Alternatives to Energy Drinks that Are Actually Good for You

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A Healthier Way to Boost Energy Levels: The 5 Best Energy Drink Alternatives

5 minutes to read

We’ve all been there: it’s the middle of the day, and we’re struggling to stay awake and productive. It’s been stressful at work, and going to bed late last night didn’t help. So, we turn to energy drinks because they are the only thing that can help us focus.

But are they really?

Most popular energy drinks contain excessive amounts of caffeine and refined sugar, which provide a quick energy boost, but at a huge cost. Too much caffeine can lead to jitters, anxiety, and insomnia, while too much refined sugar results in a crash and is terrible for your overall health. Not to mention the long-term effects, which can affect cardiovascular health, cause weight gain, disrupt sleep, and more.

Luckily, it’s 2023, and there are plenty of energy drink alternatives that can give us the energy we need without sacrificing our health.

But before we go over the best energy drink alternatives, let’s see why energy drinks are so bad for our health in the first place.

What’s the Problem With Energy Drinks?

According to CDC, energy drinks can lead to:

Anxiety
Feeling nervous and jittery
Insomnia
Dehydration
Irregular heartbeat
Increased blood pressure
Heart complications

One of the reasons energy drinks are so bad is the excess amount of refined sugar. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sugar consumption to nine teaspoons or 36 grams for men and six teaspoons or 25 grams for women.

Unfortunately, even a single can of energy drink can contain more than this recommended amount. For example, a 16 fl oz Red Bull has 49 g of sugar, which is twice the daily amount of sugar recommended for women.

Too much sugar in your diet can increase the risk of weight gain, tooth decay, skin problems, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and many other conditions.

And even if you go for a sugar-free or a low-sugar energy drink, there are still other problematic ingredients.

For example, energy drinks are filled with caffeine. Although consuming a moderate amount of caffeine can help you stay awake and focused, energy drinks contain way more than you need. For example, a 16 fl oz can of Bang has around 300 mg of caffeine. That’s almost at the 400 mg per day limit recommended by the FDA in a single serving!

Unfortunately, consuming this much caffeine in one sitting has several negative effects on your body. Firstly, caffeine is a stimulant that increases your heart rate and blood pressure. It also affects your brain, causing it to produce more cortisol (stress hormone).

The combined stimulant effects of caffeine and increased cortisol levels can leave you feeling anxious and jittery. So, instead of helping you concentrate, energy drinks are more likely to overstimulate your brain and heart, preventing you from focusing on anything else other than your anxiety.

If you take energy drinks later in the day, the excessive amount of caffeine is likely to keep you up at night. That’s because higher cortisol levels affect melatonin production, impairing your ability to fall asleep. The problems can get so bad that some people develop insomnia.

Consuming too much caffeine can also cause long-term side effects like heart problems, high blood pressure, chronic insomnia, anxiety disorders, digestive issues, and more.

In addition, some energy drinks contain guarana, a plant native to the Amazon whose seeds contain four times more caffeine than coffee beans. This adds to the stimulant effects of caffeine, which increases the chances of unwanted effects.

Another downside of caffeine is that your body gets used to its effects. So, you end up needing more and more until the side effects significantly outweigh the benefits.

Lastly, the effect of energy drinks is only temporary. They are a quick fix – only treating the symptom and not addressing the underlying problem of why you might feel tired in the first place. That’s why they are not a good long-term solution and why you need a healthier, more sustainable alternative.

5 Healthy Energy Drink Alternatives

By now, you’re probably thinking: “Okay, energy drinks are bad. But how do I get that kick that gets me over an energy dip and helps me stay focused?”

Luckily, there are many healthier alternatives that can give us the energy we need without having to sacrifice our health.

Here are our top five healthy energy drink alternatives:

MTE (More Than Energy)

First, let us start by saying that MTE is not really an energy drink. It is a unique formulation of 12 adaptogens, nootropics, and superfoods combined into a green supplement powder that supports your overall health.

MTE is not a quick fix – it’s a way to optimize your health to feel better, have more energy, curb stress, sleep better, and live the life you want.

So, instead of using energy drinks to treat the symptoms (lack of energy), you can mix up your daily drink of MTE and optimize your health to avoid energy dips in the first place.

The main star of MTE is theacrine, an alkaloid found in the Kucha tea plant. Theacrine provides a sustained energy boost that has a duration of action longer than caffeine, but without the drawbacks, like jitters and anxiety.

The other great thing about MTE is that it combines the incredible potential of theacrine with other healthy ingredients for well-rounded support. So, you’re getting more than a calm, sustained energy boost, as this overall wellness companion can also help improve mood, focus, immunity, sleep, and other aspects of your health.

