Because I enjoy coffee so much, I don't find myself reaching for energy drinks too frequently.
Don't get me wrong; I do occasionally love drinking caffeinated energy drinks. However, given that I normally have my cold brew coffee on a daily basis, I find that this amount of caffeine consumption is plenty for my needs.
Is it possible to have a cup of coffee as well as an energy drink on the same day? Of course.
However, depending on how well you tolerate caffeine, you might find that consumption of that amount of caffeine is too much for you to handle.
I want to examine some of the most well-known energy drinks on the market today to see how they compare to one another. In addition, as the topic of this blog is health and nutrition, we will take a cursory glance at the number of calories, the amount of sugar, and the components.
Caffeine in Energy Drinks
The amount of caffeine included in different brands of coffee is all over the place, as you'll see if you look at the comparison I did between Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. The amount of caffeine can vary quite a bit depending on factors like the type of roast, the technique of brewing, and so on.
In most cases, a cup of coffee with a capacity of about 100 milliliters will contain about 100 milligrams of caffeine. If you consume approximately the same amount of coffee that I do, which is a large cup (or glass), then you will take in approximately 200 milligrams of caffeine.
That amount of caffeine would be equivalent to roughly 400 milligrams if you drank two of those coffees every day.
The Food and Drug Administration has determined that a maximum daily consumption of 400 mg of caffeine is safe. Because people's tolerances differ, it's possible that you'll be able to consume far more caffeine without experiencing any negative side effects, but this is the standard recommendation.
If you drink a lot of coffee each day, you might already be getting more than 400 milligrams of caffeine, which is not necessarily a cause for concern. It's highly dependent on the person, so while that might be fine for you, it's best to check with a medical professional just in case.
Personally, I aim to limit my intake to no more than 500 milligrams in a single day. Because there are days when all you need is a huge cold brew, the amount of caffeine consumed might rise pretty quickly.
As you'll see in a moment, some energy drinks contain up to 300 mg of caffeine. If you combine that amount with the caffeine in a cup of coffee or have two of these energy drinks in a single day, you'll quickly exceed the amount of caffeine that's considered safe for consumption.
You should not be concerned about exceeding that limit on any one day, either. The "limit" is merely a guideline that is founded on the assumption that caffeine is consumed on a daily basis. Suppose you only drink between 100 and 200 milligrams of caffeine per day on average, but for some reason, you end up consuming 600 milligrams on a given day. In that case, that is perfectly acceptable as a one-time occurrence.
Okay, let's get into it. We won't go through each and every energy drink that man has ever created (ain't nobody got time for that), but we will compare and contrast some of the ones that are currently selling the best.
Let's begin with the beverage with the highest amount of caffeine and work our way down to the one with the least.
Due to the fact that I work in the fitness sector, I am very familiar with Bang. They would be present at all of the fitness expos, and their marketing technique basically consists of having anyone who has a great body pose with a can of Bang Energy in order to promote the product. There is no way for me to know how they taste. However, because of the ridiculous marketing strategies, I've always had a touch of resentment.
One of the most highly caffeinated energy drinks on the market is Bang energy, which has 300mg of caffeine in a can that is 16 ounces in size.
Although Reign has only been available for purchase for a relatively short period of time, the firm that is responsible for the production of Monster! Because it contains BCAAS (branched-chain amino acids) and electrolytes, Reign is targeted toward people who are health-conscious and want to improve their overall athletic performance.
There is an equal amount of caffeine in a can of Reign Total Body Fuel as there is in a can of Bang, making it one of the products with the greatest total amount of caffeine available.
Is this something that just Starbucks serves as a beverage option? Technically. However, given that the word "energy" appears in the product's name, we are classifying it as an energy drink. You'll find that this beverage, which is essentially coffee with flavoring and cream added to it, has a significantly higher calorie and sugar content than the majority of energy drinks that are now available on the market.
There are 210 calories and an impressive 29 grams of sugar in each and every 15-ounce can of Starbucks Tripleshot Energy (although it does pack in a sneaky 10g of protein, too).
The 15-ounce can of Starbucks Tripleshot Energy contains 225 milligrams of caffeine, while the 14-ounce can of Starbucks Doubleshot Energy has just under 150 milligrams of caffeine.
It was important to me to keep this comparison with energy drinks, but I feel that energy shots also merit a mention. Although there are numerously available now, 5-Hour Energy was the first one to hit the market and is undoubtedly the one that has the most widespread recognition.
The energy shot is exactly what it sounds like: a small container of only 2 ounces that you may consume in as little as one or two sips in order to satisfy your craving for caffeine. Do you like the way they taste? They most certainly do not in any way. However, that's the same as a shot of alcohol, right?
