What is an energy drink?
Energy drinks are energy-boosting drinks and non-alcoholic beverages that contain caffeine, sugar, and other herbs and give an instant energy boost to consumers. There is no clinical evidence for natural energy boosting but now, this is a part of young adults’ life and we must know the long-term effects of the drink.
Who are Energy Drinks for?
Energy drinks are functional beverages that can be enjoyed by different ages of people. For some people, it is the morning pick-me-up at a place of coffee. For other people, it is an energy beverage used for caffeine, variety, and simply taste. Leading energy drink manufacturers don’t recommend energy drinks for kids, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. Also, there are some guidelines issued by the government for beverages.
Facts you must know about energy drinks
- A typical 8.4 oz energy drink contains 80mg of caffeine and a 16 oz energy drink contains 160mg of caffeine. This is a standard caffeine amount for energy drink manufacturers. They can reduce the amount but cannot increase it. There are lots of other energy drinks like Mate Mate which have just 30mg/100ml caffeine. This caffeine amount is half the amount of coffee which has generally 330 mg of caffeine per 160 oz but coffee has some dairy products which are healthy for the body. Sugar amounts also differentiate in coffee and energy drink.
- In the US energy drinks and beverages are regulated by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the food and drug administration under the Federal Food drug and cosmetic drug Act. 95% of the energy drinks sold come under American Beverages Association and go beyond the strict requirements of complying with the ABA guidance.
- Caffeine is caffeine, regardless of the source. Whether you are drinking an energy drink, coffee, eating chocolate or any other food items containing coffee, the point of discussion is that all of these things contain caffeine and can be harmful. This means that you will have a health impact on consuming both energy drinks and coffee. An important thing to consider is the total caffeine consumption amount per day; if it exceeds the recommended amount of 400mg daily for the long term, it can have serious consequences.
- An energy drinks label contains lots of information about ingredients and elements like caffeine, sugar, and other healthy ingredients voluntarily. For multi-serving containers, the total amount of caffeine is disclosed per serving. Also, it is warned not to be consumed by kids or pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
- Cold brew coffee contains more caffeine than hot coffee and has higher levels of caffeine than most mainstream energy drinks. This is due to the extended stepping time during processing which results in higher coffee concentrations. You can consider a low caffeine and sugar content energy drink like Mate Mate for consumption to get both an energy boost and safety from high caffeine amounts.
Possible health hazards of consuming high caffeine and sugar content
- Anxiety panic attacks, having an irregular heartbeat, or feeling of heart pounding
- Feeling sick, diarrhoea, and stomach aches
- Lack of concentration and headaches
- Mood swings can make you feel bad and if something happens like this, instantly stop drinking an energy drink
- Tooth decay
- Not able to have proper sleep
- Becoming dependent on caffeine and other substances
- Increase in weight
- In rare cases, it can lead to death as well
Did you know?
Energy drinks that are high in caffeine should be labelled with “High caffeine” not suitable for young people. It can lead to various health issues.
Need an alternative?
- Getting proper and enough sleep is important and if you are struggling to get enough sleep, it is recommended to leave or lessen the energy drink consumption.
- Eat a balanced diet as a healthy diet will help you to manage your energy drink consumption. Eat is advised to take vegetables, dairy products, beans, nuts, vitamins, and other essential health products if you want to be healthy and fit.
- Exercise is another essential activity to stay healthy and fit. If you feel low on energy, a HIIT workout or 30-minute walk can make a difference. Set your alarm for 30 minutes in the morning and do some workout or exercise to stay healthy.
- Water is the most essential element that can make difference in your energy level. In the summer season, it is highly recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water to stay hydrated and if you drink more, it will be healthier too.
- If all this does not work, you can take a shower in the morning. Sip a healthy green tea or similar to this to feel energetic and balanced.
- If you are planning to revise just before the exam day, you will not be able to concentrate on studying if your mind feels sleepy and it might be because of high caffeine. Healthy meals will help you to strongly revise the night but when you have a healthy lifestyle.
Bottom line
Energy drinks are made to support your performance and achieve big in life. But it is warned not to drink it unconsciously just for the sake of friends insisting. Excess to everything is bad and you should apply this to all walks of life. Children, pregnant ladies, and breastfeeding mothers should avoid consuming energy drinks to avoid dangers and it is also not recommended for them. Also, there is a new trend of mixing energy drinks with alcohol which is instant to be stopped as you never know what chemical reaction get arise and you might not bear the consequences. Always live a balanced life to avoid dangers. Healthy eating is always been in trend and there is nothing to show off how cool you are. Government must issue guidelines about energy drinks to keep the public far healthy and fit.
Author Bio:
Tim is a fitness writer. He has written for many health/fitness/food blogs including Mate Mate. MATE MATE ( meɪt meɪt ) implies a sense of shared experience, mutual respect and unconditional love, friendship, equality and bringing communities together through its energy drink. Check out 100% natural caffeinated energy drink at Mate Mate.