Magic Mind ®

Magic Mind® is a wellness shot that combines the power of nootropics, adaptogens, and functional mushrooms. Like MTE, this energy drink alternative seeks to provide a more sustainable energy boost without jitters, anxiety, and other side effects of too much caffeine.

To do that, Magic Mind® uses matcha extract and lion’s mane mushrooms to extend your morning energy. It also contains other ingredients like turmeric, echinacea, ashwagandha, Bacopa monnieri, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D to provide additional benefits for your health. That includes more resilience to stress, reduced anxiety, improved focus, decreased inflammation, and immunity support.

Vive Organic Energy + Immunity ® Wellness Shot

Vive Organic® is known for creating top-quality wellness shots that support a healthy immune system. You can use their Energy + Immunity Wellness Shot to overcome an occasional midday slump or as a part of your energize-for-the-day morning routine.

Keep in mind that this wellness shot contains 75 mg of caffeine from a green tea extract. So, it’s better than regular caffeine because it contains antioxidants from green tea that slow down the absorption of caffeine and provide a more sustained effect. But if you’re sensitive to caffeine, you may want to go for another option.

Vive Organic Energy + Immunity® combines a blend of organic roots and fruits, powerful nootropics, and adaptogens to help you get that natural wave of energy with no crash. In addition, these powerful ingredients help strengthen the immune system.

Fire Brew Energy ®

We sometimes feel slow and sluggish because our bodies are not fueled properly. For example, B vitamins are essential for our metabolism to run efficiently. So, when you don’t eat the right foods, it could make you feel slower than usual. In addition, a lack of vitamin A, magnesium, and other nutrients and minerals may cause fatigue.

That’s why Fire Brew® has created a unique blend of 14+ nutrient-dense fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices to provide an ultimate multivitamin in liquid form. Drinking Fire Brew Energy helps you replenish your body with minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients for optimal metabolism.

In addition to feeling more energized, Fire Brew® Energy can support your gut health, immune system, and overall health.

This energy shot is quite spicy, which can additionally perk you up. However, it can also be too much for people who don’t handle spice well.

Ginger Rescue ® Ginger Shots

Ginger Rescue® Ginger Shots by The Ginger People® are daily wellness shots that support your immunity, digestive system health, and steady energy levels. They combine the power of ginger, wild turmeric, apple juice, coconut cream, lemon juice, and black pepper into a healthy shot.

Although Ginger Rescue® Ginger Shots don’t have any caffeine, ginger has the ability to lower blood pressure and improve circulation. That can give you a quick caffeine-free energy boost. In addition, the kick you get from ginger and black pepper is enough to wake you up and help you focus.

The unique formulation of Ginger Rescue® Ginger Shots can aid digestion, support immunity, and reduce inflammation. However, we must mention that these shots contain 6g of added sugars. So, it’s best to choose another option from the list if you’re watching your sugar intake.

Why Your Energy Levels Might Be Low

It’s not okay to feel tired every single day. We rely on coffee and energy drinks to give us a quick boost, but they are only a quick fix.

Here are some reasons you may feel tired and unfocused all the time:

You are not drinking enough water
You are not getting enough sleep
Your diet is bad (you’re mostly eating heavily processed food)
You’re skipping breakfast
You don’t eat enough carbs, vitamins, or protein
You don’t take enough time to unwind
You are too stressed

Keep in mind that sometimes feeling fatigued can also be a result of a vitamin deficiency or hormonal imbalance. So, if you’re always tired even though your lifestyle habits are just fine, you should visit a doctor and get your blood checked to get to the bottom of your problem.

How to Boost Energy Levels Naturally

Instead of focusing on the symptoms (feeling tired), you can focus on the root cause (your lifestyle habits). That way, you’ll feel more energized throughout the day without seeking the help of coffee or energy drinks.

Here’s what you can do:

Eat smaller meals every three to four hours
Avoid processed foods, added sugars, alcohol, and tobacco
Make sure to eat your macros (protein, carbs, and fats)
Drink enough water
Try to get eight hours of sleep each night
Develop a relaxing bedtime routine without electronics
Learn how to deal with stress
Stay active

However, some people may follow all these steps to a T and still feel tired. That’s why adding a greens supplement drink into your daily routine can give you that little extra support you need to be the best version of yourself.

For example, a scoop of MTE in water, a smoothie, or your Athletic Greens® can help with energy levels, but also supports quality sleep at night, stress response, mood, focus, performance, and much more.

To get the most benefits out of MTE, you should take it daily. However, you can also use it as an energy drink alternative when you feel tired and need a healthy way to boost energy and focus.

Discover the powerful MTE formulation and all the ways it can benefit your health. You can also order MTE and get your supply of this feel-good green powder that will help you achieve your full potential.