Do energy drinks really hype you up while helping you to slim down at the same time? Although energy beverages are often touted for weight loss, science actually suggests otherwise. In fact, you may find that guzzling energy drinks can cause some serious weight gain.
While some people may believe sipping on energy beverages is a perfect way to boost energy and lose a little weight, the truth is that these drinks often pack a hefty number of calories and sugars that can, in fact, lead to weight gain.
Why You Gain Weight
Weight gain tends to happen when you take in more calories than you burn off. If you are already eating the right number of calories for your body and keeping up enough activity level to lose a little weight or maintain your current weight, energy drinks tend to add unnecessary calories, and these unnecessary added calories can cause weight gain.
Energy Drink Nutritional Facts
Energy beverages can have a surprisingly high-calorie count per serving, and since many of the worst offenders usually contain more than a single serving per can, you often get more calories per chug than you think.
For example, a traditional 24 oz. energy drink can have up to a whopping 500 calories per can, while the smaller 16 oz portions can pack roughly around 250 to 300 calories. According to the Dietary Guidelines, a healthy adult should consume no more than 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, so if you happen to chug a few energy drinks in one sitting, it’s easy to see how quickly you can go over the recommended daily calorie limit which can quickly lead to weight gain.
No problem. I’ll just switch to sugar-free energy drinks to limit the calories.
If you are watching your weight, sugar-free energy drinks are sure to pose as the perfect solution, right?
Wrong.
Many brands offer sugar-free energy drinks that are much lower in calories than their sugar-laden alternatives. According to the USDA, an 8 oz. serving of a popular sugar-free energy drink has only ten measly calories, no sugar, and only one carb.
Sounds pretty great, right? Well, not exactly.
While sugar-free varieties of popular beverages are generally lower in those pesky calories than their full-sugar counterparts, the artificial sweeteners may be a pretty big problem if you’re watching the inches around your waistline.
According to research, artificial sweeteners tend to do more harm than good and do not support weight management. Some data even suggest that these artificial additives may even be linked with increased body mass index, and not to mention a slew of health problems - yikes!
Here are two reasons why artificial sugar found in these popular sugar-free energy beverages can cause you to gain weight:
1. It will make your body produce more insulin.
Insulin is secreted by the pancreas, and insulin is how our bodies use and store sugar. When the taste of artificial sweeteners hits our tongue, our brain automatically sends a message to our pancreas to begin producing insulin. Insulin is what directs your cells to either use sugar as food for energy or store it as fat -- without it, your body can’t process sugar properly. When your pancreas creates the insulin needed to deal with the anticipated sugar but no real sugar actually arrives it confuses your body and disrupts its metabolic process. This may explain why many studies show a positive link between regularly sipping on sugar-free beverages and metabolic syndrome: a collection of symptoms that includes higher blood sugar and blood pressure, and results in a much larger waist circumference. Not exactly what you want when you’re trying to get slim and trim!
2. It conditions your taste buds for sweetness.
You have probably noticed that the more you taste something on the regular, whether that is saltiness, sweetness, etc., the more accustomed to it you become. This is why people who stop consuming salt or sugar may find commercially available processed foods extremely sweet or overly salty. You see, artificial sweeteners are dramatically sweeter than real sugar. And although it may not register that way on your tongue, these trendy “diet” beverages are generally much sweeter than the regular versions. All that sweetness accompanied by calories with no value whatsoever confuses your brain as well as your metabolic processes and will leave you craving much more sugar than before, which can drive you to those late-night cravings and unhealthy food choices that can most certainly contribute to weight gain.
Okay, So Sugar-Free Energy Drinks Are A Bad Idea, But Are There “Healthier” Energy Drinks Somewhere Out There?
As a matter of fact, yes! Although many popular energy beverages on the market today are not the best for those looking to drop a few pounds, it’s important to keep in mind that not all energy products are created equal.
When searching for a healthier energy drink that will actually support your weight loss efforts rather than hinder them, look for a beverage made with clean, plant-based ingredients and low calories, like the tasty energy shots found right here at Proper Wild.
Proper Wild’s 100% clean, plant-based energy shots use healthy organic caffeine from green tea to create a super-powerful (yet, healthy) energy shot. With Proper Wild, you can expect long-lasting energy with reduced jitters because each shot contains 15x more L-Theanine than a cup of green tea to help support your mood and focus. Oh, and the best part? These healthy shots are made with ZERO grams of added sugar, no preservatives, no additives, no artificial sweeteners, no junk -- just clean, natural ingredients for long-lasting energy to support you on your weight loss journey.
A Final Word
If you are looking to improve your overall health by losing a few inches around your waistline, a good place to start is by nixing all the popular commercial energy drinks from your diet. Whether it’s real sugar or artificial sweeteners, these super-unhealthy beverages contain way too much of the stuff, which can really put a damper on your weight loss goals.
Avoid commercial energy drinks loaded with harmful additives and artificial sweeteners. Instead, reach for clean, plant-based energy shots, like the ones found at Proper Wild. Once you give them a try and see the difference that clean energy can make on your health, you’ll never want to go back to sugar-free energy drinks again!
Try Proper Wild Today -- you’ll be glad you did.