Bang Australia was recently launched sometime in 2020, and some say it’s apparently better than the original. However, other than an Instagram account, this Australian version doesn’t seem to have an origin story.
After much research and investigative work, I have not found a single article about the launch other than from an Instagram story, so I can’t really tell you what inspired the new range of flavors, or even the new formulation.
However, from what I can tell Bang Australia only comes in a specific list of new flavors (Rainbow Unicorn, Star Blast, Frosé Rosé, etc). Only these flavors have the new formulation, which we’ll talk about later in the article.
Like most energy drinks, Bang contains a ton of caffeine and sugar, although sugar-free versions of the product do exist. So what’s Bang Australia bringing to the table that Bang Original hasn’t (other than a bunch of creative new flavors)?
So you may be wondering, what’s so different about Bang Australia? Well it turns out, quite a lot.
Both versions are sugar-free, but Bang Australia has only 4 calories , 160 mg of caffeine, and has no ingredients like EAAs and SuperCreatine which are considered to be Bang’s trademark ingredients.
If you want to know more about the difference between Bang Original and Bang Australia, read on.
Contents
What is the target audience for Bang?
With an emphasis on influencer marketing, Bang Energy aims to reach the generation Z demographic. In order to appeal to Gen-Z customers, the brand’s marketing department recognizes that these customers value authentic voices above those of celebrities.
Keep in mind that Bang energy drinks are not suited for those under the age of 18. Anxiety, irritability, inability to sleep, and even a pounding heart have all been linked to consuming excessive amounts of caffeine.
Bang Australia Nutrition Facts
To determine which energy drink is better, you have to look at both energy drink’s ingredients and nutrition facts.
| Standard Values | Bang Australia (500ml) | Bang Original (473ml) |
| Energy | 4 calories | 0 calories |
| Fat (Of which saturated) | 0g (0g) | 0g (0g) |
| Carbohydrates (of which sugars) | 0g (0g) | 0g (0g) |
| Caffeine | 160mg | 300mg |
| Sodium | 13mg | 40mg |
| Protein | 0g | 0g |
| Potassium | – | – |
| Calcium | – | 5mg |
| Magnesium | – | 5mg |
| Vitamin C | – | 27mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.8mg | – |
| Vitamin B3 | 6.5mg | 5mg |
| Vitamin B5 | 2.0mg | – |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5mg | 0.5mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.8μg | 1.5μg |
| Inositol | 14mg | – |
Honestly, it’s hard to decide which one’s better since both energy drinks have a lot of benefits to offer, albeit it also has some disadvantages which will be explained explicitly as you read more.
Bang Australia Ingredients
Before we look at the similarities and differences between the two versions, let’s take a look at the ingredients of Bang Australia so we can compare notes.
- Carbonated Water
- Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Potassiums Phosphate Dibasic)
- Flavours
- Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate)
- Sweetener (Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium)
- Caffeine
- Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Magnesium Sulphate
- Inositol
- Stabiliser (Calcium Chloride)
Bang Australia vs Original Bang
There are some similarities and some differences between Bang Australia and regular Bang which I’ll explicitly discuss below.
Similarities
Before we get to the differences, here are some similarities between Bang Australia and Bang Original :
Sugar-Free
You’re not mistaken, it’s really sugar-free! Both versions of Bang really made a good idea by not putting sugar and using artificial sweeteners instead (sucralose and acesulfame potassium).
Sucralose contributes to the sweetness of Bang without making you gain weight. Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), on the other hand, is 200 times sweeter than table sugar! Ace-K has a bitter after taste which is why it’s often blended with other sweeteners (in this case, sucralose).
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is one of the 8B vitamins which are all water-soluble. The Australian Bang has vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. The original one only has vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
Except for the amount of vitamin B6 (0.5 mg), all of the vitamin B’s amount differs from the Australian version and the original one. If you’re wondering what’s the function of vitamin B6, you can think of it as a machine that turns food into energy and creates neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
The recommended intake for vitamin B6 varies from age groups.
Protein
Protein is critical for every cell of our body, it helps build our physical features like our bones, muscles, and the like.
There are no proteins in energy drinks which seems okay. Why? Well, energy drinks shouldn’t be considered as a supplement of vitamins or protein and if people drink energy drinks just because it has protein, they might as well opt with protein shakes or a new beverage on the rise which is protein water.
According to Healthline, the DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) for protein is 0.36 grams of protein per pound (0.8 g per kg) of body weight. This amounts to: 56 grams per day for the average sedentary man. 46 g per day for the average sedentary woman.
You can get most protein out of meat, eggs, and fish — there’s actually a lot more, you can read it here.
Fat
The fuel source of the body is fat and it’s also the major storage of energy. Only a moderate amount of fat is needed for your body to function well, too much fat or the wrong type of fat can make you unhealthy.
Both version of Bang has no fat which means that you have to consume fat from foods like meat, fish, and some dairy products.
