Wondering whether that appealing-looking can of Lucozade Energy Drink is worth your hard-earned moolah?
You’re in the right place.
The short answer is that I score Lucozade Energy Drink a decent 7 out of 10. However, there are some shortcomings, which I cover in detail below.
If you want all the details, let’s get started…
Lucozade Backstory
Created in 1927 by William Walker Hunter, Lucozade started off as a carbonated water and glucose soft drink in the UK.
After being acquired by a pharmaceutical company in 1938, it was marketed as a beverage that could aid in recovery from illnesses.
When the early 1980s rolled around, Lucozade was rebranded as a sports drink to associate it with health rather than sickness. It was given a new slogan that went by ‘Lucozade replaces lost energy.
By the start of the 2000s, Lucozade’s company had merged with other companies to form a new company called GlaxoSmithKline and eventually sold the Lucozade and Ribena brands to a Japanese conglomerate, Suntory.
Presently, Suntory is the parent company and manufacturer of the Lucozade brand. When the brand was bought by Suntory, the company retained the UK-based manufacturing company for the Lucozade and Ribena brands in Coleford, Gloucestershire.
Now that you know some of its histories, let’s take a closer look at the present Lucozade energy drink.
What’s the difference between Lucozade Sport and Lucozade Energy?
The key differences between Lucozade Sports and Lucozade Energy lie in their functions and ingredients.
Lucozade Sports is marketed mainly toward athletes or those participating in sports.
This sub-brand contains carbohydrates, glucose, vitamins, and other minerals to enhance hydration and boost performance in sports, especially prolonged endurance exercises. It contains more calories compared to Lucozade Energy too.
On the other hand, Lucozade Energy is advertised as a general pick-me-up drink that can help supply your body with energy when you need it.
Lucozade energy drink has ingredients like caffeine, fruit juice concentrates, and carbonated water that separates it from Lucozade Sport.
In terms of the scope of the market, Lucozade Sport is more widely available compared to Lucozade Energy since Lucozade Energy drinks are not suitable for younger children.
Lucozade Sports also comes only in 500ml bottles, while Lucozade Energy is available in 500ml or 380ml bottles, and 250ml cans.
What flavours are available for Lucozade Energy drinks?
Lucozade Energy drinks come in ten fruity flavors:
- Lucozade Original
- Lucozade Orange
- Lucozade Pink Lemonade
- Lucozade Caribbean Crush
- Lucozade Brazilian Mango and Mandarin
- Lucozade Wild Cherry
- Lucozade Apple Blast
- Lucozade Pineapple Punch
- Lucozade Watermelon & Strawberry Cooler
- Lucozade Citrus Chill
Lucozade Energy also has a sugarless sub-brand called Lucozade Zero. Lucozade Zero has the following flavours:
- Original
- Orange
- Pink Lemonade
When I checked on the official website, the Pineapple Punch flavour was not listed there. However, the Pineapple flavour is definitely an official flavour released under Lucozade Energy and was probably just not in stock.
What ingredients are in Lucozade Energy drinks?
Each 330ml can of Lucozade Orange Energy drink has the following ingredients:
- 116 calories
- 14.9g of sugars
- 0.18g of sodium
- 26.1g of glucose-based carbohydrates
- Caffeine
- Carbonated Water
- Glucose Syrup (11%)
- Orange Juice from Concentrate (6%)
- Citric Acid (acid)
- Sodium Gluconate (acidity regulator)
- Potassium Sorbate (preservative)
- Aspartame (artificial sweetener)
- Acesulfame-K (artificial sweetener)
- Acacia Gum (stabiliser)
- Flavourings
- Ascorbic Acid (antioxidant)
- Beta-Carotene (colour)
Lucozade also contains trace amounts of fat, saturates, and protein.
One thing I found quite odd was the absence of information about the caffeine content in one 300ml can of Lucozade Energy.
Caffeine was only listed as one of the ingredients but how much was not specified, which can cause concern, especially to parents and anyone who has a low caffeine tolerance.
After some digging around, I found that a 380ml bottle of Lucozade Energy contained around 46mg of caffeine, comparable to a cup of tea. To me, this is a pretty small amount and shouldn’t lead to any undesirable side effects.
Though I personally feel that they should state the amount of caffeine in one can of Lucozade Energy clearly on the can to avoid confusion.
Lucozade drinks also contain traces of alcohol, but not enough to cause anyone any concern.
Apparently, Lucozade contains 0.01% of ethyl alcohol to allow the flavouring to permeate the whole drink.
As such, the UK Muslim Law Council has still declared Lucozade drinks to be halal and fit for consumption by Muslims.
Where can you find Lucozade energy drinks?
If you live in the UK or Australia, you should be able to find these popular Lucozade energy drinks in your local stores.
You can also check out the official website for the availability of your favourite flavours. Online retailers like Amazon and eBay might offer a great deal and maybe even free delivery.
As for the price, at Tesco, one 380ml can of Lucozade Orange Energy drink is usually around £2 excluding delivery.
Lucozade Energy Drink Review:
Visuals
Overall I find the appearance of Lucozade to be pretty decent.
The colours used for the packaging are quite bright since it’s orange flavoured, and very eye-catching. Though I’d say that there isn’t anything especially unique about the design.
