Quick List - Top Healthy Energy Drink
Campbell Soup Company
A Blend of Fruit and Vegetable Juice With Some Added Caffeine
Alani Nu, LLC
Powdered Berry Flavor Energy Sticks With Zero Sugar
Rachel Binkley is a registered dietitian who helps individuals develop healthy habits that fit into their lifestyle. She recommends adequate intakes of all micronutrients to help prevent deficiency as well as chronic conditions that may arise. You can keep up with her recipes, lifestyle, and more on Instagram or her blog, S'more Satisfaction.
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The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
With a market full of options, we're here to help you know what to look for. Here's our buying guide on how to choose the best healthy energy drink for your needs.
Certain ingredients are known to boost energy levels, but too much of a good thing can be bad. Here's a breakdown of the ingredients to look for and how much of them you need.
It's been estimated that you'll reach 400 milligrams of caffeine by drinking two commercial brand energy drinks, so try not to exceed that amount for your own well-being.
In addition to caffeine, many energy drinks also employ other ingredients like amino acids and vitamins to enhance energy and benefit health.
An increasingly common ingredient is taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that has been shown to boost mental performance when combined with caffeine. However, while taurine is naturally occurring in meat foods like fish, it's usually synthesized for the sake of energy drinks.
Still, taurine has many claims to a healthier lifestyle, including the fact that it reduces the risk of heart failure and diabetes. So long as you keep your taurine consumption under 3,000 milligrams a day, you can certainly benefit from having it in your energy drink.
Vitamin C is also a popular addition to healthy energy drinks. It's an antioxidant and immune system booster. Vitamin D, yet another common ingredient, can help improve your mood and mental performance.
While healthy energy drinks do contain vitamins, we don't recommend relying on them for your nutrition needs. Please look to whole foods as your main source of essential vitamins.
Although some micronutrients included in energy drinks can be beneficial, they should not be the reason behind choosing to drink one. Unfortunately, sometimes these nutrients have more to do with marketing.
Vitamin C can absolutely support your immune system, though. If you are deficient in vitamin D, it may be beneficial to consume a supplement. These are all topics to discuss with a physician or dietitian.
This energy, however, is very short-lived and will inevitably lead to a crash. Worse, there's a lot of solid research showing that too much sugar leads to an increased risk of health issues like diabetes, fatty liver, and tooth decay.
But you don’t want to be adding too many artificial sweeteners to your diet either, so stick to natural sugars in your energy drinks. A good rule of thumb is to look for a drink with less than 10 grams of sugar per eight ounces.
The energy you're getting from energy drinks is not the same as the energy that is provided with a well-balanced meal. With food sources, you can incorporate fiber or protein to help slow digestion.
When energy drinks are high in sugar, it will lead to a blood sugar spike. This can be more concerning depending on chronic health concerns. There's no doubt that caffeine and sugar will give you energy. The question is, are you looking for quick or sustainable energy? That will depend on your plans and lifestyle.
Commercial energy drinks use synthesized caffeine made from urea and chloroacetic acid. While synthetic caffeine is structurally similar to the caffeine found in plants like tea or coffee, there's one dramatic difference: your body absorbs it much faster. This leads to jitters, post-caffeine crashes, and even an upset stomach on occasion.
Healthy energy drinks use natural caffeine sources like green tea and yerba mate, coffee beans, and the guarana seed. Some of these are denser in caffeine than others; guarana is even more potent than coffee! So long as you check the caffeine levels on your drink's label, you should be able to get the boost you need without overdoing it.
It goes without saying, but you'll also want to steer clear of artificial colors and synthesized flavorings in your search for a healthy energy drink. There are plenty of natural flavors that taste just as sweet, and no one really needs their drink to be electric green.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | Details | ||||||||||
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Item Weight | Number of Items | Flavor | Calories per Serving | Serving Size | Caffeine | Amino Acids | Vitamins | Sugar per Serving | Natural Ingredients | |||||
1 | Celsius Assorted Flavors Official Variety Pack | ![]() | A Sugar-Free Energy Boost With No Artificial Flavors | 12 fl. oz. | 12 items | Sparkling Orange, Non-Carbonated Peach Mango Green Tea, Non-Carbonated Raspberry Acai Green Tea, Sparkling Watermelon, Sparkling Kiwi Guava, Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear, Sparkling Grape Rush, Sparkling Wild Berry, Sparkling Cola | 10 cal | 1 can | 200mg | 0g | ||||
2 | Campbell Soup Company V8 +ENERGY®|Peach Mango | ![]() | A Blend of Fruit and Vegetable Juice With Some Added Caffeine | 8 fl. oz. | 24 items | Peach Mango | 50 cal | 1 can | 80mg | 11g | ||||
3 | Alani Nu, LLC Alani Nu|Breezeberry Energy Sticks | ![]() | Powdered Berry Flavor Energy Sticks With Zero Sugar | 0.2 oz. | 10 items | Breezeberry | 5 cal | 1 stickpack | 200mg | 0g | ||||
4 | ZOA Energy Variety Pack | ![]() | A Natural Energy Drink With Essential Vitamins Added | 12 fl. oz. | 12 items | Tropical Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, Frosted Grape, Cherry Limeade | unknown | unknown | 160mg | 0g | ||||
5 | Alani Nu, LLC Alani Nu|Blue Slush Energy Drink | ![]() | A Low-Calorie Energy Drink With A High Caffeine Content | 12 fl. oz. | 12 items | Blue Slush | 10 cal | 1 can | 200mg | 0g | ||||
6 | Gorgie Inc. Energy Drink - Bestsellers Collection | ![]() | A Sugar-Free Energy Drink With Caffeine From Green Tea | 12 fl. oz. | 12 items | Watermelon Crush, Peach Tea, Paradise Punch, Mango Tango | 5 cal | 1 can | 150mg | 0g | ||||
