In summary, Red Bull Cola contains 32 mg of caffeine, 23 g of carbs, 100 calories, and other energy-boosting properties.
Red Bull Cola is a carbonated drink that is of course, as the name suggests, cola flavored. It is primarily citrus flavors such as orange, lime and lemon peels, cinnamon, vanilla and acidic flavorant (which is why it seems to burn when it goes down your throat).
Red Bull Cola combines the best of both worlds- the energy drink Red Bull, and Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most beloved soft drinks.
Let’s take a closer at the caffeine and important ingredients of this energy drink!
Who makes Red Bull Cola?
Red Bull Cola is made by the same manufacturer as Red Bull Energy, Red Bull GmbH, and is made in Switzerland.
Previously, there was a cocaine scare, as food regulators from Germany discovered trace amounts of cocaine in the factories producing Red Bull Cola.
Countries such as Germany and Taiwan ordered the drink off the shelves, but these claims were quickly cleared up as the coca leaf naturally produces a substance similar to cocaine, and the traces were so small that there was no risk of people being harmed from consuming it.
Red Bull Cola ingredients
A single 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull Cola contains:
- 100 calories
- 0g total fat
- 0mg sodium
- 23g total carbohydrates
- 22g sugars
- 0g protein
- 32mg caffeine
It is not a significant source of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.
It also contains trace amounts of:
- carbonated water
- sugar
- natural flavor (caramel)
- natural flavors from plant extracts (caffeine from coffee beans, lemon, ginger, lime, vanilla, licorice, galangal, cinnamon, kola nut, cocoa, orange, cardamom, mint, pine)
After looking at so many energy drinks that simply state ‘natural flavors’ without really going into detail about what exactly these natural flavors are, Red Bull Cola is a breath of fresh air.
I understand it is difficult to see exactly how these ingredients are working together- licorice and lemon. Not a combination I would automatically think of…
After doing a quick Google search, I also discovered that galangal belongs to the ginger family, and it has a very citrusy, piney flavor.
It’s also worth remembering that, like energy drinks, any caffeinated beverage should always be consumed in moderation.
Red Bull Cola Caffeine
Red Bull Cola contains 32mg of caffeine.
This is a fairly low amount, but if you consider that there is also nearly an equal amount of sugar (22g) in it, you kind of get the idea of where the extra energy is coming from.
The only thing I’m concerned about here is the sugar crash that comes in the wake of a Red Bull Cola- which would completely defeat the purpose of having an energy boost if you’re just going to crash so hard later on.
With just 32mg of caffeine, Red Bull Cola isn’t in the same league as some energy drinks with their sky-high caffeine content.
If you’re looking for an energy drink that gives you a good energy boost, contains a sensible amount of caffeine and doesn’t get its energy from sugar, try REIZE!
Why was Red Bull Cola discontinued?
Red Bull Cola was discontinued after its launch in 2008 because it did not have enough support from either consumers or retailers. The market leaders were also too powerful to dislodge from their position.
However, Red Bull relaunched Red Bull Cola under a new name – Red Bull Organics Simply Cola. It’s available on eBay to be bought by American consumers.
Where To buy Red Bull Cola
You can buy Red Bull Cola through Red Bull’s official website, Amazon, eBay, ubuy, and other online stores.
You can get Red Bull Cola on eBay for $45 for a pack of 10 excluding shipping fees. You can probably get it cheaper at other online stores.
If you’re scouting for cheap energy drinks online, check my article here.
Red Bull Cola vs Red Bull
Red Bull Cola contains 32mg of caffeine, while Red Bull Original stands at 80mg of caffeine.
Red Bull Original is definitely the winner if you’re looking for something with stronger caffeine. However, I’m happy to tell you both are within my caffeine preference.
In addition, Red Bull Cola contains 22g of sugar while Red Bull Original has 26g per 8.4 fl. oz. For most people watching their diet, Red Bull Cola is relatively acceptable. However, it would be wiser to go for Red Bull Sugar-free instead.
As you can see, both Red Bulls do have their advantages. It all depends on your preference!
Red Bull Cola vs Coca-Cola
Red Bull Cola contains 32mg of caffeine, while Coca-Cola has only 29mg of caffeine per 12 fl. oz.
Moreover, Red Bull Cola contains 22g of sugar, and regular Coca-Cola (12 fl. oz) has 39g of sugar, but it also comes in a sugar-free Coke Zero version.
Both of these are huge amounts of sugar, especially when taking into consideration the fact that the daily recommended amount of sugar is 25g for women and 38g for men.
Red Bull vs Pepsi Cola
Red Bull Cola contains 32mg of caffeine, while a 12 fl. oz can of Pepsi Cola contains 38mg of caffeine.
