How To Choose The Best Energy Drink For You

For many of us, our days can feel like a sprint, and energy drinks can offer an alluring magic bullet to help us make it to the finish line. It’s hard to resist chugging such an alluring concoction.

There are dozens of reasons why people are reaching for energy beverages at record levels - most of them boil down to some version of “not wanting to feel like a zombie by mid-afternoon.”

We totally get it! Despite our best intentions, we could all benefit from a little boost to help us power through the day from time to time, but with so many energy drinks available on the market, how do you know which one is best?

We’ll help you.

What To Look For in an Energy Drink

Before we dive into what you should be looking for in an energy drink, let’s talk about their safety.

Are energy drinks even safe?

In short, some are, and some are definitely not with the way most people use them. While some drinks seem like an easy addition to a sound, overall energy strategy, many energy beverages contain ingredients that you probably wouldn’t want to dump down the storm drain, let alone your body.

To give you that desired jolt of energy, many manufacturers stack caffeine with a combo of other natural stimulants such as yerba mate, guarana, and taurine along with a hefty amount of sugars, providing us a “one-two” whoosh of energy. Many energy drinks also contain a slew of synthetic colors, sweeteners, flavors, and preservatives, none of which we’d recommend to our worst enemy.

It’s good to keep in mind that unlike coffee or soda pop, energy drinks are not regulated by the FDA, making them the equivalent of the "Wild West" in the beverage aisle at your local grocery store. Also, the FDA doesn’t require that manufacturers list caffeine amounts on food labels, they only “suggest” it.

Health experts recommend a maximum of about 400 mg of caffeine a day. While some products may voluntarily provide this important information, many others do not.

In fact, a recent study found that 11 of the 27 best-selling energy drinks in the United States don’t divulge how much caffeine is in their product. Of the 16 that did list a specific amount, nearly one-third of them packed significantly more caffeine per serving than what was actually listed on the label.

Too much of anything is never a good thing, but this is especially true with caffeine.

Consuming caffeine in excess can cause many unwanted side effects, such as:

• Anxiety

• Insomnia

• Digestive issues

• High Blood Pressure

• Heart Palpitations

• Fatigue

To ensure that you choose an energy beverage that works for you and your health instead of against it, here’s what you should look for:

 

Caffeine Amount

Caffeine is the crucial prevalent ingredient in almost all energy drinks. However, as we mentioned, too much of this popular stimulant can do more harm than good. That is why it’s important to ensure that the energy drink you consume doesn’t contain more than 300 mg of caffeine.

Again, the recommended amount is 400 mg per day, so try to keep this in mind since caffeine can be addicting, causing you to consume more than the recommended daily intake in efforts of keeping the crash at bay, which, in turn, can be harmful to your health if it becomes a habit.

 

Caffeine Source

When looking for an energy drink, it’s a good idea to also check the caffeine source. Synthetic caffeine, which is commonly used in most commercial energy drinks - is absorbed by the body at a much faster rate than naturally sourced caffeine. This is why many people experience a quick jolt of energy followed by a hard crash.

To avoid this, reach for energy sources that are made with organic caffeine from green tea, like the energy shots found at Proper Wild. Proper Wild’s Energy Shots are 100% plant-based and will provide you with sustainable energy all day long with organic caffeine from green tea.

No Added Sugar

Many popular energy drinks are loaded with sugar, which is far from the best way to boost your energy levels. In fact, too much of the stuff can lead to an energy crash or make you feel sluggish.

Energy beverages that contain high amounts of sugar can lead to quick energy spikes, but this can be extremely harmful to your health. This is especially true if you are diabetic or are trying to control your blood sugar levels for the sake of how you feel on the day to day.

When looking for an energy drink, stay away from beverages with added sugar, and reach for healthier options with minimal added sugar.

Proper Wild’s clean, plant-based energy shots are made without any added sugar and are sweetened using natural fruit juices -- which is pretty rare to find in most drinks these days!

 

Free of Artificial Ingredients, Coloring, and Preservatives

With the market flooded with so many options, many energy drinks are packed with artificial ingredients, chemical coloring, and preservatives. As if the massive amount of sugar weren’t enough, a lot of energy drinks throw in artificial flavoring and wild coloring as a marketing ploy.

Fortunately, there are a handful of drinks on the market today that don’t contain any junk ingredients and still ensure that you get the energy you need to get through the day.

A Final Word

Energy drinks are excellent at what they claim to do -- providing you with an energy boost!

They are immensely popular all around the globe and across people of all ages. The entire market is dominated by huge brands with fizzy, soda pop-like liquids packed in vibrant, colorful cans. There are hundreds of different types and brands of energy drinks on shelves today, but the truth is that they are not all created equal.

Some energy drinks are made with synthetic caffeine, while others are made with natural caffeine. Some are loaded with sugar, while others have little to none. Some beverages contain an ungodly amount of caffeine, while others have barely any.

How are you supposed to choose the best energy drink for you?

We’ll make it easy - stay away from artificial and synthetic ingredients and reach for our 100% plant-based energy shots instead.

Here at Proper Wild, we have a true passion for providing clean and simple ingredients that are backed by science and designed to maximize your productivity.

Each one of our delicious clean energy shots is crafted using organic caffeine from green tea to provide long-lasting energy. With 15x more L-theanine than a cup of green tea, our Proper Wild Energy Shots will provide you with focus and productivity, with reduced jitters.

So, if you’re looking to sip on some liquid energy that actually works for you and your health, check out our clean energy shots today and spare your body all the unwelcomed extra ingredients.