You take energy drinks to feel stimulated, only to become even more fatigued as the effects wear off… Isn’t it ironic?
Dieticians have debated the benefits of energy drinks, and the obvious indications of fatigue and other negative effects are enough to warn us from them.
Caffeine and sugar are the key components contributing to the rejuvenated impact we’re aiming for in energy drinks. Therefore energy drinks have a reputation for being high in both.
However, while this may be alarming to some, consuming energy drinks and suffering side effects such as a sugar crash may also result in long-term health problems.
Fortunately, energy drink manufacturers have developed formulas that help reduce the consequences of a sugar crash. Sugar-free energy drinks have also grown in popularity, as they are low in calories and ideal for those who are watching their weight or avoiding sugar.
If you want to check out these energy drinks, continue reading!
Short answer: If you’re looking for energy drinks without having the symptoms of a sugar crash, Raze, Bang, CELSIUS, and Adrenaline Shoc are among the great energy drinks you can try. They are all sugar-free and have little to no carbohydrate or caloric value.
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What Is A Sugar Crash?
When you ingest too many carbs, you experience a sugar crash, a rapid reduction in energy levels. And, because sugar is a carbohydrate, eating too many sweet meals, such as desserts, might leave you feeling tired.
It usually occurs within four hours of consuming high carbohydrate meals and can be experienced by both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.
How Does Sugar Crash Occur?
Sugar crashes are infrequent in people who do not have diabetes. Therefore, they are extremely unusual, even though this might be the source of reactive hypoglycemia (a condition in which blood glucose levels drop dangerously low after a meal).
Low blood sugar hypoglycemia is not the same as reactive hypoglycemia. Though the exact origin of reactive hypoglycemia is unknown, the symptoms can be caused by particular meals or even the time with which food passes through the digestive system. Other factors include alcohol, hereditary metabolic abnormalities, and certain cancers.
Some symptoms of sugar crash or reactive hypoglycemia are as follows:
- Dizziness
- Shakiness
- Anxiety
- Hunger
- Pale skin
- Confusion
To know more about Hypoglycemia, here’s a video essay by The Boston Medical Center:
How To Avoid Sugar Crash?
You may quickly reverse a sugar crash by making a few minor dietary changes and keeping a healthy level of sugar in your system.
Here are some of them:
Consume Food Varieties
Maintain a healthy balance of all major food categories and nutrients in your diet. Protein, fiber, carbs, and fat should all be present in all meals and snacks consumed throughout the day. Blood glucose levels decline when a high-carb meal or snack is taken without any sources of protein, fiber, or fat.
Eat Sugars With or After Meals
To avoid a sugar crash, consume sugary foods or desserts with high fat, fiber, and protein foods.
Eat in Small Portions
Small, frequent meals can help maintain blood sugar levels and satisfy hunger and offer nutrients throughout the day.
Furthermore, eating smaller quantities enables your body to utilize the food you eat for energy rather than storing it as fat. Losing weight isn’t as simple as limiting your portion sizes, but after you learn to keep track of how much food you consume, you can start practicing mindful eating, which may help you make better food choices.
Planning Your Meals
Plan meals ahead of time to ensure that each meal or snack has an adequate mix of carbs, protein, and fat. It is usually recommended to plan each meal at least one day ahead of time. You can also talk to your dietitian about customizing your food plan.
Energy Drinks
It’s unusual to find an energy drink that doesn’t include either sugar or artificial sweeteners. This is mostly due to the fact that, as carbohydrates, they give an ‘energy boost.’
However, because sugar has a variety of negative effects ranging from dental decay to a sugar crash, dieticians advise us to avoid drinking energy drinks regularly.
Sugars in Energy Drinks
Too much sugar, like any processed product, may have bad repercussions, thus using energy drinks, which contain sugar as one of the primary ingredients, might be worrying at times.
Some adverse effects sugar come with include:
- Causes weight gain
- Increases risk of heart diseases
- Can cause acne
- Risks of type 2 diabetes
- Accelerates aging
What’s the Right Amount of Sugar?
Here’s a table that shows the recommended daily sugar intake by the AHA:
| Daily Limit | |
| Men | 36g |
| Women | 24g |
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that men limit their intake of added sugar to no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) per day. In comparison, women limit their intake to no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories).
Some energy drinks conceal an excessive amount of sugar that exceeds the daily limit.
As a result of this, energy drink manufacturers have begun developing sugar-free energy drinks by substituting artificial sweeteners for sugar, which have no caloric value and are also safe to consume.
Are Artificial Sweeteners Better Than Sugar?
Many manufactures now employ artificial sweeteners, most commonly sucralose and acesulfame potassium, because they are considerably sweeter than sugar and contain no caloric components.
Although artificial sweeteners are safe to ingest and have no calories, this does not indicate that they are healthier than sugar.
Because artificial sweeteners are 200-600 times sweeter than sugar, they are only used in minimal doses. And, in the long run, excessive usage of them instead of sugar may pose health concerns.
Some health risks of artificial sweeteners include:
- Weight gain
- Brain tumor
- Bladder cancer
- Seizure
- Depression
How do you drink energy drinks without crashing?
While energy drinks can provide a temporary energy boost, they can also cause a crash or energy “crash” later on. Here are some tips to help prevent energy crashes when drinking energy drinks:
- Limit your consumption: Consuming too much caffeine can cause an energy crash, so it’s important to limit your intake of energy drinks and other caffeinated beverages. A good rule of thumb is to stick to one or two servings of energy drinks per day, and to avoid consuming them late in the day or close to bedtime.