The "Extra Strength" variant of 5-Hour Energy includes 230 milligrams of caffeine per serving, whereas the regular variety contains only 200 milligrams per serving.
An energy drink that has been "formulated for your wellness needs" has been introduced by Alani Nu in the last year. In recent years, Alani Nu has exploded onto the scene in the health area with the release of their supplements and protein bars, and it appears that they are attempting to do the same thing in the energy drink space as well.
There is actually more caffeine in an Alani Nu can of the same size (12 ounces) than there is in the majority of other energy drinks of the same size. Other energy drinks typically come in a total volume of 16 ounces, which places Alani Nu in a slightly more potent category given its size.
Celsius is yet another type of energy drink that is sold within the fitness industry. This particular beverage contains a variety of stimulants in addition to caffeine, such as guarana, green tea extract, and ginger root, amongst other things.
The 12-ounce can of Celsius includes 200 milligrams of caffeine, making it one of the beverages with the highest caffeine content available in the 12-ounce format.
3D is another relatively new competitor in the energy drink market, and the concept of simplicity is central to the company's branding. The cans have very little writing on them, and the only things that are there are the company logo and color (along with the nutrition label, of course).
The absence of flavor names in 3D is what sets it apart from other formats; it just has color options. You read that correctly: if you purchase a can that is white, the flavor is just... white.
There is 200mg of caffeine in a can of 3D, which is a little more than the typical amount for a beverage of that size that contains energy drinks.
I have a weakness for everything made by Ghost, man oh man. My own experience as a graphic designer makes it impossible for me to adequately convey how much I admire the branding of Ghost and the attention to detail that goes into all of its packagings.
As a supplement manufacturer, Ghost got its start in the fitness business; nevertheless, it is abundantly evident that the company is in it for the long haul and intends to make ripples in all industries moving forward.
One of the most appealing aspects of Ghost goods is the fact that they have collaborated with other brands. Having fully licensed varieties of Sour Patch Kids and Warheads energy drinks is undoubtedly one of a kind.
There is the same amount of caffeine in a 16-ounce can of Ghost Energy as there is in many other cans of the same size.
Cellucor's "C4" pre-workout supplement, which is quite popular, served as the inspiration for the development of C4 Energy. Because I have personal experience with the C4 pre-workout, I can confidently tell that it is an excellent product; consequently, I believe that the energy drink is also of a high caliber. C4 energy contains additional components that are intended to enhance performance and muscle endurance. As a result, this energy drink is targeted primarily at persons who are interested in fitness.
The 12-ounce can of C4 only has 150 mg of the substance, while the 16-ounce can have 200 mg.
Mountain Dew does not require any sort of introduction, but their brand-new energy drink most certainly does! This one is brand spanking new, but with Lebron James supporting their marketing efforts (have you ever heard of him?), it is likely to be a hit. This one is unquestionably more along the lines of a sports drink, with the "mental boost" and performance enhancements being the primary selling points for the product.
MTN DEW RISE comes in a 16-ounce can and has 180mg of caffeine, which is somewhat higher than Monster or Rockstar.
Fuze introduced NOS in 2005, making it one of the earliest energy drinks available for purchase, which was a very long time ago. Over the course of its existence, it has undergone a number of transformations, and today, Monster Energy is the company that makes it! It is not surprising at all, considering the company's name, that NOS focuses a lot of its marketing efforts on the motorsports business.
There is 160mg of caffeine in a can of NOS that is 16 ounces in size. The zero-sugar beverage known as NOS Turbo packs a whopping 300 milligrams into each 16-ounce can, making it one of the most potent options available.
One may argue that Monster is the most well-known and successful brand of energy drink currently on the market. Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Zero Sugar, Super-Premium Import, Monster Mule, and Monster Energy Assault are some of the variants that have been added to their product selection since they first appeared on the scene.
There are 160 milligrams of caffeine packed into a can of Monster, whereas the Lo Carb and Zero Sugar variants of the beverage only have 140 milligrams of caffeine. These are comparable to the vast majority of other 16-ounce energy drinks that are now available on the market.
In the market for energy drinks, Rockstar is another brand that has grown highly well-known and established, similar to Monster. Rockstar positions itself as more of an entertainment company, in contrast to Monster, which is focused on more extreme sports.