The dietary reference intake (DRI) for fat is 20% to 35% of total calories for adults. When you convert it into grams, this means that you need 44g to 77g of fat per day if you consume 2,000 calories in a single day.
Difference
While they are technically the same brand, there are some small differences between Bang Australia and Bang Original. The differences that I’ve found while researching include the caffeine, calories and sodium content.
Caffeine Content
The original version of Bang has a lot of caffeine!
Compared to Australia’s Bang which has 160mg, the original Bang’s caffeine contains a whopping 300mg!
The daily recommended intake for caffeine is 400mg, this amount is only considered safe for healthy adults. So if you’re planning to take a sip of the original Bang, make sure that you’re aware of the other foods/beverages you’re consuming. Doing so can prevent:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Digestive issues
- Muscle breakdown
- High blood pressure
Calories
Calories are the complete opposite of caffeine. Calories links to weight gain, while caffeine leads to weight loss.
Calories are a unit of energy that tells how a food/drink can give our body energy. If energy isn’t used by our body, it simply turns into body fats which makes humans (sadly) fat. To prevent this from happening, you should know how many calories you should consume per day.
However, the daily intake depends on your age, metabolism, physical activity, and the like. But a general recommendation is for men to take 2,500 calories per day and 2,000 calories for women.
Keep in mind that not all calories are nutritional, these foods/drinks are called empty calories.
Sodium
Also referred to as salt, sodium is almost found in everything you eat and drink on the grounds that it’s a flavoring agent. Its role is to maintain blood volume and blood pressure by attracting and holding water.
The original Bang has more sodium with an amount of 40 mg, compared to the Australian version which has 13 mg. If you want to know whether how much sodium most people take, here’s a quote from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
Americans eat on average about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day—that’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt!
FDA
Available Flavors
The flavors of Bang energy drink are:
- Rainbow Unicorn
- Star Blast
- Frosé Rosé
- Cherry Blade Lemonade
- Power Punch
- Miami Cola
- Peach Mango
- Purple Guava
- Black Cherry Lemonade
- Sour heads
- Birthday Cake Bash
- Rainbow Unicorn
- Cotton Candy
- Candy Apple Crisp
- Lemon Drop
- Purple Haze
- Bangster Berry
- Blue Razz
As you can see Bang energy drinks has multiple flavors, videos may be easier for you to imagine the taste of these flavors and, in addition, you can see the reaction of the person drinking it. So here’s a review on the flavors of Bang:
Where To Buy Bang Australia
You can buy the Australian version of Bang in convenience stores like 7-eleven, but an efficient way (and safest) of buying the Australian version is through online retailers like:
| Online Retailer | Price (Average AUD) |
| Thesuppstop | $5.00 |
| Nutritionwarehouse | $5.00 |
| Australiansportsnutrition | $5.01 – $5.50 |
| Shopbot | $58.90 – $227.50 (12 cans) |
Is Australian Bang Better Than Original Bang?
If you’re worried about caffeine, then Australian Bang is for you! However, if you’re scared that a beverage might increment your weight gain, then I suggest you opt with the original Bang.
There’s no one size fits all when choosing between the different versions of Bang energy drink. If you want to take the Australian Bang energy drink, you have to accept that it can lead to weight gain for you to not be able to consume too much caffeine.
For the original Bang energy drink, if you don’t want the energy drink to add to your weight, you’d have to accept that you need to be aware of your caffeine intake throughout the day and even just drink the original Bang for the rest of the day since it has a lot of caffeine.
Is Bang Australia A Good Energy Drink?
Yes! I stated a while ago that it can cause weight gain, but the Australian version only amounts to 4 calories which is not that high for you to extremely worry about.
In addition, you can burn those calories in multiple ways like physical activities and eating a healthy balanced diet.
However, those with caffeine sensitivity should take it easy with Bang. Pregnant and nursing women, as well as children under the age of eighteen should also avoid Bang due to its caffeine content.
Likewise, if you have any preexisting medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, please consult a physician if you think Bang may pose a risk to your health.
What is the most popular energy drink in Australia?
The popularity of V Energy Drink’s products has led to the company’s position as the most widely consumed energy drink in both New Zealand and Australia, with respective market shares of over 60% and 42%. A local alternative to Red Bull, V is a serious contender.
As a brand, V’s line of carbonated energy drinks contains the most caffeine per volume (31mg per 100 ml). This means that one can of V (at 250 ml) is about equivalent to one cup of coffee.
Conclusion
So as we can see, Bang Australia has some differences but also a lot of similarities as well (they are the same brand after all).
But if you want the healthier option you can try Bang Australia. However, it may be not be available in your country, which means you have to ship it from overseas, which I think is not worth it.
However, if you’re keen on trying out the new flavors by all means order them now from the trusted websites I provided and maybe even look in the convenience store aisles near you.
You may just get lucky and find a can of Rainbow Unicorn at your local 7-Eleven.