Which Energy Drinks Are Keto Friendly?

We get it, we all need a little pick me up now and then. No matter where you go, energy beverages are lined up at the checkout register at your local grocery store and at every gas station. But can energy drinks kick you out of ketosis, sabotaging your low-carb diet efforts?

Well, not exactly.

Energy beverages in and of themselves won’t kick you right out of ketosis unless they are also loaded with sugar. Most sugar-free, keto-friendly energy drinks are generally okay when it comes to getting in and staying in ketosis as they contain very little to no calories. 

In this article, we will go over why energy drinks may or may not kick you out of ketosis, what’s in most of the popular energy drinks, and things you should keep an eye on to stay in ketosis. 

Let’s dive in, shall we?

 

Can Energy Drinks Kick You Out of Ketosis?

As we mentioned, energy beverages in and of themselves don’t necessarily contain any ingredients that would inherently kick you out of ketosis. The only ingredient that these popular drinks can contain that would kick you out is none other than sugar. But as long as you are getting the zero-carb version of the energy drink, you should generally be okay to consume it on your keto journey. 

Your best bet is to check the nutrition label and see if there are any added sugars and how many carbs the drink contains if any. 

In some cases, certain energy beverages will list sugar alcohols under carbs. Still, due to the way sugar alcohols are digested (or better yet, not digested), they shouldn’t impede your keto diet and shouldn’t be counted toward your net carb intake. 

For those of you who are a little confused, ketosis is a metabolic state that happens when your body produces ketones. This is the ultimate goal of keto dieters, reaching this metabolic state. Your body will only produce these ketones when carbs are in short supply and liver glycogen stores are low, which is a result of dietary carbohydrate restriction.  

What Exactly is in an Energy Drink?

Taking a quick look at some of the most popular low-carb energy drink options on the market, you can see that the main ingredients are generally:

• Carbonated water

• Sugar alcohol or sweetener of choice

• Citric acid

• Natural and artificial flavors

• Caffeine (i.e., the main energy ingredient)

While the other ingredients tend to vary, you are more or less getting the above ingredients in your low-carb energy beverage. As far as proprietary blends or other miscellaneous ingredients in energy drinks, there are usually in such insignificant amounts to make a meaningful difference. The extra ingredients are really just for marketing and adding fancy eye-catching words on the label, then actually providing any stimulatory or cognitive benefit. 

This includes a handful of ingredients, such as:

• Ginseng

• Taurine

• L-Carnitine

• Guarana

• BCAA’s

• Inositol

• CoQ10

• Creatine

• B Vitamins

Now, this isn’t to say that the ingredients don’t do anything at all, but the truth is that they are often in such small quantities that you really wouldn’t be getting an effective dose through one serving -- or even two servings -- of your favorite energy beverage. Most of the stimulatory effects you will notice are coming directly from the caffeine. 

But, with that being said, none of the ingredients listed above would have any effect on staying in ketosis to any measurable degree. The moral of the story here is if you want more stimulation, get the energy drink with the cleanest ingredients and the highest amount of caffeine.

What Energy Drink is Best for a Keto Diet?

The whole point of keto is to immensely restrict your carb intake to push your body into ketosis. So the best energy drinks are the ones that contain very minimal carbs and zero grams of added sugar. Sugar-free energy drinks won’t kick you out of ketosis, but when it comes to a health standpoint, these sugar-free options tend to do more harm than good. 

But wait, didn’t we just get done saying sugar-free options are best for keto? Yes, we did. However, that doesn’t mean they are best for your health…

The artificial sugar commonly found in sugar-free energy drinks is actually something to be concerned about. Critics of artificial sweeteners say that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. In addition, artificial sweeteners have been linked to obesity, which also comes with a whole slew of health concerns like blood sugar and hypertension issues -- yikes!

Okay, so what energy drinks are safe to drink while on keto?  

Great question.

The best energy drinks -- whether you are on keto or not -- are the ones made with organic caffeine, no artificial ingredients, and zero grams of added sugar. But where can you find such a rare drink?

 

Proper Wild’s Energy Shots

Tracking down an effective energy drink made with organic caffeine and zero grams of added sugar may seem like an impossible feat, but don’t fret -- we already did the hard work for you.

Have you ever heard of Proper Wild? If not, you are seriously missing out. Our powerful plant-based energy shots are made with the cleanest ingredients, no preservatives, and absolutely nothing artificial, for a clean taste without the junk. 

At only 45 calories per energy shot and no added sugar, these super-shots are all you need to keep you alert and in ketosis all day long. 

Sweetened with natural fruit juices, these plant-based shots will keep you relaxed and focused for hours on end.

A Final Word

So, which energy drinks are keto-friendly, you ask?

Well, the rule of thumb is if it has little to no carbs, chances are it is, in fact, keto-friendly. However, it’s just because it is low-carb doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good for you.

Sugar-free energy drink options are keto-friendly, but they are essentially chemical cocktails made with hard-to-pronounce ingredients and way-too-much artificial sugar, which tends to do more harm than good. 

When looking for a great energy drink that won’t kick you out of ketosis, reach for one of our clean, all-day energy shots, made with ZERO grams of added sugar and absolutely nothing artificial to keep your body energized and in ketosis all day long. 

Here at Proper Wild, we believe in clean and simple ingredients backed by science designed to maximize your productivity. With 15x more L-theanine than a cup of green tea for focus with reduced jitters, it’s easy to see why our clean energy shots are a keto-fan favorite!

For a clean, smooth, and natural taste without the junk, try Proper Wild Energy Shots.