Rip It Energy Drink: The Caffeine and Ingredients Details

Rip It is a carbonated energy drink that contains 160mg of caffeine, 26g of sugar, calories, B vitamins and other energy-boosting ingredients.

It is an American brand produced and distributed by National Beverage Corp and was introduced as an energy drink in 2004. Rip It is also known for supporting US military troops and therefore a popular military drink.

The National Beverage Corporation is the fifth largest American soft-drink company, and it is famous for making drinks such as Rip It, La Croix, and Shasta.

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients used in this mysterious beverage!

Read my review of Rip It Energy Drink in this article to know more about this drink.

Table of Contents

Rip It Energy Drink Ingredients

A serving of Rip It contains the following ingredients:

0 to 200 calories
160mg of caffeine (less than a lot of the strongest energy drinks)
0g fat
75mg sodium
26g carbohydrates
26g sugars
Vitamin C (120% of the recommended daily intake)
Vitamin B6 (100% of the recommended daily intake)
Vitamin B12 (170% of the recommended daily intake)

Also, it contains trace amounts of the following:

Carbonated Water
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Taurine
Citric Acid
Natural Flavor
Sodium Citrate
Inositol
Sodium Benzoate (preservative)
Potassium Sorbate (preservative)
Guarana Seed Extract,
Ester Gum,
Yellow 5
Folic Acid
Yellow 6

Moreover, these are the ingredients found in a shot of Rip It Energy:

30mg Niacin
40mg Vitamin B6
400mcg Folic Acid
500mcg Vitamin B12
100mg Taurine
100mg Caffeine
20mg L-Glutamine
20mg d-Glucuronolactone

Rip It Energy Drink Caffeine Content

A standard can of Rip It contains 160mg of caffeine while the shot version is loaded with 100mg of caffeine.

I would say Rip It Energy is within my level of caffeine tolerance, the shot version, in particular. I prefer energy drinks with 50 to 100mg of caffeine per serving.

Generally, the caffeine content of Rip It Energy is pretty moderate. Still, I do not recommend drinking too much to avoid any side effects.

Moderation is the key, as we all say.

The FDA proposes a maximum caffeine intake of no more than 400mg per day for a healthy adult. While EFSA states 200mg of caffeine per serving from all sources does not pose health safety concerns to the healthy adult population.

Rip It Energy Drink Calories

Rip It Energy drinks contain up to 200 calories depending on the flavour.

You’d be happy to know they also have calorie-free versions like Citrus X, Sugar-free.

If you’re active and healthy, 200 calories is nothing as you can quickly burn it after a short walk in the park.

Although everyone’s calorie needs differ due to certain factors, you should stick to the 2000 calorie limit to keep your weight healthy.

If you’re in the market for calorie-free energy drinks, check my article here for top recommendations.

How much sugar is in a Rip It?

A can of Rip It contains up to 32g of sugar depending on the size of the can.

In my opinion, 32g of sugar is too much and can definitely make you sick especially when you decide to drink Rip It regularly.

However, Rip It has sugar-free versions that can only be found in the canned version of their drinks:

Power Sugar-free
Citrus Sugar-free
F-bomb Sugar-free
G-force Sugar-free
Active Mandarin and Live Wild Lime Sugar-free

Bear in mind, Rip It Energy uses High Fructose Corn Syrup, a sweetener made from corn that is also associated with side effects when consumed long-term.

As I keep saying, it is best to drink Rip It in moderation to avoid the nasty effects of sugar.

You can also go for sugar-free energy drinks as an option.

For reference, the maximum limit for sugar intake as recommended by AHA is 36g and 24g for men and women, respectively.

Rip It Energy Drink Flavours

Flavours that come in both the can and shot versions:

Tribute (comes in active mandarin & wild lime, orange creme, and cherry lime)
Citrus (can version also comes in sugar-free)
G-force (grape)
Red-Zone (strawberry)
Stinger Mo (tropical fruit)

These are the flavours of Rip It Energy in cans:

Power (berry flavour)
Power Sugarfree
Lemoan’r (raspberry lemonade)
Limewrecker (lime)
3 Way (berry mix)
Atomic Pom (pomegranate)
F-Bomb (mixed berry, has a sugar-free version as well)
Shot Poo! Tin Power (coconut and mango)

And the shot versions:

Freek (blood orange)
Code Blue (mixed berry)

What are the side effects of Rip It Energy Drinks?

