s almost triple the maximum recommended daily sugar intake.

However, I don’t think that Monster is particularly unhealthy for you either. But, if I need to single one out, in my opinion, I think that the high sugar content in Monster makes it a candidate.

Having said that, there are plenty of other ways that you could determine the most and least healthy energy drinks that would not see Monster finish last. Actually, on some of those measures, Monster might actually perform well against the alternatives.

In fact, I think it’s perfectly fine to drink Monster every day as long as the rest of your diet is balanced and healthy.

But, for me, I try to avoid sugar. For that reason alone, Monster gets my vote.

I don’t think that any energy drinks are terrible for your health, despite them often getting a bad rap as an entire category.

For a closer look at whether Monster energy drink is bad for you or not, check out my other article where I cover the topic in a lot more detail.

Energy Drinks to Avoid

You should avoid energy drinks with high caffeine and sugar. Also, you should take note of ingredients that might trigger an allergic reaction.

Most energy drinks are highly caffeinated. That said, you should learn to listen to your body each time you consume a can or serving of your favourite energy drink. It is best to stop once you feel any discomfort.

In addition, ingredients like guarana may trigger allergic reactions in some people. Perhaps an allergic test is something that should be done before really getting into energy drinks.

What can I drink instead of energy drinks?

Instead of energy drinks, you can go for:

  • coffee
  • tea
  • Yerba Mate
  • kombucha
  • teeccino
  • matcha green tea

Energy Drinks for Men’s Health

I’m sure it’s no surprise that men are the target market for most energy drink brands. This is also because energy drinks are heavily associated with vigour and power, which are very appealing to men.

Men are also supposedly more “powerful” and may be more likely to turn to energy drinks to help get even more power and energy.

Sound cliche? 

There’s no harm in that though, gaining extra energy is healthy – just choose an energy drink that can satisfy your needs and you’ll be good. 

Look for an energy drink with a sensible amount of caffeine, that’s sugar-free, contains taurine and is low in calories.

My favourite, REIZE, ticks all of those boxes and as an extra bonus, it also contains ginseng, which is used as an aphrodisiac in some Asian cultures.

Energy Drinks on a Healthy Diet

If you’re on a diet to lose weight then energy drinks are probably beneficial for you. This is due to the caffeine content that increases your metabolic rate and helps you to shed those pounds faster.  

Part of being healthier is making changes to your diet. That means you need to cut out certain food and drink items. Ideally, you should be choosing low-fat, low sugar and low-calorie options.

Energy drinks are also safe to consume in moderation while you’re on a keto diet or an intermittent fast.

I have also previously written an extensive post on the best energy drinks for diet, you might want to check that out too if you’re serious about getting the most benefits out of your dieting efforts.

Energy Drinks for Exercise

Energy drinks can actually be a good exercise partner.

Regular exercise is a big part of being healthy. Exercising leads to better overall health and you also get to build muscles or lose weight too.

It’s also recommended to consume your energy drink 45 minutes before your workout session for maximum effectiveness.

I would also like to point out that energy drinks are not designed for hydration, so after sweating a lot during a cardio session, you might want to grab a water or sports drink for rehydration instead of an energy drink.

But, you could also take an energy drink to replenish your energy levels if you feel like you need a boost.

Best Energy Drinks for Health

As promised, I will be sharing some energy drinks that could help your health journey.

Remember to consult your doctor for the final word on energy drinks before making dietary changes.

XS Energy Drink

Sugar: 0g

Calories: 10 

Caffeine: 80mg 

I think XS Energy Drink is low in calories and has zero sugar. It also has a moderate amount of caffeine, something that I personally appreciate.

XS also comes in 18 different flavours, with 2 caffeine-free options, if you would prefer that.

I have personally reviewed XS Energy Drink, which you can read about.

I gave it a 7/10.

Celsius Energy Drink 

Sugar: 0g

Calories: 10 

Caffeine: 200-300mg 

I personally am not a fan of energy drinks with a ton of caffeine, but this is a considerably good choice if you would like that extra caffeine kick.

Celsius Energy Drink comes in a few different flavour options and in 3 categories: Originals, Naturals and Celsius Heat.

I have given Celsius Energy Drink a 7.5/10 for taste.

Read my full Celsius review here.

Rockstar Zero Carb Energy Drink

Sugar: 0g

Calories: 0 

Caffeine: 240mg 

If you’re not a fan of any calories (the previous 2 options were low-calorie options), then you might want to try out Rockstar Zero Carb Energy Drink. But, only if you’re a fan of energy drinks with high caffeine content.

As I’ve previously mentioned, I like my energy drinks with less caffeine, preferably under 100mg.

If you are going to go for this option, maybe drink it in the morning. Drinking it late in the afternoon or evening might cause you to have trouble getting a good night’s rest – which in turn, isn’t very healthy.

REIZE Energy Drink 

REIZE Energy Drink is very convenient.
REIZE is home-delivered for your convenience.

Sugar: 0g

Calories: 11 

Caffeine: 50mg 

REIZE is my favourite energy drink for overall health and daily use.

REIZE is sugar-free and has just 11 calories per serving. It also has only 50mg of caffeine, something I love. This sensible amount of caffeine, along with the added taurine, ginseng and B group vitamins combine to give a perfect and long-lasting energy boost, with no crash.

REIZE Energy Drink keeps me healthy and I don’t have to worry about sugar crashes or caffeine jitters.

Best of all, REIZE only costs about $1 per drink (including shipping right to your door).

Give REIZE a try today and you might also find that it’s a wise choice for your health.

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