Founded by Katy Hearn to address wellness needs, Alani Nu is an energy drink brand that has no gluten, no sugar, and very few calories, which makes it suitable for a variety of lifestyles.
It comes with 200mg of caffeine and B-Vitamins, ensuring a solid energy boost. I tried Alani Nu myself and I have to say that their flavors are appealing and I like that they made an effort to provide naturally-derived ingredients and nutrients, although their caffeine content could be a lot lower and safer.
To know my complete thoughts on Alani Nu’s offerings, read on!
Contents
Alani Nu Nutrition Facts
| Per serving | |
| Calories | 10 |
| Total fat | 0g |
| Saturated fat | 0g |
| Trans fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 200mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 5g |
| Dietary fiber | 0g |
| Total sugar | 0g |
| Sugar alcohol | 2g |
| Protein | 0g |
| Vitamin D | 0mcg |
| Calcium | 1mg |
| Iron | 0mg |
| Potassium | 20mg |
| Niacin | 17mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.8mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.5mcg |
Alani Nu Energy Drink Ingredients
Alani Nu Energy Drink consists of the following ingredients:
- Citric Acid
- Sodium Citrate
- Taurine
- Erythritol
- Sucralose
- Gum Acacia
- Caffeine
- Carbonated Water
- L-Theanine
- Natural Flavor
- Fruit and Vegetable juice color
- Niacinamide
- Panax Ginseng root extract
- Acesulfame Potassium
- Potassium Sorbate
- L-Carnitine Tartrate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Inositol
- Cyanocobalamin
- Glucuronolactone
- Biotin
- Sodium Chloride
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B-6)
- Calcium D Pantothenate
- Guarana Seed Extract
Does Alani Nu Energy Drink Have High Caffeine Content?
Each 12 fl. oz can of Alani Nu contains 200 mg of caffeine, which is above average and may cause some side effects if you consume too much.
In comparison, the FDA recommends that healthy adults keep their caffeine intake to a maximum of 400 mg daily. Going beyond this limit can cause several negative side effects such as:
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Increased heart rate
Most energy drink brands contain anywhere from 50 to 300 mg of caffeine per serving. As you can see, Alani Nu is above average and personally, I prefer energy drinks that come with 50-100 mg of caffeine only to avoid jitters and caffeine headaches.
Is the Caffeine in Alani Nu Good for You?
It is evident that if you take one can of Alani Nu, then it will not harm your health, but if you take 3-4 Alani Nu cans in a day, then indeed, this energy drink can be bad for your health.
Caffeine, in general, has some benefits. It’s primarily a stimulant that affects your central nervous system and delivers an energy boost to keep you awake. However, it also has other advantages:
- Improved cognitive function
- Improved memory
- Increased metabolism
- Lowered risk for Parkinson’s disease
- Helps prevent certain cancers
But of course, if you take too much caffeine, it can cause adverse effects on your health too. 250mg of caffeine, in particular, can be unsafe if you are caffeine sensitive.
Calorie Count in Alani Nu Energy Drink
Alani Nu has a very low 10 calories per serving.
This makes the drink perfect for those who want to watch their calorie intake or lose weight. But don’t get me wrong, calories are essential to our daily diet. The idea is to make sure that the calories we consume do not exceed the number of calories we can burn in a day.
So if you regularly exercise and maintain a healthy diet, then you shouldn’t worry too much about Alani Nu’s calories. You can also check out my article about calorie-free energy drinks here.
Alani Nu Energy Drink Flavor Review
First of all, Alani Nu energy drink comes in many flavors. Here is a complete list:
- Cosmic Stardust
- Hawaiian Shaved Ice
- Island Crush
- Mimosa
- Breezeberry
- Witch’s Brew
- Watermelon Wave
- Cherry Slush
- Blue Slush
- Electric Tie-Dye
- Trippy Hippie
- Berry Pop
- Arctic White
- Tropsicle
The fact that they have a very large flavor range is definitely an advantage. Such cute names too, wouldn’t you agree? And just looking at Alani Nu’s packaging, which is very colorful and sleek, you can already feel that it’s going for a very light vibe as a brand.
In general, their flavors are very reminiscent of candy. I was able to sample a few of the flavors and for me, the clear stand out is Hawaiian Shaved Ice, which tastes so much like Skittles in liquid form. It’s a kind of taste that doesn’t really come with energy drinks often, so that was a nice surprise.
My second favorite is Cosmic Stardust, which tastes like a sweet combination of blueberry and grapes. It’s very light and the sweetness doesn’t go overboard. There is also no aftertaste, so definitely a great flavor!
Tropsicle was also very nice. It’s the kind of drink that is perfect for hot summer days and it has a good balance between creaminess and the tropical orange flavor.
Meanwhile, the mimosa flavor is okay for me, nothing groundbreaking but is still pretty decent flavor-wise. Breezeberry, on the other hand, was too sweet and didn’t really tickle my taste buds.
Sugar in Alani Nu Energy Drink
Alani Nu does not contain any sugar!
However, some alternative sweeteners are present in this drink, like sucralose, to give you a sweetened taste. Sucralose, in particular, is 400-700 times sweeter than regular sugar and so even a little sucralose will really give you a lot of flavor.
Artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved and calorie-free. It’s also suitable for diabetics and those who are on a diet. However, it’s still not good to take too many sweeteners, so be prudent with your intake.
Watch the video below to know more about sucralose!
Can You Drink Alani Nu Energy Drink Everyday?
In my opinion, if you’re a healthy adult with no medical condition, it should be fine for you to drink Alani Nu every day. But you do have to make sure that you keep it to one can a day only.
200mg is a tad higher than usual and may cause negative side effects if excessively consumed. If you’re a beginner at energy drinks, you can start with half a can and see first if Alani Nu won’t cause side effects.
But all in all, it’s better for your long-term health to drink energy drinks with lower caffeine content instead since you might become caffeine dependent if you get used to consuming high amounts every day.
Is Alani Nu Bad For You?
If taken in moderation, Alani Nu shouldn’t be bad for you.
However, you should also check their ingredients list to see if some of them might cause a reaction. For example, Alani Nu contains biotin, which is a B-vitamin that aids in hair growth and energy conversion. But some have also reported that biotin can trigger acne breakouts.
From my own experience with Alani Nu, its caffeine boost is relatively crash-free and devoid of side effects. Although, I did feel some strange reaction in my stomach after drinking it, similar to indigestion. This reaction happened about a half-hour after finishing a can of Alani Nu.
Energy Drink Alternatives to Alani Nu
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Conclusion
All in all, I’d give Alani Nu a 7/10. I like that it’s packed with vitamins and it has low calories and no sugar. It also has a very comprehensive flavor range that I’m sure would appeal to a lot of people.
However, the 200mg caffeine content is too much for me. I think it’s best to keep caffeine intake to a minimum, and there are brands with lower caffeine out there that can deliver a great energy boost too.
Still, you can try Alani Nu for yourself. Just make sure you keep it to one can a day only and carefully read the ingredients list too. If you feel any adverse side effects, consult a medical professional immediately.