Both of these are around the same, with Pepsi having a little more caffeine than Red Bull Cola, but also being slightly larger.
Red Bull Cola contains 22g of sugar, while Pepsi Cola has 38g of sugar.
Like regular Coca-cola, Pepsi Cola also has a lot of sugar in it, and this is similar to Red Bull Cola as well. We all know what plenty of sugar can do to your body, so just be careful about how much you consume.
Red Bull Cola vs Jolt Cola
Red Bull Cola contains 32mg of caffeine / 8.4 fl. oz, while Jolt Cola contains 160mg of caffeine / 16 fl. oz can.
You might not have heard of Jolt Cola, but with that amount of caffeine- nearly three times the amount of Red Bull Cola- this drink will certainly give you a huge “jolt” of energy.
Sugar-wise, Red Bull Cola contains 22g of sugar, while Jolt Cola has 50g of sugar for a can twice the size of Red Bull Cola.
Jolt Cola is not too bad, given that it’s a 16 fl. oz can, but still, not ideal for those looking to cut down their sugar intake.
Red Bull Cola vs REIZE
Red Bull Cola contains 32mg of caffeine, while REIZE has 50mg of caffeine
REIZE may seem like it doesn’t have a lot of caffeine, but it makes up for it by including 1000mg of taurine, a substance that has been proven to provide good, clean energy.
It’s also packed with B vitamins and some ginseng for a more well-rounded energy boost, without the sugar crash.
Red Bull Cola gets its energy from mostly caffeine and sugar, which may not be desirable for some people.
Red Bull Cola contains 22g of sugar, REIZE is completely sugar-free.
REIZE does contain artificial sweeteners, but these have been extensively tested- acesulfame potassium and aspartame, the same ingredients used to sweeten Coke Zero Sugar and many other common products.
In contrast, it’s unclear as to what sugars Red Bull Cola is drawing from.
Red Bull Cola Review
* all opinions expressed in this review are mine *
Visuals
The can itself was pretty boring, with American flag colors to reflect that it was supposed to be ‘Cola’, but the colors were dull and didn’t really pop. It looked quite cheap for some reason as well.
Looks like Coke, with the signature caramel color, but does not taste like Coke at all.
Taste
Why was it so sour? It gave me a huge twinge in my eye that I couldn’t seem to get rid of as I was drinking it. For some reason, this gave me the impression that I was drinking the world’s sourest, liquified gummy bear.
You know those Coca-Cola-shaped gummies you get in gummy mixes? Yeah, it basically tasted like that.
Despite having so much sugar in it, I tasted absolutely no sweetness at all, and the sheer acidity of it made me feel like my teeth were burning off. Time for good teeth brushing!
Honestly, if it tasted this bad, I’m not surprised that people didn’t like it very much, to the extent that they had to pull it from shelves in stores.
Effect
Eh, didn’t really do anything for me personally. I felt next to no change after downing the can, and it didn’t really taste that great either. Even after an hour, I didn’t feel particularly energized or active.
Overall, I would rate Red Bull Cola 2/10. Not a great taste, not a great effect either.
Some other reviews of Red Bull Cola are slightly dated (they go all the way back to 2009) but there’s no harm in checking them out if you’re really curious: this one gives a pretty damning review, while another one complains about the taste itself, but doesn’t comment on the effects.
Finally, this forum discussion redeems Red Bull Cola in terms of taste and effects.
Alternatives to Red Bull Cola
There are lots of really good energy drinks on the market. If you’re looking for some similar, liquid-based energy drinks that give a bit more energy than Red Bull Cola, take a look at:
- Monster
- Red Bull (the original, of course)
- Rockstar
- Celsius
- XS
- Monster Import (different from original Monster)
- Rip It
- Bing energy drink
- Bang (not to be confused with Bing!)
- Guru
- Xyience
Powdered energy drinks are also an option, and they tend to be more convenient and also more affordable than a lot of the market-leading energy drinks, but with the same great flavor and efficacy:
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- Advocare Spark
- REIZE (10 out of 10)
You could also take a look at Mio water enhancer or Vivarin caffeine pills if you are looking for something that’s quick and easy to take.
REIZE (10 out of 10)
In particular, REIZE is an energy drink that is easy to carry around and to make – just add water.
At 50mg of caffeine, REIZE has a bit more caffeine than Red Bull Cola does, and it is a lot more convenient, affordable and flexible.
I also think it tastes a lot better too.
REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink, more affordable than Red Bull Cola and most of the other energy drinks on the market.
Give REIZE a try today and you might just find that you prefer it to Red Bull Cola.