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NOS has been around for quite some time, and you might be a long-time fan of NOS energy drinks.
Or maybe you’ve recently just heard of NOS and you’re interested in making it a part of your diet.
I agree that NOS tastes great and gives you a great boost too, but if you’re like me, perhaps you’ve wondered about the ingredients NOS has in it and if it’s okay to drink NOS every day.
You’re in the right place, because I’m going to cover some questions about the ingredients in NOS, and whether it’s safe for you to drink NOS energy drinks on a daily basis.
It’s better to space out your consumption of NOS rather than drink it every day. The drink’s caffeine content is average, but drinking more than 1 serving in a day can cause negative side effects like anxiety, insomnia, and increased blood pressure.
For a more detailed explanation about NOS and what happens if you drink NOS every day, stick around to get some insight as I explore all of the details.
Let’s get started!
NOS Energy Drink Ingredients
A 16 fl.oz can of NOS Energy Drink (GT Grape) contains:
- 210 calories
- 0g total fat
- 410mg of sodium
- 54 of total carbs
- 54g of sugar
- 0g of protein
- Vitamin B6 (200% of the recommended daily value)
- Vitamin B12 (200% of the recommended daily value)
It also contains trace amounts of the following:
- Carbonated water
- High fructose corn syrup
- Citric acid
- Sodium citrate
- Natural & artificial flavours
- Sodium hexametaphosphate (preservative)
- Taurine
- Caffeine
- Potassium sorbate (preservative)
- Sucralose
- Red #40
- Inositol
- Calcium sodium EDTA (preservative)
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6)
- Blue #1
- Guarana extract
- Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12)
The ingredients listed may seem unfamiliar and foreign but don’t worry, I’ve written a comprehensive article that covers all of the ingredients commonly found in energy drinks and what their functions are.
How Much Caffeine Is In NOS Energy Drink?
A 16 fl.oz can of NOS energy drink contains 160mg of caffeine. NOS’s caffeine content is average to high compared to other energy drink brands on the market.
For comparison, a regular can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine. Though, there are much stronger energy drinks like Reign and Bang that have 300mg of caffeine in each can.
The caffeine amount in one can of NOS is still far from the recommended daily caffeine limit, which is 400mg of caffeine according to the FDA, but it’s still a large enough amount that you need to take caution with it.
My own personal caffeine preference is around 50mg – 100mg per drink. If I have more than that, I’ll often get jittery and find it hard to concentrate.
If you regularly drink caffeine, NOS would probably make a great pick-me-up.
However, if you’re sensitive to caffeine or have a lower caffeine tolerance, you might experience some side effects.
If I may give my two cents, I’d strongly suggest that you choose another energy drink with lower caffeine content.
Excessive consumption of caffeine can result in adverse effects like:
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Increased thirst
- Headache
- Fever
- Irritability
- Vomiting
- Trouble breathing
- Convulsions
The severity of the side effects will depend on your caffeine metabolism. It’s best to know how much caffeine your body can tolerate and use that as a guide.
The safest way to minimize the risk of side effects is to consume energy drinks including NOS in moderation.
How Much Sugar Is In NOS Energy Drink?
A can of NOS contains 54g of sugar. This amount of sugar goes way over the AHA’s recommended maximum daily sugar intake for both men and women.
It’s not strange that NOS does have sugar, considering that many energy drinks are sugary to appeal to our preference for sweet drinks.
But the problem is that NOS contains a massive amount of sugar, almost double what a person should have in a day.
Too much sugar at a time isn’t good at all. The American Heart Association (AHA) has a guideline on how much sugar you should have in a day:
| Men | 36g/150 calories |
| Women | 25g/100 calories |
From this guidance, it’s clear that NOS far exceeds the recommended daily sugar intake.
Consuming a lot of sugar at one time may make you feel more energized, but eventually, the effects will wear off and you’ll experience a sugar crash where your energy levels will drop.
Furthermore, consuming sugar in excess over the long term can lead to many other health risks:
- Tooth decay
- Acne
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
Hence, make sure you consume NOS in moderation and be mindful of other sugary foods and drinks you have in a day too.
It’s not wrong to indulge yourself in something sweet every now and then, just avoid overdoing it.
Now that you’re more aware of the dangers of consuming too much sugar, let’s dig deeper into what kind of sugar NOS contains.
From the ingredients list, it’s stated that the source of sugar in NOS comes from high fructose corn syrup.
High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener made out of corn syrup, which originates from corn. It’s usually used in processed foods and soft drinks.
It’s believed by many experts to be one of the causes of obesity in our world today.
High fructose syrup isn’t beneficial for your health and can cause a number of health-related problems like fatty liver disease, weight gain, and diabetes.
All the more reason to practice a moderate intake of NOS energy drinks and have a balanced diet.
If you’re looking for sugar-free energy drinks, I’ve got you covered. These are some of my recommendations you can try if you want to reduce your sugar intake.
What Is Sucralose?
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that tastes sweet but doesn’t have as many calories as regular sugar.
Sucralose is often found in many of our foods and beverages as the demand for low-calorie and reduced-sugar food and drink products continues to grow thanks to a more health-conscious society.
It certainly does have a few benefits, such as having a great taste, containing fewer calories that won’t contribute to weight gain and it doesn’t lead to tooth decay, unlike table sugar.
However, sucralose can still trigger responses in people who’re sensitive to artificial sweeteners and affect gut health. The best way you can prevent adverse effects from occurring is by always consuming artificial sweeteners in moderation.
