Krating Daeng is an Asian energy drink that has quite an interesting story behind it.
You see, Krating Daeng is a Thai name that literally translates to Red Bull.
Hmm, sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
That is because this energy drink was the basis for the global phenomenon that is the Western Red Bull. But more about that later.
First, we’ll discuss the ingredients and caffeine in Krating Daeng and how good of a job it does in keeping you alert and active throughout the day.
Read this article fully if you want to learn more about the original Red Bull and the story behind the other one’s creation.
Contents
Krating Daeng Ingredients
Krating Daeng comes in two sizes: A 5 fl.oz and an 8.4 fl.oz of bottles.
For this article, I’ll be considering the values for the 5 fl.oz bottled version.
Below are the main constituents of Krating Daeng along with their possible benefits/side effects:
| Ingredient | Benefits | Side Effects (if any) |
| Caffeine | A powerful stimulant that increases physical and mental performance. | May cause insomnia, headaches, and other problems in high doses. |
| Taurine | May help with heart function in people with CHF, among other possible benefits. | Taurine is generally safe for adults and even children. |
| Sucrose (table sugar) | Makes food taste delicious and provides a burst of energy. | The energy boost is usually followed by a crash which lowers your energy levels. |
| Inositol | Acts as a blood sugar moderator by improving insulin sensitivity plus other effects. | Little to no side effects. |
| Choline | Helps with fat metabolism and synthesis of DNA and cells. | It may cause stomachache or diarrhea in some people. |
| Vitamin B12 | Is an essential nutrient that helps with cell preservation and more. | Headaches and nausea in very rare cases. |
| Vitamin B6 | Promotes brain health and helps with depression, among other uses. | Unsafe when taken in doses of more than 500mg. |
| Vitamin B5 | It is an important nutrient needed for the production of red blood cells. | May cause diarrhea in extremely large doses. |
| Preservatives | Prevent or delay food decay. | Some preservatives may cause certain health hazards. |
| INS330(Acidity regulator) | Used to maintain pH values of foods and drinks. | Some people may be allergic to it. |
| Artificial flavor and colors | Add flavor and color to food. | Allergic reactions in some people as well as abdominal pain in some cases. |
Most of these ingredients are safe for the majority of people in reasonable doses.
The only cause for concern here is the inclusion of artificial flavors and colors in the drink which may have some adverse effects if not taken in moderation.
Krating Daeng Nutritional Facts
A 5 fl.oz bottle of Krating Daeng has the following amounts of each nutrient:
| Nutrients | Amount Per 150 ml |
|---|---|
| Energy | 120 calories |
| Caffeine | 50mg |
| Protein | <1g |
| Fats | 0g |
| Carbohydrates (Of which Sugars) | 28g (25.7g) |
| Sodium | 160mg |
| Inositol | 30mg |
| Choline | 10.5mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.7mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 7.5mcg |
| Vitamin B3 | 21.5mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 3.5mg |
Krating Daeng is a good source of vitamins like Vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12 but you shouldn’t use it as an alternative to multivitamins as it doesn’t have Vitamins A or C, etc. in it.
How much caffeine does Thai Red Bull have?
A bottle of Krating Daeng or the Thai Red Bull has 50mg of caffeine in it.
This is actually close to half of the amount of caffeine that is in a cup of coffee. Nevertheless, when paired with the other ingredients, this 50mg does the job for most people.
But the same can’t be said for individuals who are more resilient to the effects of caffeine especially if they have less sensitivity to stimulants.
Less than 100mg of caffeine would most likely not be enough to make a significant effect on their energy levels. So they would require 2 or more bottles to get the boost.
The FDA says that the safe limit for daily ingestion of caffeine is 400 milligrams for healthy adults.
The best thing about the caffeine in Krating Daeng is that you can’t really go past the limit with it even if you drank half a dozen of them. The calories and the sugar in Krating Daeng are quite substantial, though. We’ll talk more about the why and how in the next subheadings.
Sugar In Krating Daeng
The sugar content in a bottle of Krating Daeng is a staggering 25.7 grams.
Which is very high, to say the least. Especially considering the fact that this drink comes in 5 fl.oz of a bottle, and not the standard 8.4 fl.oz.
Drinking a bottle of the Krating Daeng means you would already be over the threshold of 24 grams, which is the AHA recommended limit for women.
For men, the limit is slightly higher at 36 grams. But Krating Daeng comes very near to that amount as well.
And consistently overdosing on sugar can lead to a bunch of health problems like Type 2 diabetes, obesity, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, and more.
Therefore, I would advise my readers to stay away from this brand if they have a sweet tooth and eat a lot of sugary items.
Even for those of you who do take their sugar intake into consideration, I would recommend no more than a single bottle of this a day.
How many calories does Krating Daeng have?
120. That is the number of calories that are in a 5 fl.oz serving of Krating Daeng.
I’m someone who doesn’t like that many calories in beverages so I may be a little biased here, but that is a big number for a small bottle.
The recommended calorie intake for an average person is around 2000 calories.
If you’re constantly overeating then you may be susceptible to some of the following health problems:
- Weight gain and excessive fat levels
- Impaired cognitive abilities
- Higher risk of contracting certain diseases
- Drowsiness
- Bloated stomach and gas
- Nausea
- Loss of control over one’s appetite
The main reason for my concern here is that Krating Daeng has considerably low caffeine as compared to other energy drinks and it isn’t a part of a regular diet, but rather an extra item.