The possible side effects of Rip It Energy’s long-term consumption are:

caffeine overdose
type 2 diabetes
obesity
cardiovascular diseases
poor oral health

If taken in moderation and according to the serving instructions, there should be no instant side effects. However, it is not advised that pregnant women or children should consume Rip It Energy or any energy drink.

Watch to know more about the side effects of energy drinks!

Is Rip It Energy bad for you?

In a single word, no.

This is based on the assumption that you are using it within limits and not abusing the drink.

Rip It will only be ‘bad’ for you if you drink more than the recommended amount.

Therefore, stick to one can of Rip It Energy once in a while and only when you really need an instant boost.

Does Rip It Energy drink have alcohol in it?

Rip It Energy does not have alcohol in it.

However, if you buy it at a grocery store, you still might get asked for your ID. This is because drinks with a high amount of caffeine cannot be sold to minors.

Speaking of alcohol, read my article “Can energy drinks make you sober?” to find out the answer to the question.

Rip It Energy Drink Prices

If you’re buying Rip It from Amazon, a pack of 24 cans is around $63. That sums up to around $2 for each can if you buy in retail.

Don’t forget you also have to factor in the shipping fees.

Rip It Energy is marketed as ‘energy fuel at a price you can swallow’, and this is definitely true, looking at this cost.

In addition, you can often find Rip It at Dollar Tree for around $1 per can, but I haven’t seen that with my own eyes.

If you’re looking for cheap energy drinks, check out this short guide.

Where to buy Rip It energy drink?

You can buy Rip It from their website, or on Amazon. They also have a store and ship option for stores like Walmart and Dollar Tree.

However, they only come in packs of 24, which might be a bit off-putting to any first-time buyers.

If you’re thinking of trying the flavours first, it might be worth it to spend about $15 on the shot versions of Rip It, which come in packs of 12.

A pack of 12 is not that difficult to imagine finishing if you keep in mind the fact that each shot is about 2 fl. oz. A much better option than buying 24 cans of 16 fl. oz drinks on your first time!

Rip It Energy Drink and the Military

Rip It has an exclusive contract with the US military, especially in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

If you see Rip It’s social media feeds, you’ll see the posts mostly focus on camo uniforms and soldiers. Some of the drinks, such as the Tribute line, are very clearly in support of the military as well.

Rip It has a whole page on its website dedicated to the military as a form of support.

Why was Rip It Energy drink banned?

Rip It was temporarily banned by the military in 2015 because there were concerns that a single Rip It “…has like 4000% of the recommended lifetime caffeine intake” per can.

This was a quote that is not accurate and is a huge exaggeration, but the person making the comment was concerned that US servicemen and women were drinking too many energy drinks in the field.

There were reports that servicemen and women were drinking far more than the intended usage in order to keep them awake, and they were even hosting drinking competitions.

In short, the army was abusing energy drinks, and it was banned because of health concerns.

As of now, it seems like the ban has been lifted, and Rip It has lowered the caffeine content of its drinks.

Does Rip It Energy drinks actually work?

Rip It Energy works!

In a study conducted by Wofford College, they found that Rip It could prolong stamina, but it did not in fact increase physical strength.

If you’re looking for something to keep you awake, this is definitely a good option.

Given the high amount of caffeine and sugar in it, it is difficult to see how Rip It could not work.

Alternatives to Rip It Energy Drink

If you’re looking for some great alternatives to Rip It, you could try:

If you’re thinking of branching out into powder-based energy drinks, take a look at these:

Gfuel
Zipfizz
Advocare Spark
REIZE (my best bet)

Or you could also consider Vivarin caffeine pills if you’re looking for something quick and easy to swallow.

I prefer energy drinks over pills, and there are lots of great choices available. You could also check out Kraft’s Make it Mio water droplets.

REIZE (10 out of 10)

Energy drink powders are overall cheaper, easy to make, and give you the exact same energy boost that many liquid-based energy drinks do!

Check out REIZE for an energy powder drink that puts you in the optimal zone without any unwanted side effects like shakiness or an unpleasant crash.

A serving of REIZE contains 50mg of caffeine, 1000mg of taurine, ginseng, and B-Vitamins. It comes in 4g sachets pre-mix. All you have to do is add water or any beverage you like into the mix.

REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink, which is a lot cheaper than Rip It and many other energy drinks.

Give it a try today and you might just find that you prefer REIZE to Rip It!