V Energy Drink is super well-known in Australia and New Zealand. It’s also available in some other regions of the world, although it’s not as well known elsewhere.
With the main attraction of V Energy being its guarana content, this NZ-based energy drink is a local specialty, and its popularity in the Oceania region is similar to that of Red Bull.
But the important question is, how effective is V Energy’s ingredient mix? And is it possible that V Energy might actually be bad for you?
Short Answer: As long as you have V in moderation and don’t go overboard, there’s no reason to think that V Energy would be bad for your health.
As for the longer answer, read on to find out more about V Energy. I’ll be guiding you through everything about its nutritional value, caffeine, and sugar content to help you make an informed decision about whether V Energy Drink is good or bad for you.
Let’s get started…
V Energy Drink Nutrition Facts
First up, let’s take a look at the nutritional value of both V Energy Original and V Energy Sugar-Free.
| Typical Values Per 275ml Can | V Energy Original | V Energy Sugar-Free |
| Energy | 128.35 Calories | 8.34 Calories |
| Protein | <1g | <1g |
| Fat (Of which Saturated) | 0g (0g) | 0g (0g) |
| Carbohydrate (Of which Sugars) | 29.2g (29.2g) | 0.31g (0g) |
| Sodium | 303mg | 270mg |
| Guarana Extract | 330mg | 330mg |
| Caffeine | 85mg | 85mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.3mg | 1.3mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 9.0mg | 9.0mg |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 3.3mg | 3.3mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.0mg | 1.0mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.5μg | 0.5μg |
| Taurine | 550mg | 550mg |
| Glucuronolactone | 69mg | 69mg |
| Inositol | 50mg | 50mg |
How Many Calories Are in V Energy Drink?
A 250ml can of V Energy Original has 128 calories, while the same volume of V Energy Sugar-Free has only 8 calories.
As a reminder, the daily recommended caloric intake is between 2000 to 2400 calories for women and 2400 to 3000 calories for men.
At 128 calories, the Original mix of V Energy won’t put a dent in your diet, and it’s not that much more than a 250ml can of Red Bull (117 Calories).
Plus, if you live a fairly active lifestyle, you can probably work off all those extra calories anyway.
That said if you’re someone who’s concerned about your overall health and often keeps track of your daily caloric intake, I would recommend you go for V Energy’s sugar-free version instead.
Despite being sugar-free, it has the same great taste and only a fraction of the calories (8 calories in comparison to 126 calories), with the plus side of not having your diet possibly ruined.
However, if you happen to be diet-savvy and still aren’t convinced about V Energy, I’ve written an article about the best energy drinks to burn fat, which might be more up your alley.
V Energy Drink Ingredients
Besides the nutritional value, the ingredients are another important determinant if an energy drink is any good. So here’s a list of V Energy Drink ingredients:
V Original
- Carbonated Water
- Sugar
- Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate)
- Taurine
- Guarana Extract
- Colour (Caramel)
- Glucuronolactone
- Caffeine
- Inositol
- Vitamins (B3, B5, B6, B2, B12)
- Flavors
- Wheat Derivatives
V Sugar-Free
The Sugar-Free version has almost the same ingredients but switches out the sugar for artificial sweeteners—Acesulphame Potassium and Sucralose on top of the addition of a thickener—xanthan gum.
V Energy Drink Sugar Content
V Energy Original has 29.2g of sugar per 250ml can, while the Sugar-Free version contains (you guessed it) no sugar at all.
Sugar isn’t universally bad, but some energy drinks do have a bit more sugar than necessary.
According to the AHA, the daily added sugar limit for both men and women should be capped at 25g and 36g respectively.
At 29.2g of sugar, V Original goes over the daily sugar limit for women and is more than half the recommended amount for men.
While it’s fine to splurge every now and then, having too much sugar consistently can lead to some notable health problems, such as:
- Weight Gain
- Type II Diabetes
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Acne
- Increased risk of depression
Besides that, too much V Energy Orginal in a short period may lead to a sugar crash, where you feel sluggish and lethargic after having too much sugar.
Now, if you want to stay on the healthier side of things and avoid sugar crashes, the sugar-free version of V Energy might be for you.
Still, if you’re looking for the right energy drink to avoid the crash altogether, I’ve written an article all about the subject, so check it out if you want to learn more.
Are There Artificial Sweeteners in V Energy Drink?
V Energy Original contains no artificial sweeteners. However, V Energy Sugar-Free does contain artificial sweeteners: Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium.
The zero-calorie sweeteners Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium are present in the sugar-free version of V Energy, both of which are 200 to 700 times the sweetness of actual sugar.
It’s really a toss-up between knowing full well that too much sugar is bad for you and wondering if artificial sweeteners may be harmful to you in the long term even though they contain zero calories.
Although both Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium have been cleared by the FDA, there is still some ongoing debate regarding if they are good replacements for sugar.
In any case, having fewer calories wouldn’t hurt, so be sure not to have too many V Energy Sugar-Free either.
V Energy Drink Caffeine Content
Each can of V Energy Drink has 85mg of caffeine per 250ml can.
Considering that the caffeine content in energy drinks can range from around 50 to 300mg or more, V Energy has a fairly reasonable amount of caffeine for its size.
