Energy drinks are beverages that contain caffeine and other energy-enhancing ingredients, including vitamins and amino acids. While increased endurance is one of their main draws, some products also claim to improve muscle tone and mental capacity. Today, choosing the right energy drink is more complicated than ever. You have the option of sipping on a beverage that can just jolt your system, is chock full of vitamins, or even replaces electrolytes after an intense workout.
Sugar
One of the biggest things to watch for when choosing the best energy drink is sugar content. A beverage with too much sugar can lead to weight gain. For all the caffeine, and none of the sugar, drinks like 5-Hour Energy and Worx Energy will give you a mini-fix at zero calories. Both come in 2 oz. servings and have an estimated 100 mg to 200 mg of caffeine, equivalent to a cup of coffee.
Caffeine
A little bit of caffeine can perk you up, but going overboard can cause nervousness, irritability, insomnia, rapid heart beat and increased blood pressure, according to Katherine Zaretsky, RD, a Mayo Clinic nutritionist. Drinking a few hundred milligrams of caffeine a day, equivalent to two or three cups of coffee, is OK for most people, but once you exceed 500 mg to 600 mg, you're at risk for some unpleasant side effects. Products like AMP, with 74 mg of caffeine, No Fear with 83 mg and Red Bull, with 76 mg are good for people who like sipping on an energy enhancer all day. If you limit yourself to just one or two caffeinated beverages a day, Monster Energy contains 160 mg and Full Throttle contains 144 mg.
Nutrients
In the past, energy drinks were primarily about getting the highest dose of caffeine you possibly could. In an over-saturated market, some energy beverages stand out for having a variety of health benefits. Guru is an organic drink with no artificial flavors, no refined sugar or preservatives. The caffeine in Guru, at 145 mg, comes from guarana seed extract. If you're watching your waistline, opt for Guru Lite, which contains many of the same energy-boosting ingredients with 50 fewer calories than the original blend. BevNet.com, a beverage industry media company, writes that compared to mainstream energy drinks, "Guru has a much more natural flavor."
Hydration
People who get a lot of exercise need more than just an ordinary energy jolt. According to Wendy Martinson, RD and a sports nutritionist, people who exercise longer than 60 minutes also need a drink that can replace electrolytes. Rockstar Recovery comes in an 8 oz. serving. Per bottle, it contains 20 calories, B vitamins, 80 mg of fluid-balancing sodium, 160 mg of caffeine and 2 g of carbs, which is not as much as a sports drink, but more than most energy drinks.
References
- University of Minnesota Extension: What are Energy Drinks All About?
- MayoClinic.com: Energy Drinks: Do they Really Give Me Energy?; March 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Caffeine Content For Coffee, Tea, Soda and More; October 2009
- BevNet.com: Guru Energy Drink; May 2008
- "Food Science"; Caffeine Content of Prepackaged National-Brand and Private-Label Carbonated Beverages; KH Chou; August 2007
- Guardian: Sports Drinks: Vital for Hydration or a Waste of Money?; July 2009
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