Functional Energy Drinks
Functional Energy Drinks:
In Functional Energy Drinks a lot of people are familiar with the term energy drink and know that it can be used to keep you energized throughout the day, but not everyone knows what exactly makes one type of energy drink different from another. This article will show you some of the key differences between energy drinks that are good for your health and those that aren’t so great, as well as how to tell which is which before you take that first sip.
How functional and conventional energy drinks compare
What’s in it? Most conventional energy drinks will have a few standard ingredients: caffeine, some form of sugar or artificial sweetener, B vitamins and sometimes electrolytes (which you lose when you sweat).
Functional energy drinks on average look very similar to conventional energy drinks, but there’s also a lot more variability. They might include any combination of additional herbal extracts, nutrients and other botanicals. Depending on what’s in them, some can provide added benefit for your body by addressing a specific need.
For example, there are certain supplements that can help with hydration or that support healthy muscle function.
Caffeine source
Some energy drinks rely on caffeine as their main energy source while others, like Guayaki Yerba Mate, use a combination of coffee bean extract and guarana seed extract. The latter is technically an Amazonian plant that contains caffeine but also has natural health benefits like helping to reduce inflammation and acting as an antioxidant.
In fact, it’s better for you than your average cup of coffee! We typically don’t recommend adding a ton of artificial ingredients in your body so we suggest opting for a functional drink instead of one with dozens of unknown chemicals you can’t pronounce. Don’t worry – there is still plenty of caffeine in Guayaki Mate!
Mineral and Vitamin content
Most energy drinks have more than your daily dose of caffeine. There’s also a lot of sugar and B vitamins. So it makes sense that someone would make an energy drink with less caffeine and more of what your body actually needs during physical activity: iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium. That’s exactly what Vitargo has done with their new product line called Minerale.
Safety regulation
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates energy drinks as dietary supplements, which means they don’t have to meet the same standards as food and beverage items. In other words, manufacturers can add questionable ingredients to their products without worrying about running afoul of regulators—in large part because so many energy drink makers avoid disclosing what’s in their products.
Consumers who want to stay safe should stick with established companies like Monster, Red Bull, 5-Hour Energy, Rockstar, and Full Throttle that do include lists of ingredients online. When in doubt about whether a product is safe for you or not please consult your physician.
What Do We Mean by Functional?
The main difference between functional energy drinks and regular energy drinks is that functional drinks contain more vitamins, minerals, and amino acids—which are all nutrients your body needs to maintain health.
While there are no confirmed studies linking health problems to regular energy drink consumption, you may choose to reduce or eliminate your intake of these beverages if you’re trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
However, quitting cold turkey can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (like nausea and fatigue). If you’re curious about quitting caffeine cold turkey, check out How To Get Off Caffeine Withdrawal Without Having An Anxiety Attack.
Ingredients in a Function Energy Drink That Are Not Found in a Red Bull
In addition to restricting sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to minors, many localities also require energy drink companies to put warnings on product labels.
Last year, Massachusetts banned beverages that contain more than 320 milligrams of caffeine per liter (that’s less than half a can of Red Bull).
The state board of health also required Monster Beverage Corp., which makes Monster Energy Drink, and other companies to disclose how much caffeine is in their products.
In addition, they were asked to disclose how much guarana is in each beverage and include warning labels such as: Do not consume excessive quantities of caffeine.
Other Features
Those energy drinks that have become a staple of classrooms, cubicles and corner stores everywhere aren’t just made up of cheap caffeine, sugar and B-vitamins. Some products also contain herbal supplements such as ginseng or kola nut extract to provide extra oomph to your drink. These are known as functional energy drinks, designed to give you an extra boost during a busy day.
Although these healthy looking beverages may not be bad for you, they don’t work quite like their counterparts do. If you really want a good performance booster at work, skip these drinks and opt for these five tips instead
The Final Verdict
We all know that coffee is a great source of caffeine and can get you up and going in the morning. So what’s so different about these energy drinks? For starters, you won’t find any high-fructose corn syrup or food coloring in these drinks. Most of them have ingredients that pack an antioxidant punch or help boost your metabolism, such as green tea extract, ginseng root, guarana seed extract, B vitamins and more.
You might also see some interesting superfood ingredients like maca root or moringa leaf in these drinks—these natural ingredients pack a healthful punch! But overall, these functional energy drinks will just give you an extra jolt without causing crashes at work. In fact, most of them taste pretty good!
