Energy Drinks, Are They For You? A Product Review of the More Popular Drinks

Energy drinks are soft drinks advertised as providing energy to improve physical activity of the drinker, as compared to a typical drink. They are typically attractive to young people. Energy drinks are not necessarily bad for you, but they shouldn’t be seen as “natural alternatives” either. Energy drinks to some people may seem like just a drink to quench your thirst every now and then but in actual fact energy drinks are extremely powerful and if too much has been ingested it can speed up your heart rate and leave your blood pressure sky high, which may result in heart palpitations.

Red Bull

Red Bull was created by Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian who adapted the energy drink from a Thai beverage called Krating Daeng, a popular drink with rickshaw drivers in Thailand. Red Bull remains the top name in energy drinks to this day, with global sales estimated at about $2 billion annually. Red Bull is the dominant brand in the US after its introduction in 1997, with a market share of approximately 47%. Red Bull currently spends about 30 percent of its revenue on marketing, compared to Coca- Cola, which spends a mere 9 percent. Red Bull was introduced to Europe in 1987 and to the United States in 1997. Red Bull’s infamous ingredient is not from a bull’s semen or urine as reputed by urban legend, but rather, an amino acid, taurine, that was first discovered in bulls. This product is also banned in Denmark. Red Bull may be the best selling energy drink in the United States, but it isn’t so popular in other countries. It contains as much caffeine as two cans of Coke or Pepsi. Red Bull contains sugars, 80 mg of caffeine (for the 8 ounce can.

Rockstar

Rockstar Punched is particularly well regarded by reviewers. Rockstar Juiced Energy Drink Plus Guava receives more reviews than most, with a large number of reviewers saying this is the best-tasting energy drink, in their opinion. It`s the first energy drink to make itself available in 16- and 24-ounce cans, has been in third place behind Red Bull and Monster for a while, but Coca-Cola recently inked a deal to distribute the drink. Rockstar also removed sodium benzoate from their products when the nation found out that it was potentially harmful, as well as removed high fructose corn syrup from their drinks. They added Milk Thistle, which some studies claim helps with hangovers . Caffeine is the largest ingredient in the product.

Monster

Monster Energy is an American brand of energy drink owned by Monster Beverage Co. It has many endorsements with sports people. Monster is available in several different can styles and sizes. It also makes a variety of other flavors, including Monster Energy Lo-Carb (*Est. Monster Energy has 54 grams of sugars, 160 mg of caffeine and 2,000 mg of taurine.

Drinking

Drinking energy is a legal way to be a bit rebellious, without breaking any laws. Drinking a lot of these types of drinks mixed with alcohol can lead to many health risks. Consuming that much caffeine at once can also cause diahorrea in some people. Consuming 2 bottles will not give you a heart-attack, everyone reacts differently to these drinks. Some have had 2 bottles within 30 minutes and didn’t feel a thing. It is different for everyone. Drinking half the can or even 1/4 is best for the first second third and even fourth time, you can never get a tolerance to this drink.

Nutrition

The goal of this article is to inform users on some of the popular energy drinks out there, where they can get them, and basic nutrition facts on each one. Nutritionists warn that the drinks, laden with caffeine and sugar, can hook kids on an unhealthy jolt-and-crash cycle. Nutritionally speaking, energy drinks are comparable to soda. Looking at the ingredients, energy drinks appear to be part soft drink and part nutritional supplement. Although commonly marketed like sports drinks, which replenish some important nutrients lost during vigorous exercise, energy drinks have little proven nutritional value. “Children under ten or twelve certainly have no reason to include any caffeine in their diets; caffeine has no nutritional value and drinking caffeinated beverages may reduce consumption of more healthy beverages, like milk and juice. What ever is in these things is driven by consumers, not by a nutritionist or a doctor. But the “nutrition” companies don’t even come under the FDA and the ingredients do not have to have a country of origin label. There is little (if any) evidence of nutritional value in most energy drinks.

Research

Researchers warn that people should not confuse energy drinks with sports drinks like Gatorade. Many say a big part of the problem has to do with serving size. Research shows that children and young people who consume energy drinks may suffer sleep problems, bed-wetting and anxiety. But they say the bottom line is that an occasional energy drink is fine for most people, but do the math and avoid over indulging.

Too often, .energy drinks are soft drinks advertised as providing energy to improve physical activity of the drinker, as compared to a typical drink. These drinks are typically attractive to young people. Energy drinks are sometimes mixed with alcohol. Energy drinks’ stimulating properties can boost the heart rate and blood pressure (sometimes to the point of palpitations), dehydrate the body, and, like other stimulants, prevent sleep. Energy drinks are not necessarily bad for you, but they shouldn’t be seen as “natural alternatives” either.



Source by Jim Swank

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