- Stay hydrated: Dehydration can contribute to feelings of fatigue and sluggishness, so it’s important to stay hydrated when drinking energy drinks. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help prevent dehydration and support overall health and well-being.
- Eat a balanced diet: Eating a balanced diet that includes healthy carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats can help provide sustained energy throughout the day.
- Avoid sugary foods: Consuming sugary foods can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a crash, so it’s important to avoid these foods when drinking energy drinks.
- Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep is crucial for maintaining energy levels throughout the day, so it’s important to prioritize sleep and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
- Consider alternatives: There are several healthy alternatives to energy drinks, such as herbal tea, fruit juice, and exercise, that can help boost energy levels without the negative side effects of energy drinks.
By incorporating these tips into your routine, you can help prevent energy crashes when drinking energy drinks and maintain high energy levels throughout the day.
What caffeine doesn’t make you crash?
Matcha is a type of green tea that contains caffeine and other compounds that can help improve focus and alertness. Because matcha is absorbed more slowly than other types of caffeine, it may be less likely to cause a crash.
While caffeine is known for its stimulating effects, it can also cause a crash or energy “crash” later on. However, some types of caffeine may have a gentler effect on the body and be less likely to cause a crash.
What drink gives you energy fast?
Coffee is a popular choice for a quick energy boost, thanks to its high caffeine content. Drinking a cup of coffee can help improve alertness and focus, and provide a quick burst of energy.
On the other hand, Green tea contains caffeine and other compounds that can help improve focus and alertness. Drinking a cup of green tea can provide a gentle energy boost without the negative side effects of caffeine found in many energy drinks.
Energy Drinks To Avoid Sugar Crash
Now that we’ve covered the basics of a sugar crash, its causes, and how to avoid it, let’s move on to the safest energy drinks that may offer you a burst of energy while also having little to no influence on hypoglycemia or sugar crash.
This list is in no particular order, and I’ve picked out mostly energy drinks with either the little amount of sugar and carbohydrates to sugar-free variants.
Here’s a quick rundown of their nutritional value:
| Raze (16 fl. oz) | Bang (16 fl. oz) | CELSIUS (12 fl. oz) | Adrenaline Shoc (16 fl. oz) | |
| Caffeine | 300mg | 300mg | 200mg | 300mg |
| Calorie | 0 calories | 0 calories | 10 calories | 0 calories |
| Carbohydrates (Those of sugars) | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g |
Raze Energy
Raze is a sugar-free energy drink that packs a punch with 300mg of caffeine. It instead uses artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, which is why it has no calories.
And, because Raze contains a lot of caffeine, if you have a low tolerance for caffeine, you should limit your intake or drink just on occasion.
If you want to learn more about Raze, here’s a brief article I made discussing Raze caffeine content and nutritional facts.
Bang Energy
Bang is another zero-sugar, zero-calorie energy drink, but it is also rather strong in caffeine. Bang, along with Raze and Adrenaline Shoc, is one of the strongest energy drinks on the market, containing 300mg of caffeine per 16 fl. oz dose.
CELSIUS
CELSIUS is a fantastic product since it is a cleaner energy drink with a pleasant taste from the fruit flavorings. It also has 200mg of caffeine per 12 fl. oz. Only 10 calories while containing no sugar.
Adrenaline Shoc
Adrenaline Shoc definitely works and serves its goal to enhance and revive your energy throughout the day, with zero calories, zero sugar, and 300mg caffeine.
It’s also packed with vitamins and minerals such as the B-Vitamins, making it a great pick-me-up for strenuous physical activities.
As you may have observed, the caffeine level of these sugar-free energy drinks compensates for the energy-boosting impact. As a result, the caffeine content of most sugar-free energy drinks, such as those listed, is greater.
However, how you react to the caffeine content will ultimately determine this, and it is recommended that you monitor your consumption as well.
Alternatives to Energy Drinks
Now, if you’re looking for healthier options to boost your energy, there are also great and simple energy-boosting beverages that even you can make at home.
Here are some of them:
- Coffee
- Green tea
- Yerba mate
- Lemon water
- Ginger tea
Can Sugar-Free Energy Drinks Avoid Sugar Crash?
In some ways yes.
A sugar crash is triggered by specific foods (typically ones heavy in carbs), therefore sugar-free energy drinks might help you avoid the effects.
Furthermore, because sugar-free energy drinks have no calories, they may benefit individuals who are attempting to reduce sugar or are on a strict calorie deficit diet. These kinds of energy drinks have little to no influence on your weight, as long as you consume the proper quantity.
However, I’m not saying that sugar-free energy drinks are any healthier or that they help you lose weight. Energy drinks are neither good for you nor bad for you. They will only assist you for a short period and should be eaten in the proper dosage and only when necessary.
Conclusion
Energy drinks are wonderful to have on hand from time to time, especially when we need to boost our energy levels. However, as the food business progresses, the inclusion of sugars is becoming increasingly prevalent in the market.
Sugar has negative consequences such as diabetes, obesity, sugar crashes, and so on. You can prevent these symptoms if you eat a healthy diet.
Fortunately, energy drink manufacturers have devised a variety of strategies for remaining adaptable and developing healthier choices for their market. One of these is sugar-free energy drinks.
However, you cannot rely solely on these energy drinks with your meals, since keeping a better lifestyle and diet still fights and combats disease and health concerns.