7 | LIFEAID Beverage Co. FITAID Energy|Variety Pack | ![]() | A Low-Calorie, Naturally-Sweetened Energy Drink With Recovery Vitamins | 12 fl. oz. | 12 items | Mango Sorbet, Blackberry Pineapple, Peach Mandarin, Raspberry Hibiscus | 15 cal | 1 can | 200mg | 3g | ||||
8 | Jocko Fuel, LLC Jocko GO|Energy Drink | ![]() | A Zero-Sugar Energy Drink Designed to Support Cognitive Function | 12 fl. oz. | 12 items | Watermelon | 10 cal | 1 can | 95mg | 0g | ||||
9 | Celsius HEAT Sparkling Cherry Lime | ![]() | A Drink With The Highest Caffeine Content on Our List | 16 fl. oz. | 12 items | Cherry Lime | 15 cal | 1 can | 300mg | 0g | ||||
10 | Yerbaé Variety Power Pack | ![]() | An Energy Drink With Caffeine From Yerba Mate | 16 fl. oz. | 12 items | Watermelon Strawberry, Iced Triple Berry, Black Cherry Pineapple | 0 cal | 1 can | 160mg | 0g |
Flavor | Sparkling Orange, Non-Carbonated Peach Mango Green Tea, Non-Carbonated Raspberry Acai Green Tea, Sparkling Watermelon, Sparkling Kiwi Guava, Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear, Sparkling Grape Rush, Sparkling Wild Berry, Sparkling Cola |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 10 cal |
Caffeine | 200mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
The CELSIUS Assorted Flavors Official Variety Pack includes twelve cans with an array of flavors such as Sparkling Orange, Non-Carbonated Peach Mango Green Tea, Non-Carbonated Raspberry Acai Green Tea, Sparkling Watermelon, Sparkling Kiwi Guava, Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear, Sparkling Grape Rush, Sparkling Wild Berry, and Sparkling Cola. Each can contains 200 mg of caffeine, making it a good choice for a pre-workout drink and an alternative to coffee. With no sugars, preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors, and being gluten-free, this variety pack supports a health-conscious and active lifestyle.
Item Weight | 12 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Peach Mango |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 50 cal |
Caffeine | 80mg |
Sugar per Serving | 11g |
Item Weight | 8 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 24 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Breezeberry |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 5 cal |
Caffeine | 200mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Alani Nu BREEZEBERRY Energy Sticks offer a convenient on-the-go energy solution with a refreshing berry flavor. Each stick pack contains 200 mg of caffeine, B vitamins (B5, B6, B12), and biotin, supporting functional systems in the body and providing a steady boost of energy. With only 10 calories or less per serving and 0 grams of sugar, these vegan, gluten-free sticks contain no artificial colors, making them a guilt-free option to get some energy throughout the day.
Item Weight | 0.2 oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 10 items |
Serving Size | 1 stickpack |
Flavor | Tropical Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, Frosted Grape, Cherry Limeade |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | unknown |
Caffeine | 160mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Item Weight | 12 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | unknown |
Flavor | Blue Slush |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 10 cal |
Caffeine | 200mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Item Weight | 12 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Watermelon Crush, Peach Tea, Paradise Punch, Mango Tango |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 5 cal |
Caffeine | 150mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Item Weight | 12 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Mango Sorbet, Blackberry Pineapple, Peach Mandarin, Raspberry Hibiscus |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 15 cal |
Caffeine | 200mg |
Sugar per Serving | 3g |
Item Weight | 12 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Watermelon |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 10 cal |
Caffeine | 95mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Item Weight | 12 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Cherry Lime |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 15 cal |
Caffeine | 300mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Item Weight | 16 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Flavor | Watermelon Strawberry, Iced Triple Berry, Black Cherry Pineapple |
---|---|
Calories per Serving | 0 cal |
Caffeine | 160mg |
Sugar per Serving | 0g |
Item Weight | 16 fl. oz. |
---|---|
Number of Items | 12 items |
Serving Size | 1 can |
Celsius is low in sugar and moderate in caffeine. The variety of flavors is a bonus. One of these energy drinks contains about 200 milligrams of caffeine, which is similar to two cups of coffee. It doesn't overwhelm you with different additives, yet can give you the boost you need.
In addition to commenting on our buying guide, Rachel also took the time to answer a couple of commonly-asked questions about energy drinks.
Rachel says, "When it comes to energy drinks, I wouldn't drink them unless you have plans ahead of you. The morning is good if you have a busy day scheduled. It can work in the afternoon as well; however, I wouldn't go later than 3:00 PM.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, it might be a good idea to avoid caffeine after noon. The last thing you want is for an energy drink to prevent you from getting quality sleep."
"Energy drinks can be harmful if they are not consumed in moderation," Rachel explains. "For individuals with cardiovascular disease, these can cause problems with any amount. Energy drinks can be very high in caffeine, which can easily affect heart rate and blood pressure.
The other concern is sugar or sugar additives. Individuals who react negatively to either in large amounts should use caution. If you get into the habit of drinking energy drinks regularly, it may be a good idea to take a step back and consider other strategies."
Hopefully, you aren't living solely off of energy drinks! Here are some other great picks to keep you hydrated.
No. 1: Celsius|Assorted Flavors Official Variety Pack
No. 2: Campbell Soup Company|V8 +ENERGY®|Peach Mango
No. 3: Alani Nu, LLC|Alani Nu|Breezeberry Energy Sticks
No. 4: ZOA Energy|Variety Pack
No. 5: Alani Nu, LLC|Alani Nu|Blue Slush Energy Drink
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