The same amount of caffeine, 160 milligrams, is found in a can of Rockstar (16 ounces), as well as in Rockstar Sugar-Free. This places Rockstar on par with Monster in terms of its caffeine content.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to see ZOA achieve enormous popularity in the years to come considering that it was introduced by The Rock in 2021. The fact that the caffeine in ZOA comes from natural green tea extract and green coffee, as opposed to synthetic caffeine choices, is one of the things that sets it apart from the competition (apart from the fact that it is backed by the most successful movie star in the history of the planet). Although many people claim that consuming various caffeine sources makes them feel significantly less jittery, I have not personally experienced this benefit from caffeine.
The caffeine in ZOA comes from natural green tea extract and green coffee, and a can of 16 ounces has 160 mg of it.
The company Zevia, which is well-known for producing products naturally sweetened with stevia, has recently entered the market for energy drinks. The Zevia brand is best recognized for its popular carbonated beverage. Still, the company also produces an energy drink that is notable for its lack of calories and sugar and for being one of the more straightforward beverages available in terms of its component parts.
There are 120 milligrams of caffeine packed into each 12-ounce can of Zevia Energy.
Not to be outdone, we also have Red Bull, which does not require any sort of introduction. Red Bull was around when there were only a handful of options for energy drinks, and the brand has endured through the years despite the competition. It is currently the energy drink brand with the biggest market share of any brand in the entire world. I did really say the world!
The amount of caffeine contained in a can of Red Bull is proportionally lower than that of the vast majority of other brands of energy drinks. There are 80 milligrams of caffeine packed into each 8-ounce can of Red Bull, including Red Bull Sugarfree.
If you drank two cans of Red Bull, you would get 16 ounces of fluid and 160 milligrams of caffeine, which is on par with what you would get from drinking two cans of Monster or Rockstar.
Because everyone has their own idea of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, and because there is no one energy drink that is identical to any other, it is impossible to say for certain which one is the healthiest.
It is vital to keep in mind that the majority of the beverages marketed as "energy drinks" are, in reality, just soft drinks with added caffeine. Many are designed to improve athletic performance and are not necessarily aimed at improving overall health. Choosing something "healthy" probably isn't going to be on your list of priorities if you're searching for something to keep your energy levels up that contains caffeine and sugar; you just want a sports drink!
However, depending on the specifics of your objectives, we will be able to recommend some of the more viable choices…
Zevia is the way to go if you are looking for an energy drink that does not contain an excessive amount of "junk" in it. This ingredient list, which is flavored with natural tastes and uses stevia as a sweetener, will prove to be one of the most helpful in terms of achieving your objectives.
You have the option of selecting from a variety of additional zero-calorie energy drinks, so choose wisely. However, Bang is undeniably one of the more well-known ones, and for that reason, it is important to emphasize it here. Although a lot of other energy drinks are going to be almost calorie-free, a lot of them are going to have between 15 and 25 calories per serving. Thus Bang has a tiny advantage!
Instead of relying on sugar as a source of energy, the vast majority of energy drinks make use of caffeine and various B-complex vitamins. Although some of the "first" energy drinks to reach the market contained significant levels of sugar (such as Red Bull, Monster, or Rockstar), the vast majority of energy drinks that you will find on the market nowadays will not contain any sugar at all.
Even beverages that contain a significant amount of sugar now have sugar-free alternatives; hence, no matter what your tastes in terms of flavor are, you should be able to find a product that meets your expectations.
Are you attempting to limit the amount of caffeine you consume but still require a little pick-me-up in your day? It's got to be Red Bull all the way! The amount of caffeine within is proportional to the size of the can in comparison to other energy drinks on the market. With only 80 milligrams of caffeine, it has less than half (or perhaps less) of the amount of caffeine found in many other well-known brands of energy drinks.
Keep in mind that everyone has their own idea of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Therefore we can't give you a definitive answer to this question.
On the other hand, I feel it's important to point out that the majority of energy drinks on the market nowadays can be considered healthy.
Although they've been given a terrible reputation for being little more than sports drinks spiked with caffeine, energy drinks have come a long way over the past few decades.
There are certain choices that contain a significant amount of added sugar, and this might not be the best decision for you. However, as this piece demonstrates, a significant number of the available choices are extremely low in total calories and include very little to no sugar.
Coffee is the "healthiest" sort of energy drink since it consists of just one component, is devoid of any sugar, and is entirely natural. Additionally, coffee is the “most natural.”
Having said that, if coffee isn't your thing, there are a lot of other fantastic beverages out there to choose from. I have high hopes that this essay was able to point you in the direction of some respectable choices.
Also, keep in mind that you are not required to choose the healthful one. It is not a problem at all for you to consume a sugar-laden energy drink if that is what you like.