Energy drinks are quite popular these days most likely because they are addictive and have the added benefit of giving us extra energy. But are energy drinks bad for you?
Yes they are, they really don’t fit anywhere within a healthy diet plan. The amount of sugar, along with the caffeine does not present any nutritional value to your diet.
You can listen to this short Food Facts podcast and determine the outcome for yourself. I’d certainly recommend giving them up if you can.
Some of the common ingredients in energy drinks:
- Caffeine – stimulates the central nervous system, energy drinks contain around 80-100mg
- Taurine – helps regulate heartbeat, muscle contractions and energy levels
- Guarana – a south American plant that is more dense than coffee – coffee is just 1-2% caffeine, while guarana is 3-4%
- B vitamins – the best known energy supplement
- Ginseng – a medicinal herb believed to increase energy and great to reduce fatigue, stress and increase memory
- L carnitine – amino acid that helps speed up the metabolism and increase energy
- Glucuronolactone – helps prevent glycogen depletion
- Inositol- aids with the nervous system and serotonin modulation
- Sugar – There is so much sugar in these energy drinks and that means they are adding to your calorie intake but sugar does not deliver ANY nutritional value to your body whatsoever.
Although some of these ingredients seem good, it’s interesting that they put beneficial herbs and supplements in these drinks to help counter the effects of caffeine and sugar. Combining some if these ingredients together also does have health consequences and can be dangerous for some people.
Some of the nutrition facts from popular energy drinks
How much sugar is in these drinks? A LOT!!
Monster Energy Drink
- 240ml can 8 oz says it contains 2 serves per container. I’m sure someone will drink the whole can, don’t you?
- 54g sugar
- 200mg ginseng
- Energy blend is 2500mg
- l-canitine, glucse, caffeine gurana. Inositol, and maltodextrin
Mother Energy Drink
- 355ml serve
- 165 cal
- 37g sugar
- 184g sodium
- 114mg caffeieb
- B vitamins – B3, B5, B6, B12
- Taurine
- Glucuronolactone
- Inositol 43mg
Red Bull
- 1 can
- 110 cal
- 200mg sodium
- 27g sugar
- 80mg caffeine
- amion acid taurine
- B group vitamins
- Sucrose and glucose
- Water
Rock Star Energy Drink
- 8 oz /240ml
- 140 calories
- 31g carbs/sugars
- B vitmains
- 40mg sodium
- 1000mg taurine
- 150mg ginko biloba
- 80mg caffeine
- 25mg guarana
- 25mg inositol
- 25mg lcarnitine
- 25mg ginseng
- 20mg milk thistle
So will you give up your energy drinks? Here are some great tips to help you get off the caffeine fast!
See you in the next podcast
Jedha
Nutrition & Health Coach
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