How Nutritious Are Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are often advertised as products that boost energy levels while also improving mental alertness, concentration, and physical performance.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, energy drinks are the most popular dietary supplement among American teenagers and young adults, next to multivitamins. Energy drinks are most commonly consumed by men between the ages of 18 and 34, with nearly a third of teenagers aged 12 to 17 drinking them daily.
What exactly is in an energy drink, and why is it so popular? This article will go over what's really in energy drinks and what nutrients you can acquire from them.
How Natural Are Energy Drinks?
Although many believe that energy drinks are unhealthy because of their primary ingredient of sugar and caffeine, many energy drinks contain natural and healthy components to boost energy. Natural Energy Drinks are now available in the market, each with its claims and enhancements.
Energy drink manufacturers include energizing components such as:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
The vitamins, natural ingredients, and occurring caffeine in energy drinks may provide a boost to those who drink them. Let's look at the major ingredients of an energy drink to understand more about how natural they are.
Energy Drink Ingredients
To improve energy, each product of energy drink has its unique combination of ingredients. Each manufacturer has its process and components to create the energy drinks that are currently available on the market.
In general, the common main ingredients of energy drinks are:
- Caffeine
- Sugar
- Taurine
- Glucuronolactone
- B vitamins
- Guarana
- Ginseng
- Ginkgo biloba
- l-carnitine
- Antioxidants
Manufacturers may or may not tell you how much of each ingredient is in their products. However, it can be considered that many ingredients are derived from natural sources.
Energy Drink Nutrition
Energy drinks have different nutritional contents based on the manufacturer. The claims and nutrition facts label are printed on all cans or bottles of energy drink products.
Each energy drink is different, so check the nutritional facts of your favorite energy drink to see what it contains:
- Calories
- Fat
- Carbohydrates
- Caffeine
- Sodium
- Protein
- Vitamins
Energy Drink Pros and Cons
A University of Hospital study showed that drinking energy drinks regularly has numerous bad implications.
The following are some of the study's findings:
- Racing heart
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Sleep disturbance
- Anxiety
- Seizures
- Stroke
- Cardiac ischemia
- Cardiac arrest
The caffeine level in energy drinks is the source of the majority of health issues. Caffeine content varies from product to product. Depending on the brand, caffeine concentration in energy drinks ranges from 80 mg to 200 mg.
However, there are still certain things you can get from energy drinks if you drink them at the appropriate time and in moderation. Here are a few of the benefits you get from energy drinks:
- Gives a boost in energy
- Improve your mood and attitude
- Boost performance for workouts
- Faster recovery after exercise
- Improve brain function
- Help people function when tired
Bottom Line
Many considered energy drinks not nutritional and should not be included in your daily diet. Energy drinks should not be consumed regularly in the same way that vegetables and fruits are. Energy drinks contain vitamins, minerals, and natural substances, but they're usually in such small amounts that they may not provide any benefit. Additionally, energy drinks can include a lot of caffeine and sugar, both of which are unhealthy and can cause a variety of health problems.
You can take an energy drink if you truly need a boost, but it's not recommended daily. Energy drinks can increase your performance and stimulate your senses, but always consider that they aren't necessarily beneficial for your health.
See the Difference
Strike Force Energy offers various energy drinks and packets for energy drink alternatives. Visit our website to find out what makes our energy drinks different than the rest!