People commonly drink energy drinks to improve their energy levels and concentration. Some drinks are also marketed to enhance weight loss and offer health benefits.
But the options available in the market are full of chemical compounds, Thus, natural healthy energy drinks are a better alternative.
The fact that a drink provides energy and does not contain over 100 calories sounds a bit unreal. In every aspect, natural drinks cross off both checkboxes.
It doesn’t contain a lot of calories, and it provides refreshment and energy.
Not Convinced? Let’s explore this a little further.
What Makes Energy Drinks Healthy
The energy boost from energy drinks works as fuel for the body to complete the extra work. Sadly, most energy drinks contain a lot of calories and added sugars. They increase energy levels but take a toll on your health.
An average adult can consume 400 mg of caffeine daily. This is usually consumed in the form of coffee, soft drinks or energy drinks. Considering the quota of caffeine consumed per day, you can have 10 cups of coffee per day, as an average cup of coffee contains about 40-50 mg of caffeine.
That is Where Healthy drinks for energy comes into the picture. They are the ones that provide a natural energy boost with no added sugar and negligible calories. These drinks contain natural sugars and no artificial colours. Natural caffeine can be found in green and guayusa tea with a good dose of amino acids and b vitamin complex.
Moreover, they have good cognitive performance, help improve the health of the digestive tract and are also good for the immune system.
Thus one must, Always opt for a naturally flavored energy drink with zero sugar content and organic stevia leaf extract.
Try herbal products to avoid giving in brands marketing healthy drinks for energy. Coconut water, strawberry lemonade, regular lemon juice, orange mango fruit juice or even carbonated water is known to provide power.
Boost Awareness Via Social Media
Keira Rumble, the Founder of Krumbled Foods insights on the lack of awareness among consumers about the potential health risks associated with traditional energy drinks:
“I don’t believe there is anywhere near enough consumer awareness of the risks of energy drinks, such as weight gain, increased blood pressure, and nervous system impact.
Most of what we see are flashy ads, often featuring sports stars. We even see professional athletes with energy drinks in hand pre-game.
High caffeine and sugar levels pose health issues despite the performance boost they promise, so education is key.
I feel the best way to educate the masses is through social media and influencer endorsements, [both of] which should provide credible and clear information on healthier alternatives.
Transparency in marketing these alternatives, with straightforward ingredient lists and benefits, can help consumers make more informed choices for their health.”
Criteria To Choose Healthy Drinks For Energy
- The caffeine level should ideally be less than 120 mg.
- No added flavours.
- Zero sugar.
- Gluten-free.
- Contains b vitamins
Importance Of Added Constituents In Energy Drinks
With the energy drink market getting increasingly competitive daily, companies are finding ways to lure more customers.
Companies are implementing ways to improve their products health-wise to attract the health-conscious crowd.
A few benefits of healthy energy drinks are listed below with the respective substance.
- 6.1. B Vitamins: B vitamins are essential for good body health. They are known to improve energy levels and even mental health directly. B vitamins are also necessary for normal cell growth and regeneration.
- 6.2. Phenolic Antioxidants: They are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. They naturally get absorbed through the intestine of the human body. Furthermore, they contain antioxidants, a major key in keeping the human body healthy and functional.
- 6.3. Taurine: Taurine is an amino acid that contains sulphur. It is known to play an important role in the human body for the proper development of the skeletal system. It has also been noted that a mini dosage of taurine helps increase the performance level in the same way as caffeine. In a study, a small amount of taurine was added to the balanced diet of normal adults aged around 28 years. It was shown that these adults had an increased performance rate than before. This was found based on the regular blood reports of these sample humans. Thus, it is added to healthy drinks for energy for its added benefits.
Sugar and Caffeine in Energy Drinks: Unpacking the Health Consequences and Smart Consumption Strategies
Catherine Rall, Registered Dietitian, Happy V, offers smart energy drink consumption strategies, avoiding sugar and caffeine:
“The most nutritionally impactful ingredient in any energy drink is probably the amount of sugar.
Caffeine, as well as other more exotic ingredients, can sometimes cause problems, especially for people with heart issues.
Energy drinks on the whole are absolutely packed with sugar, and making them a habitual part of your diet is going to have negative consequences for your blood sugar levels, metabolism, weight, and energy levels.
Because the sugar and caffeine are [kind of] the selling point of these drinks, there’s [really] no alternative to limiting your intake [of them] if you want to stay healthy in the long run.
If you’re going to have an energy drink every day, aim for a small portion. While sugar-free energy drinks can be a way around the sugar problem, you’re still going to be dealing with high levels of caffeine, and many artificial sweeteners have their issues.”
Some of the Best natural healthy drinks for energy are
1. Green Tea
Considered one of the best healthy drinks for energy, green tea extract has become a popular drink for weight loss and detoxification.
Along with tons of health benefits, organic green tea is also being used as an energy drink.
Although it contains lesser caffeine than coffee, the presence of an amino acid L – theanine, is known to substitute the qualities of caffeine. Thus, green tea provides rejuvenation with lesser side effects.
2. Organic Fruit Juice
The juice of any fruit has proven to provide energy. With almost negligible amounts of caffeine, all kinds of fruit juices are known to relieve stress.
With no need for added sugars, they are great for increasing energy levels. The ones with the highest rejuvenating properties are
- Watermelon juice
- Apple juice
- Mango juice
- Avocado juice
3. Coconut Milk
Coconut milk may not directly link with energy liberation, but it has some triglycerides which encourage fat burning.
Thus, indirectly providing us with instant energy. Apart from the major benefits of giving power, it helps in reducing fat at the same time.
Our bodies store energy by converting food into healthy fats to liberate more energy when required. This way, it is also recommended for weight loss. Coconut water is also a good alternative to coconut milk.
4. Blood Orange Energy Drink Powder
Blood orange is mostly marketed as a powder made of citric acid and natural flavours.
It is sugar-free, and you need to dilute it in water. The organic flavour makes the drink tasty and healthy at the same time.
5. Ginger Lime Drink
Ginger root is known to provide energy to the body. Lime Possesses vitamin C, adding benefits to ginger lime.
It could be a great substitute for your coffee with high levels of caffeine. Though energy drinks are available in the market with ginger-lime flavour, this drink can also be prepared at home.
6. Yerba Maté
Yerba maté is a South American caffeine-infused drink that combines different dried herbs. Available online as well, Yerba Maté can be easily made at home. There are many ways to make Yerba mate at home with ease.
Containing citrus and hibiscus, Yerba Maté is one of the healthy drinks for energy that has about 70 mg of caffeine. Unlike other energy drinks, it contains zero sugar and zero calories.
Although, the presence of white and green tea is bound to give you a sugar-free energy boost. This healthy energy drink from Sound also contains extracts of lemon and hibiscus.
7. Toro Macha sparkling Ginger – A healthy energy drink available for people allergic to high caffeine doses is Toro Macha Sparkling Ginger. With a caffeine content of only 60 mg, even less than a cup of coffee.
It also contains extracts of organic Japanese matcha. It’s a great way to provide little energy and enhance physical performance.
8. Mati Unsweetened Sparkling Organic Energy- One of the best when it comes to natural energy drinks is Mati Sparkling Organic Energy.
It is made with brewed Guayusa tea, a good caffeine source, and possesses anti-inflammatory properties. With the caffeine content being upped by 115 mg, it serves as a great natural energy drink.
9. Proper wild clean, day energy shots– Among all the natural energy drinks, Proper fantastic clean energy shots contain the most caffeine.
This energy drink is made from Green tea and 180 mg of L-theanine, a natural amino acid that has neuroinducing and stress-releasing properties. With 180 mg of caffeine content, it is bound to provide instant energy.
10. Guayaki Unsweetened Yerba Maté- This drink is known to increase the focus and performance of the individual taking it.
It is naturally sweetened by 1gm of sugar and contains 140 mg of caffeine and 60 calories. This is suggested as the best healthy drink for energy among many clashing competitors.
Perceived Healthier Energy Alternative
Madison T, the E-commerce Manager at My Supplement Store, comments on trying natural healthy energy drinks as an alternative to conventional energy drinks and shares the noticed differences:
“Natural, healthy energy drinks, often made with ingredients like green tea, ginseng, and B vitamins, are considered [by many] as a better alternative to conventional energy drinks that may contain high levels of caffeine, sugar, and artificial additives.
These natural alternatives are typically designed to provide a more sustained and balanced energy boost without the jittery side effects and energy crashes associated with some conventional energy drinks.
I have tried natural, healthy energy drinks and often report feeling more alert and focused without the rapid spike in energy and subsequent crashes that can occur with traditional energy drinks.
Additionally, natural energy drinks are generally perceived as healthier options due to their use of natural ingredients and lower sugar content.
However, individual experiences may vary, and it’s essential to read labels and choose products that align with your dietary preferences and health goals.”
Closing Thoughts
As easy as it is to fall into the trap of advertising and give up on your health goals, a leap in the right direction will take you a long way. Reducing toxic substances and replacing them with healthier substitutes is the best way to keep improving your living standards.
Although energy drinks are known to provide energy and improve concentration, additives and higher milligrams of caffeine in these drinks can be harmful in the long run. Now that we have the option to substitute these drinks with healthy drinks for energy, you can easily achieve the same results with healthier options.
These drinks are not just known as energy-boosting foods but also offer many healthy nutrients and antioxidant properties. You may have a better chance of choosing the healthiest energy drink space for energy that gives you an energy boost but doesn’t harm you in the longer run.
Guest Author: Saket Kumar
