Are Energy Drinks Good For You? - The Healthiest Energy Drink

Energy Drinks, you either love them or you hate them. They've become a source of energy millions of people all over the world rely on to get through their hectic schedules.

Energy drinks have been around for years but only recently have they become hugely popular in the early 2000's with the re-designed release of Red Bull's 250 ml original tall slim blue and silver can. The product has since had huge success and in 2012 it was reported Red Bull sold a massive 5.2 billion can worldwide.

So why is Red Bull so popular? Well, one of the main reasons was because it was marketed with sports, offering the consumer an edge when they perform or compete. The inevitability happened and more and more people began using it in every day life.

Energy drinks have been around for years. They first became introduced to the world in the 1960's in Asia and were unheard of in the west. Energy drinks were manufactured to workers so they could work longer and harder. It didn't take long before the west realised the productivity and profitability benefits of energy drinks and began to market their own versions. One of the first examples was the 'Jolt Energy Drink' which became hugely popular amongst college students in the 1980's and is still enjoyed today.

Since Red Bull, a huge number of competitors have been popping up all over the world to rival the industry leading name.

So are energy drinks good for you? Do they really offer you the energy you need? and are they just a quick fix that may not be good for you in the long run?

How Do Energy Drinks Work?

How do energy drinks work? Well, they do exactly what they say on the tin. Energy drinks give you a short term boost in energy when you need it the most. There are two main ingredients used in energy drinks, caffeine and sugar.

These two ingredients stimulate the brain and body for a short period of time usually between 10-30 minutes. A typical energy drink has 80 milligrams of caffeine which is the same as a standard cup of coffee. This is ideal for sports people who want that extra 'boost' of energy when they perform.

Energy Drink Ingredients - What's In Energy Drinks?

The ingredients in energy drinks differ from brand to brand but there are a few which remain the same;

Ephedrine: This stimulant works on stimulating the nervous system which has had questions risen about it's long term effects on the heart.

Taurine: An amino acid which is naturally produced by the body to regulate heart beat.

Ginseng: A natural root used for years in Chinese medicine. This ingredient is known for it's stress relieving properties and energy boosting qualities.

Guarana seed: A natural stimulant found in places like Brazil and used widely in many energy boosting products.

Creatine: An organic acid used to supply energy for muscle contractions. It's also used by weight lifters for it's 'bulking' effect.

B-vitamins: These vitamins are used by the body to convert sugar into usable energy.

By looking at the ingredients, energy drinks appear to be a healthy source of energy. However, many health experts believe they are simply not. They believe that the extra caffeine and sugar in these types of drinks can cause obesity and other health conditions.

Energy Drink Facts

Here are some energy drink facts you may not of known;

- Energy drinks are a multi-billion dollar industry

- Drinking a common energy drink is the same as a standard cup of coffee

- Energy drinks increase blood pressure over a long period of consumption

- Energy drinks can cause an irregular heart beat

- Energy drinks were first created in Asia, not the west

- They can cause liver damage

- They can cause high levels of dehydration

- After the effects of an energy drink, you normally feel more tired than you did before you drank one

- Energy drinks are not a good/safe aid during exercise and shouldn't be confused with sports drinks

- An excessive amount can cause you to become anxious and restless

- Long periods of energy drink consumption can lead to sleep deprivation

Are Energy Drinks Good For You? - Side Effects

Like anything you consume, energy drinks should be used in moderation. There are some side effects that are related to over consumption of energy drinks.

Energy drinks have high volumes of caffeine in them. Drinking to much caffeine can cause anxiety, jitteriness and heart problems from your heart being made to pump excessively.

Energy Drinks are a diuretic which means they force out more fluid then they put into the body. This is why it's advised athletes and other sports people need to be careful because you can become dehydrated very easily.

A big concern from health experts is the effect energy drinks are having on today's children. Energy drink companies are notorious for marketing their products through fancy and cool adverts aimed at the youth. Children are made to believe these energy drinks are a 'must have' and are seen as 'cool' to buy. This itself has lead to many issues like concentration and disruptions. Many schools have taken to the length of banning these drinks in school grounds because of this.

Example: Monster Energy Drink Nutrition Facts

Like Red Bull, Monster energy drinks have become hugely popular among today's youth. The advertising and design of the cans has attracted millions of sales in the first few years or release. However, this fix energy drink comes with its own health risks, so here are the monster energy drink nutrition facts;

Monster has 52 g of sugar in each can. A mans daily allowance of sugar is 70 g and a woman's is 50 g. If you are a woman, you are consuming your entire days allowance in one can! The problem is, people that enjoy these type of energy drinks will drink 2-3 cans a day depending on what they are doing. This high level of sugar and caffeine is what's worrying health experts. The young generation are growing up on these drinks which cause long term conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. By the time they are adults, they could be suffering from any number of these conditions.

What is the healthiest energy drink?

So, what is the healthiest energy drink? Energy drinks aren't considered healthy by health experts and there are plenty of healthy alternatives, however we've found two of the healthiest energy drinks you can purchase today;

Red Bull Sugar Free

Being the worlds best known energy drink, Red Bull have a sugar free option. It only contains 10 calories compared to the originals 110 calories making it less sweet tasting but it still gives you a nice energy boost.

The sugar free option is still loaded with caffeine and taurine however the lower sugar count reduces the risk of obesity and high blood pressure.

This does not mean you can drink 5 of these in one go, because the caffeine can still make you feel anxious if you over do it so you should only drink one every 4 hours if you have to. The Red Bull sugar free option is definitely the most recognized healthy energy drink and if you don't mind the less sweet taste this energy booster is a perfect alternative.

Enviga (The Calorie Burner)

Enviga is a top contender for the healthiest energy drink. It's not like regular energy drinks. Instead Enviga takes a more natural approach to energy supply.

Where conventional energy drinks work by giving the consumer energy through sugar and caffeine, Enviga uses natural ingredients such as green tea to help you release energy slower, making it last longer. It comes in 3 delicious flavours, green tea, berry and peach.

The great thing about this energy drink is, it only has 5 calories per can! and only 100 mg of caffeine which means you're getting your energy without unneeded sugars. It's said that if you drink 3 of these spread out through the day, they can help you lose weight! It works by using natural ingredients like green tea to boost your metabolism which makes this drink the perfect workout aid. You don't even feel a 'crash' like you do with conventional energy drink either. Enviga is the healthiest energy drink and  recommended to give it a try!

Are Energy Drinks Good For You? - Conclusion

So, to answer the question, are energy drinks good for you? We'd say yes and no. You need to make sure that you drink them in moderation. It's all still up in the air about energy drinks these days but health experts are currently out-weighing the makers. Like shown above, there are some healthy alternatives to the heavily marketed conventional energy drinks which you can use instead.

It is recommended to give Enviga a try and for sure it's the healthiest energy drink. Try and stay away from the high sugar containing energy drinks because that's why they are addictive!

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani