Finding a gluten-free energy drink can be difficult, especially because most manufacturers don’t specify if their drinks are gluten-free or not.
Mother energy drink, a favourite of many and a leading energy drink brand in Australia, might be your chosen drink, but does it fit your gluten-free diet?
The short answer is, Mother does not have any trace of wheat and barley. Its ingredients are entirely gluten-free, and hence, ok for individuals on a gluten-free diet.
Read on for a more detailed guide and an individual analysis of each ingredient in Mother!
Contents
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in several grains. Some popular examples are wheat, barley, and rye.
Gluten, in itself, does not have any essential nutrients.
The video below gives some important details regarding Gluten and why some people exclude it from their diets.
What is a Gluten-Free Diet?
A gluten-free diet is usually implemented for people with celiac disease and it excludes grains such as wheat from the diet.
Celiac disease triggers a reaction to eating products containing gluten. The intestinal tract and other parts of the body get severely damaged upon consumption.
Some individuals who do not have Celiac disease may still suffer from an adverse reaction after having gluten. This can be due to an allergic reaction because of Non-Celiac Gluten Hypersensitivity.
However, going gluten-free is also becoming popular among others who do not suffer from celiac disease due to its presumed health benefits.
How to be Gluten Free?
To completely rid gluten from your diet, you will have to make a habit of checking nutritional labels and pinpointing if any ingredient originates from wheat or any other grains.
Some common everyday foods that contain gluten are:
- Cakes and Pies
- Candies
- Cereal
- Cookies and Crackers
- Bread
- Beer, Ale, Porter
Pros and Cons of a Gluten-Free Diet
The table below lists some advantages and disadvantages associated with a Gluten-Free diet.
| Pros | Cons |
| Diet is vital to deal with celiac and gluten sensitivity | Diet may be very low in fibre |
| Safe to observe with the right dietary planning | Options are limited when visiting a restaurant |
| May help in maintaining cholesterol levels | May cause nutritional deficiencies |
Ingredients in Mother Energy Drink
Before we get to the analysis, here is the complete list of ingredients included in Mother Energy Drink.
Mother comes in two versions, the original and the sugar-free, and ingredients in both vary slightly.
| Ingredient Category | Mother Original | Mother Sugar-Free |
| Energizers | Caffeine, Guarana Extract | Caffeine |
| Water | Carbonated Water | Carbonated Water |
| Acidity Regulators | Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate | Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate |
| Colour | Caramel IV | Caramel IV |
| Sweeteners | Sugar | Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose |
| Preservatives | Potassium Sorbate | Potassium Sorbate |
| Vitamins | Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 | Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 |
| Amino Acids | Taurine | Taurine |
Is Caffeine Gluten Free?
The caffeine in Mother is extracted from Guarana Extract, which is completely gluten-free and does not contain grains in any way.
Other sources of caffeine such as coffee beans are also gluten-free unless they were managed by manufacturers who dealt with wheat or any other grains as well.
Is Taurine Gluten-Free?
Taurine is also entirely gluten-free, as it is usually synthetically produced.
Taurine is an essential supplement required by the human body and it won’t negatively affect people on a gluten-free diet.
Are Ingredients in Mother Gluten Free?
To make things even clearer and prove Mother to be completely Gluten-Free, here is a complete guide listing the sources of each ingredient present.
| Ingredient | Source | Is it Gluten-Free? |
| Caffeine | Guarana Extract | YES |
| Guarana Seed Extract | Guarana | YES |
| Sucralose | Synthetically Made | YES |
| Acesulfame Potassium | Synthetically Made | YES |
| Potassium Sorbate | Synthetically Made | YES |
| Citric Acid | Citrus Fruits | YES |
| Sodium Citrate | Citric Acid | YES |
| Caramel IV | Synthetically Made | YES |
| B-Vitamins | Synthetically Made | YES |
Does Mother Energy Contain Sugar?
While Mother Energy Sugar-Free is, as the name suggests- sugar-free, the original version does contain sugar.
Each 500mL can of Mother has 51 grams of sugar. This is considerably high especially when you look at the 37-gram daily maximum intake limit.
Looking at Mother’s sugar content, I’d have to say that while gluten-free, it might not be suitable for diabetics or people looking to lose weight.
In comparison, most energy drink brands have produced sugar-free options to cater to a wider range of consumers.
Is Sugar Gluten-Free?
Don’t worry, sugar is also gluten-free.
You can safely drink Mother Energy Original even if you are on a gluten-free diet. If an energy drink uses sweeteners as a sugar substitute, you can rest assured that they also do not contain any gluten.
Can Mother Energy Help You Lose Weight?
Mother Energy Original has 228 calories present in it and is not a suitable drink if you are looking to lose weight.
The sugar-free version on the other hand contains only 23 calories, so you can go for this version instead.
On the other hand, a quick boost before a workout can help you carry out a larger number of exercises than you would have previously.
Unless you work out daily, I wouldn’t really recommend drinking Mother every day because of its high calorie content. In fact, these calorie-free brands may be better suited for you!
Is Mother a Pre-Workout Energy Drink?
Both variants of Mother energy have 160mg of caffeine per 500mL can. This can boost your performance during a workout a great deal.
If you are looking to build muscle and having a hard time meeting your daily calorie intake amount, Mother Original can help you with this.
While it’s technically not a pre-workout drink, you can drink Mother beforehand to maximize the calories and caffeine.
Mother Energy Drink Alternatives
If Mother doesn’t fit your requirements and you would instead like something different, here are some great gluten-free alternatives you can consider.
Other Notable Mentions
Bottom Line
Mother Energy is a gluten-free drink you can enjoy without worrying about adverse effects.
People with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can also drink Mother as it is perfectly safe and will not cause any harm.
In my opinion, Mother’s high calorie and sugar content make it unsuitable for many lifestyles and diets, so that’s a huge disadvantage. Before you take Mother, consider your needs and your lifestyle (like whether you work out regularly or not) first!
Mother comes in two primary variants, Sugar and Sugar-Free, find the one that suits you and have a drink!