What I mean by this is that caffeine-insensitive people are very likely to chug down more than one of these bottles and easily go over the limit in both calories and sugar.
But it isn’t necessarily a bad thing to have so many calories if you look at it from a different point of view.
People who are trying to gain weight will find these extra calories to be a godsend. They can get the excess calories they require without having to eat more.
How many Krating Daeng can I have in a day?
I say that one bottle a day would have to suffice.
I mean, one bottle’s worth of energy will be enough to last anyone at least a good 3 to 4 hours unless they are really fast at metabolizing caffeine.
You could drink two if you were really desperate for a boost and had no other means available, but then you would have to cut down on sugar for a day or two.
This is because the sugar and calories in Krating Daeng, in contrast to the caffeine, are quite high.
The total sugar and calories gained from drinking two servings would be around 50 grams sugar and 240 calories respectively.
So if you’re finding the oomph of a Krating Daeng to not be enough for you, then maybe try out a higher caffeine energy drink.
What does Krating Daeng taste like?
It tastes like Red Bull! Krating Daeng really does taste similar to Red Bull except that it is much sweeter and has a more concentrated feeling taste.
Another difference here is that Red Bull is carbonated, but Krating Daeng isn’t.
Here’s a YouTube review of Krating Daeng if you’re interested.
Krating Daeng’s Flavors
There are two versions of this drink: The original and the sugar-free version. There’s not much variety in Krating Daeng when it comes to flavors.
The original comes in both 5 fl.oz and 8.4 fl.oz of a bottle, but the sugar-free version only comes in 8.4 fl.oz.
Where can you buy Krating Daeng?
Well, you’re going to have a hard time finding this in stores if you live on the Western side of the world. There’s a chance that you will find it in an Asian supermarket or something, but even they can be hard to find.
As for buying online, I found some sellers on Amazon and eBay, but they are charging ridiculous amounts for this drink.
Krating Daeng is only supposed to cost the equivalent of a few cents but these guys were asking for up to $5 per bottle!
So I wouldn’t really recommend buying from them unless you’re in it for the bragging rights of having drunk the original Red Bull.
Krating Daeng is a must-try if you’re going to Asia. You can typically find this in stores in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and of course, Thailand.
Are Red Bull and Krating Daeng the same?
Red Bull and Krating Daeng may share the same name (albeit in different languages) and even the same logo, but they aren’t a single entity. While I’ll explain the origin story of both, you can find an article about that here.
Though they are oftentimes confused for each other, they are actually two separate brands, one of which is based in Thailand and the other in Austria.
These two companies also operate in completely different markets. While Red Bull is generally available all over the planet, Krating Daeng is more of an Asian delicacy.
One thing is true though. Red Bull was originally inspired by Krating Daeng, but I’ll tell you more about it in the next part of this article
Krating Daeng was founded years before Red Bull even existed.
As the story goes, the founder of Krating Daeng Chaleo Yoovidhya formulated this drink for the sake of Thai laborers. He did it to give them an extra jolt of energy that helped them work longer and kept their exhaustion at bay.
Soon the brand got integrated into the common market in Thailand and then its popularity in Asia skyrocketed.
But the brand’s, or rather, Chaleo Yoovidhya’s true success came a bit later.
One day, a certain entrepreneur discovered this brand and unleashed it upon the world.
This is the story of how Red Bull came to be.
Western Red Bull’s Origin Story
Dietrich Mateschitz, a businessman from Austria, came to Thailand in 1982.
After getting off the plane, he drank a bottle of Krating Daeng which helped cure the jetlag he was feeling.
After getting in touch with each other, Mateschitz and Chaleo decided that they would collaborate in order to introduce this energy drink to the Western world.
In 1984, Red Bull GmbH was launched in Austria. It was decided that both the co-founders would each have a 49% share of the company, while the remaining 2% would go to Chaleo’s son.
Soon Red Bull became a global phenomenon and consequently became the market leader in the energy drinks industry.
When Chaleo Yoovidhya died, he was a multi-billionaire. His son Saravoot now runs Krating Daeng and also owns 51% of the shares of Red Bull.
Talk about smart decisions…
Is Thai Red Bull (Krating Daeng) Stronger?
Now that we have covered the history between the two brands, some of you could be wondering which one of these brands has the stronger boost.
So here I am, with the good ol’ caffeine, sugar, and calorie comparison:
| Red Bull | Krating Daeng | |
| Caffeine | 80mg | 50mg |
| Sugar | 26 gram | 25.7 gram |
| Calorie | 117 kcal | 120 kcal |
The two Red Bulls are quite on par with each other when it comes to sugar and calories.
They are also quite similar when it comes to ingredients.
The tie-breaker here is the caffeine. While Krating Daeng has 50 milligrams of alcohol, Red Bull has 80 milligrams.
This gives Red Bull a slight edge over the former when it comes to the overall boost.
Alternatives to Krating Daeng
Can’t find yourself some Krating Daeng?
I can sympathize with you on that. That’s why I have an entire list ready, of energy drinks that you can readily find in stores around the world:
If you want the most similar one, though, I would definitely recommend Red Bull.
The Conclusion
To tie up everything that I have said in a nice and compact summary.
Krating Daeng is an energy drink that every Red Bull fan must have at least once in their lifetimes.
As for who can drink it, here are some examples:
- Caffeine-sensitive people are gonna love this drink.
- Caffeine-insensitive people may need to look for another option.
- People who think that Red Bull tastes too watered-down are in for a treat with Krating Daeng’s strong taste.