What Is Taurine?
Taurine is a naturally-occurring amino acid that can be found in many energy drinks, including NOS.
Taurine is an essential amino acid. You can obtain taurine from your diet through animal foods like meat, fish and eggs. Taurine is also available in supplement form.
One of the benefits of taurine is improved exercise performance, which is probably why it’s in NOS energy drinks. There are even studies that prove taurine helps physical performance.
A 2013 study found that the ingestion of taurine increased the performance of 8 middle-distance runners by 1.7%.
Though, the specific amount of taurine in NOS isn’t mentioned so it’s uncertain if it’ll benefit your physical performance in any way.
In my opinion, you shouldn’t depend on NOS for your daily intake of taurine, you’ll be much better off getting your adequate dose of taurine from elsewhere in your diet or from supplements.
Is NOS Energy Drink Bad?
Drinking a single can of NOS isn’t all that bad for your health per se, but if you’re drinking it every day or consume two or more cans, you might be at risk for caffeine overdose and diabetes.
NOS has large quantities of calories and sugar, which could lead to pretty nasty health impacts and side effects. The amount of sugar is the thing that worries me most, especially if you’re sensitive to sugar.
As for the caffeine, with 160mg per can of NOS, it’s quite alright though you should also account for other caffeinated sources like coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate, and other energy drinks you might consume in your diet.
If you’re unsure of the effects of NOS or feel wary of including it in your diet, I’d suggest consulting a doctor first to check if that amount of caffeine and sugar is safe for you or not.
Is NOS worse than Monster?
| Energy Drink Brand | Monster | NOS |
| Caffeine | 160mg | 160mg |
| Sugar | 58mg | 54mg |
| Calories | 230 calories | 210 calories |
I wouldn’t say that NOS is worse than Monster considering that NOS has a similar amount of caffeine, sugar, and calories as Monster with only a slight difference in price.
They’re on par with each other in terms of caffeine, sugar, and calories. Both Monster and NOS have a very high sugar content that unfortunately exceeds AHA’s recommended daily intake.
Monster and NOS also contain taurine and B vitamins that may be beneficial for your muscle performance during workout sessions.
Personally, I don’t think it’d matter much whether you choose Monster or NOS, it’s just a matter of preference and the flavors available that suit your taste buds.
Can You Drink NOS Energy Drink Every Day?
In my opinion, I think it’s best for your health if you space out your consumption of NOS energy drinks rather than making it a daily drink.
This is because I’m rather concerned about the extremely high amount of sugar in each NOS can and the side effects that may occur if you drink it on a daily basis.
Plus, I’m sure you’re probably also consuming sugar from other foods and drinks in your diet, so drinking an energy drink with that much sugar is worrying.
I think you should drink NOS as an occasional drink, instead of having it every day.
As far as the law goes, NOS is only intended for healthy adults who’re above 18.
If you take a look at the warning notes on the back of the can, you’ll see that it’s stated:
Consume responsibly – not recommended for children, people who are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, and women who are nursing.
From these notes, I can tell that caution is needed due to the large amounts of caffeine in this product. But, aside from that, NOS does have a high sugar and calorie content too, so it’s best to always drink NOS in moderation.
I do think NOS taste great and definitely gives a strong energy boost but I only drink NOS when I need the additional boost for an intense workout.
There are some great options available that have a more moderate amount of caffeine and sugar that you might prefer.
I’ve written an article on some of the best energy drinks for daily consumption here, so feel free to check it out to learn more.
Where Can You Buy NOS Energy Drinks?
You can purchase NOS from their official website. NOS is also available at online retailers like Amazon and eBay.
According to Amazon, a 6-pack of 16 fl.oz cans of NOS Energy Drink (GT Grape) costs about $16. So, the price of a single can of NOS Energy Drink (GT Grape) is around $3.
In my opinion, that’s a pretty reasonable price for an energy drink with as much caffeine as NOS. Plus, NOS contains taurine and B vitamins that can supply you with energy and other benefits.
Though, I feel there are better-value energy drinks on the market that work just as well, or even better.
Besides that, you can also find NOS in your local stores. But, the prices will differ based on the places you find them and the flavors you choose.
NOS Energy Drink Flavors
NOS energy drink has a variety of six different flavors:
- Original
- GT Grape
- Nitro Mango
- Sonic Sour
- Power Punch
- Turbo
Alternatives To NOS Energy Drink
If you’re looking for other energy drinks similar to NOS, here’s a list of some great alternatives to get you started:
If you want something different from the usual canned energy drinks, you can give powdered energy drinks a try as they’re more convenient and usually come with a lower price tag.
Here are a few options:
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- Advocare Spark
- REIZE (my favorite)
REIZE (10 Out Of 10)
Personally, I find REIZE to be a cut above NOS.
REIZE is a convenient energy drink mix that comes in light 4g sachets that you can easily slip into your bag or pocket and carry around anywhere you like.
With a sensible 50mg of caffeine, REIZE provides you with an amazing energy boost but without the crash afterwards.
REIZE is sugar-free and only contains 11 calories. You won’t have to worry about going over your daily calorie count with REIZE.
Plus, REIZE contains other helpful ingredients like taurine, ginseng and B vitamins that work together to not just give you a drink with a great taste, but also improve your physical and mental performance.
REIZE ships to your door for only about $1, including shipping.
That’s incredible value for money right there and certainly a more affordable option than NOS.
Give REIZE a try today and I’m sure you’ll agree that REIZE is a smarter option than NOS.
