Health Check the Contents of your Energy Drinks
Below is a comprehensive list of the ingredients in every drink featured on the site. Use the search bar to narrow down the list to find information about the ingredient you are looking for.
| Ingredient Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Artificial Flavours | Flavours made artificially differ from naturally produced ones in that they are not sourced from nature. The chemicals making up the flavouring are produced from scratch and can taste very similar to natural flavours. Health wise, artificial flavours can cause a wide range of side effects depending on how they were created and are less safe than natural flavours. |
| Caffeine | This drug is a stimulant to the central nervous system and blocks the flow of chemicals in the brain responsible for making you feel drowsy. It is very good at making you feel alert and awake, however there are a number of side effects. Namely, as it is a simulative drug, withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and irritability are common. |
| Caramel | In energy drinks this ingredient is used for colouring and flavour, not so much for its nutritional benefit as it is quite high in calories at 103kcal/70g. Caramel makes energy drinks sweeter and can give them a rich orange colour. |
| Carbon Dioxide | Drinks are carbonated to give them the fizzy taste and feel that is common in cold beverages. Interestingly, the fizz sensation is not caused by the bubbles but by the carbonic acid created during carbonation. There are no known health benefits or adverse effects. |
| Glucose | Glucose is a form of sugar that is a primary energy source for most organisms. It provides almost all of the energy for the brain, so one health benefit of this ingredient is that increases ability of self-control and decision making. Diabetes is when the body cannot properly regulate glucose levels, this can be caused by high glucose intake. |
| Inositol | This chemical primary use is in medicine to help treat diabetic nerve pain, high cholesterol and insomnia to name a few. However, the amount present in energy drinks is not enough to have any real benefit. Interestingly, this chemical is also used in explosives manufacture as well as being known for use cutting with cocaine! |
| Natural Flavours | These are a combination of ingredients in very small amounts used in the drinks to trick your brain into tasting something that isn't actually in the drink or just by enhancing that flavour through cooking methods. Generally, natural flavourings are made from oil, essence, or extracted protein of fruit, veg, meat, dairy or even plants. |