Energy drinks come in many sizes and flavors. They also contain different amounts of calories, fats and carbohydrates. If you're worried about getting fat from drinking energy drinks, look at labels. Compare ingredients and calorie content, and choose the healthiest possible option. If you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor before using energy drinks that contain caffeine.
Calories in Energy Drinks
The calorie content of energy drinks varies widely. A large majority contains around 100 calories per can or serving. This is a relatively low amount if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet throughout the day. If you drink more than one can per day or if your diet is already high in calories, adding energy drinks can lead to weight gain. Some energy drinks are much higher in calories. For example, a can of Full Throttle Coffee Energy Caramel contains 250 calories, and a can of Amp Energy Overdrive contains 220 calories. Always read labels and compare brands if you're concerned about calories.
Sugar in Energy Drinks
Energy drinks usually rely on either sugar or caffeine to provide a kick of energy. If you're choosing one high in sugar, you might end up gaining weight over the long run. The FDA recommends consuming no more than 40 g of sugar per day. A can of Red Bull contains 27 g of sugar. Add to that whatever sugar you're getting from grains, fruits and other sweets, and you might be easily exceeding your recommended daily intake. If you're concerned about weight gain, choose sugar-free energy drinks.
Drinks and Physical Activity
Energy drinks, like sports drinks, were originally designed to provide energy for workouts and physical activity. When used like this, the calories provided would be burned during the workout and wouldn't lead to weight gain. In reality, most people drink energy drinks to help them get through the day. If that's your case, drink plain coffee for energy. Only use energy drinks when you know you're going to be active, such as 20 minutes before your workout or if you're planning on going out to bike or for a long walk.
Energy Shots
To avoid weight gain, consider switching from energy drinks to energy shots. Energy shots come in small doses. They're supposed to provide as much energy as regular energy drinks. However, because they're small, they don't contain as many calories or as much sugar. For example, the 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength is a small energy shot. A serving is just 2 oz., as opposed to 8 or 16 oz. from regular energy drinks. This particular energy shot contains only four calories and no sugar.
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