I personally prefer to have between 50 to 100mg of caffeine per serving, which is just enough to give me a quick boost, but not too much that I might feel ill afterward.
At 85mg of caffeine, V Energy fits right between that sweet spot, being an energy drink that I wouldn’t mind having every now and then.
On the other hand, if you’re a hardened caffeinated beverage fan, your caffeine metabolism might be a bit higher than the norm, meaning you’ll probably need a few cans of V Energy in order for it to take effect.
Still, the FDA approves a caffeine intake limit of no more than 400mg per day. Any more than that might lead to side effects such as:
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Headaches
- Stomachaches
- Dizziness
- Dehydration
- Anxiety
Hence, as always, the key to enjoying any caffeinated beverage is in moderation, so keep track of how many cans you go through before you have too much.
V Energy Drink Guarana Content
Being the main attraction of this energy drink, V Energy drink has 330mg of guarana per 250ml can, which is 0.12% of the whole drink.
Guarana is heavily featured on V Energy Drink and for good reasons. It boasts an impressive mix of ingredients, having components that range from stimulants to antioxidants.
However, the core component of Guarana is actually caffeine, which makes sense as to why it seems to have the ability to reduce fatigue and improve focus.
While caffeine is generally a beneficial ingredient to have, the downside is that the caffeine content of V Energy might be higher than it’s mentioned on the label, even by a small amount.
What Happens If I Drink Too Much V Energy Drink?
| V Original | V Sugar-Free | Daily Max Limit (Female/Male) | |
| Calories | 128.35 Calories | 8.34 Calories | 2400 Calories/3000 Calories |
| Sugar | 29.2g | 0.3g | 25g / 36g |
| Caffeine | 85mg | 85mg | 400mg |
Excessive consumption of V Energy Drink may lead to some short-term side effects that can be attributed to excessive consumption of sugar and caffeine. In the long run, it might even greatly affect your health.
As a rule of thumb, just remember that having too many of any brand of energy drink is a bad idea.
You’ll definitely want to watch your sugar intake when it comes to V Energy Original as it has a fairly high sugar content, which, apart from sugar crashes, is bound to cause some health issues if you indulge in it too much.
Aside from sugar, you’ll also want to mind your overall caffeine consumption. While 85mg is actually not a lot in comparison to the daily 400mg limit, it might unknowingly creep up on you if you’re not careful.
If you only have V Energy Drink occasionally and only when you need it, you’re most likely to be safe from suffering most of the ill effects of having too much of a good thing.
If you want to know more about caffeine overconsumption, here’s a quick link to an article I’ve written on caffeine overdoses, as well as a short video below detailing what happens if you have too much caffeine:
How Many Cans of V Energy Drink Can I Have a Day?
For V Original, I would set a hard limit of one 250ml can per day. While the drink is pretty low on caffeine, it does have a notably high amount of sugar.
Of course, you can occasionally have two if you feel like you need that extra pep in your step, but try not to do it often. All that sugar will come back and haunt you later down the line.
For V Sugar-Free, not having to worry about the sugar content is a huge plus, but I would still recommend that you only have not more than two 250ml cans per day.
Theoretically speaking, you could have up to 4 cans of V Energy Sugar-Free per day if you’re basing off the daily caffeine limit. However, you might want to stop yourself so as to not develop a strong caffeine tolerance.
The more tolerant you are to caffeine, the more caffeine you need to get the same effects as you’re used to.
Therefore, in order for V Sugar-Free to work best, moderating your consumption of this energy drink would be a good idea.
Is V Energy Drink Bad For Your Health?
Personally, I believe that if you live a relatively healthy lifestyle and have no pre-existing medical conditions, a can of V Energy Drink every now and then would be fine for your health.
Like your standard cup of coffee, you should be drinking an energy drink for a reason. For example, energy drinks work to get you out of a late afternoon slump or to push yourself through that late-night study session.
Depending on your lifestyle, V Energy may actually be pretty beneficial to your overall health, so long as you have the drink in moderation like any other caffeinated beverage.
As always, if you’re unsure about adding an energy drink such as V Energy to your diet, it’s always best to ask a doctor for their opinion.
V Energy Drink Flavours
Apart from Original and Sugar-Free. V Energy does offer a variety of other flavours for you to choose from. Here are a few notable ones:
- Pure (More of an Energy Juice)
- Blue
- Original
- Sugar-Free
- Forbidden
- Tropical (Sugar-Free)
- Berry Twist (Sugar-Free)
- Iced Coffee (Coffee with Guarana extract)
V Energy Drink Alternatives
If you’re looking for other lower-caffeine energy drinks such as V Energy Drink, here are some options you might enjoy.
Energy drink powders are also great. Often they’re more affordable and more convenient, while still providing the same great energy boost and taste.
REIZE (10 out of 10)
V Energy may be good for what it does, but I find REIZE to be even better.
REIZE is a powdered energy drink that comes in convenient 4g sachets. With a sensible 50mg of caffeine, it’s completely sugar-free and has only 11 calories per serving.
REIZE also contains a smart blend of taurine, ginseng, and B-group vitamins, combining to give you the perfect energy boost without the sugar crash afterward.
The best thing about it? You can get REIZE delivered straight to your door for only about $1 per drink.
Try REIZE today and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it’s a smarter choice than V Energy Drink.