I also wished the organisation of the information at the back of the Lucozade could be a little more spaced out. The words looked pretty crammed together and it can be hard to read if you don’t have good eyesight.
Furthermore, in my opinion, the ingredients list and nutrition table could have been more detailed. Among the ingredients, caffeine was listed yet the exact amount of it was not specified.
Plus, I also like that the packaging for Lucozade Zero (the sugar-free version) is pretty distinctive from the regular energy drink design. It has a darker shade to it and it’s not as bright as the normal Lucozade. The design does have an appeal to it in its own way.
Taste
At first sip, the sweet, refreshing orangey flavour gave me a sense of nostalgia. To me, it tastes like a fizzy orange-flavoured Gatorade. The aftertaste was not so bad too, and it made me feel more awake.
I also gave the orange flavour of Lucozade Zero a try and it was quite similar to the regular Lucozade energy drink. However, it tasted lighter and more refreshing compared to Lucozade Energy while still maintaining that iconic citrus edge.
Effects of Lucozade Energy Drink
Both Lucozade Energy and Lucozade Zero contain an unspecified amount of caffeine, which is a concern in my opinion. Regardless, I enjoyed having Lucozade energy drink and I did feel slightly more alert and energetic after having a can.
A 380ml bottle of Lucozade Energy has been stated to have around 46mg of caffeine. I came to the conclusion that the amount of caffeine in a 330ml can of Lucozade Energy drink must be quite small. Maybe a little less than 46mg.
My preferred caffeine consumption is 50mg – 100mg per drink. As Lucozade Energy seems to be light on caffeine, that’s probably why I didn’t feel the regular kick I get from most other energy drinks.
I was able to get through at least half a day at work. Though, I did get a slight crash as I started to feel tired and sluggish after some time had passed since having the can.
I’d chalk the boost of energy up to the mixture of 14.9g of sugar, artificial sweeteners, and glucose syrup.
I don’t really have a sweet tooth, so Lucozade actually has more sugar than I’d like in my drink. I usually go for low-calorie and sugarless beverages, so having this kind of energy drink was sort of unusual for me.
That’s probably why I got minor symptoms of a sugar crash after drinking it.
The common symptoms of a sugar crash include the following:
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Shaking
- Confusion
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Weakness
- Sleepiness
- Hunger
- Fainting
However, the amount of sugar in Lucozade is still within the acceptable range of daily sugar consumption. According to the NHS, an average adult shouldn’t have more than 30g of free sugars in a day.
Still, I wouldn’t recommend having too much Lucozade so you don’t exceed your daily sugar intake.
You need to take into account the other foods and drinks in your diet that contain sugar that could add to your daily sugar consumption.
Price
On Amazon.co.uk, a 24-pack of 330ml of Lucozade Orange energy drink costs around £17.
That means the price of one can of Lucozade is around £0.70. To me, this is decent value for money.
Of course, this is simply based on what I saw on Amazon at the time I was making this review, so you’d want to check the price yourself.
Plus, take into consideration that this price is also exclusive of delivery costs, so the actual price might be significantly higher.
Lucozade Energy Drink: Final Verdict
Based on my personal experience trying out Lucozade Energy, I’d give it a 7 out of 10.
Flavour-wise, it’s tasty and definitely gives you a sense of nostalgia if you’ve had Lucozade previously.
But will I make Lucozade Energy my daily pick-me-up?
Not likely.
It’s an enjoyable drink and definitely made me feel refreshed and more energised, but the energy spike lasted for a fairly short time before I started feeling a little sluggish.
In my opinion, Lucozade Energy makes a great casual drink, but it’s not as impressive as a long-lasting energy booster or pre-workout.
The energy boost Lucozade gives isn’t enough to get through the entire day for me and you might need to have another can to keep yourself awake for a long time.
But I won’t recommend doing that or else you’ll go overboard with your sugar consumption.
Personally, if you’re not a huge fan of sugar, you should go for Lucozade Zero instead. It’ll give you pretty much the same taste as the regular Lucozade Energy but with fewer calories and sugar.
Alternatives to Lucozade Energy drink
If you’re looking for stronger energy drinks, here are some recommendations:
If you prefer energy drinks that are more convenient and versatile, give powdered energy drinks a try:
- Advocare Spark
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- REIZE (my favourite energy drink)
REIZE (10 out of 10)
REIZE is a compact and versatile powdered energy drink.
Containing a sensible 50mg of caffeine, REIZE is sugar-free and packed with a smart blend of ginseng, taurine, and B vitamins that’ll provide you with a great energy boost.
With a sensible amount of caffeine and no sugar, you don’t have to worry about experiencing a crash.
REIZE also contains just 11 calories, thus you won’t have to worry about it having any impact on your weight.
| Brand | Caffeine Amount | Sugar | Calories |
| Lucozade | Not specified | 14.9g | 116 |
| REIZE | 50mg | None | 11 |
REIZE comes in convenient 4g sachets, super easy for you to bring around wherever you want and mix with almost any drink you like.
Just tear a sachet open and pour it into a 250ml glass of water, and your fresh energy drink is ready!
The best part is that REIZE is only around £1, including delivery right to your door.
Give REIZE a try and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a smarter choice than Lucozade Energy Drink.