If you are not a big fan of energy drinks, the number of brands that have mushroomed of late is bound to take you by a pleasant surprise.
Our busy life has been marked by quite a few shortcuts; one of the best examples being the consumption of energy drinks to derive energy. Basically, these drinks are beverages that are marketed as energy-boosting drinks. The manufacturers claim that people who consume these drinks derive energy from various ingredients in them and not their calorie content. While most of us are familiar with names like Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy, there exist several other brands which are popular among people.
Energy Drinks: Facts and Myths
Energy drinks contain caffeine, vitamins, and various herbal products which act as stimulants and provide a short-term boost, which makes you feel as if you are energized. Basically, caffeine replaces adenosine chemical on receptor sites and therefore, the drowsy feeling associated with this chemical vanishes and makes the person feel energized. The caffeine content in these products is quite high. While normal cola contains around 95 – 130 mg/L of caffeine, the same in some energy drinks easily exceeds 1000 mg/L. That can turn out to be disastrous, as such high amount of caffeine can result in adverse effects on the body. The bottom line, therefore, is that energy drinks just give you the ‘feeling’ of being energized, instead of actually energizing you.
Top Energy Drink Brands List
While the first half of the 20th century saw quite a few drinks which were used as energy replenishing drinks, the first drink to be actually marketed as an energy drink was the Jolt Cola in 1985. Since then, different brands have made it to the market in various parts of the world. Given below is a list of some of the best brands available in the market today.
- 180
- 5-Hour Energy
- AMP Energy
- Battery energy shot
- Blue Bolt
- Blue Charge
- Blue Energy
- Crunk Energy Drink
- Emerge Stimulation Drink
- Full Throttle
- Go Fast
- Hustler
- Irn-Bru 32
- Jolt Cola
- King 888
- Monster
- Mountain Dew MDX
- NOS
- Powerking
- Red Bull
- Red Rooster
- Red Thunder
- Relentless
- RELOAD
- Shark Stimulation
- Spike Shooter
- Tab Energy
- XS Energy Drink
Red Bull is perhaps the most famous brand in the world and has a significant market share. Drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade, which are often marketed as revitalizing drinks that help replenish certain nutrients in the body, are more often considered sports drinks or health drinks. Statistics suggest that 65 percent of the people who consume these drinks fall in the age group of 13 and 35 years, which highlights the fact that these drinks are more popular among youth.
Along with the immense popularity, energy drinks have also had to face flak for being hazardous for human health. While drinking a single can of some energy beverage may not be harmful, drinking 3 – 4 cans simultaneously can result in excessive caffeine intake, which, in turn, can have some serious effects on individual’s health.
