A healthy energy drink can add a beneficial boost to your day. However, with all the options flooding the market, choosing a drink that doesn’t contain extra sugar, artificial preservatives, and heart-stopping levels of caffeine can feel overwhelming.
The good news is that we have identified four delicious and healthy energy drinks that can help improve energy levels for work, school, or play without getting heavy doses of unhealthy ingredients that can undermine many benefits of an energy drink.
Key Takeaways:
Here are the top 4 healthiest energy drinks:
- True North Energy Seltzer
- Guru Energy Drink
- Zoa Energy Drink
- V8+ Sparkling Energy
These brands are committed to bringing you the good stuff. So keep reading till the end to discover more about them!
1. True North Energy Seltzer
This all-natural energy drink is vegan, gluten-free, keto, and non-GMO contains low levels of calories and carbohydrates, and ranks low on the glycemic index. It also contains no significant allergens and zero artificial preservatives.
As a sparkling water caffeinated energy drink, True North is a plant-based ingredient blend that combines Green Tea, Guarana, Ginseng, and Guayusa with 12 mg of Organic Caffeine in every can.
Thanks to this natural formula, each sparkling water energy drink is bursting with beneficial vitamins and minerals, from Vitamin A and C to Vitamin B3, B5, B12, and a nutritious dose of Zinc.
This means that these seltzer beverages not only give you a shot of energy but are also packed with antioxidants designed to boost your health and immunity.
Even better, these caffeinated sparkling seltzer energy drinks don’t contain the usual high levels of sugar in other types of beverages.
Instead, they have zero sweeteners, zero sugar, no fat, and no sodium. Certified as Gluten-Free and Non-GMO, this energy drink holds true to its mission to provide a healthy energy drink without a single color additive or artificial flavor.
When I want the caffeine boost but not the sugar crash I go with True North energy drink. Check out my complete analysis where find out if True North is a healthy energy drink.
2. Guru
With three healthy energy drinks inspired by global traditions, Guru Organic Energy brings you another energy drink that is a pioneer in the organic and natural energy drink industry.
Since 1999, Guru has brought their diverse energy drinks to the world in three forms, including yerba mate, matcha, and the brand’s Original Organic Lite flavor.
With just 20 calories and only 3 grams of sugar in each can of Guru Organic Energy Lite, these 8.4-ounce cans contain 100 mg of caffeine derived from guarana and green tea.
In contrast, the non-lite Guru Energy drink contains the same level of caffeine balanced with 80 calories and 21 grams of sugar.
While Guru isn’t completely sugar-free, they offer fruit juice sweeteners, organic cane sugar, and sugar-free options.
You’ll like to check out the brand’s sparkling water with white grape juice mimicking a grape soda or their original version that blends energy and an immunity-boosting dose of echinacea and ginseng.
Guru has become of my favorite energy drinks to consume, that’s why I wrote a whole article about it. You Can read my full article “Is Guru Energy Drink Good for You” here.
3. ZOA Zero Sugar Energy Drink
Backed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, ZOA offers “Five delicious, guilt-free flavors” that have no sugar and healthy benefits.
Launched in 2021, the can is marked with Johnson’s world-famous tattoos that give the brand a tribal adventure vibe. In fact, the name ZOA is derived from the Polynesian word “Toa,” for a warrior.
The company claims that the energy drink enhances workout strength due to its amino acid content. With both zero-sugar and 100-calorie versions, ZOA gives you options to make healthier choices.
A can of ZOA contains 15 calories and has almost 10% of the recommended adult daily sodium limit. At the same time, ZOA’s energy drink packs a variety of supplements into each can.
Learn More: Is ZOA Energy Drink Healthy? [Reviewed]
4. V8+ Sparkling Energy
If you’re family with the V8 brand, this sweetly savory blend of fruit and vegetable juices falls under the Campbell Company’s umbrella.
While you can still get the original version that includes seven vegetables and tomato juice, V8+ Sparkling Energy is primarily known for its Strawberry Kiwi, Black Cherry, and Orange Pineapple flavors.
With a whopping 50 calories, 60 mg of sodium, 12 grams of carbs, and 10 grams of sugar per can, V8+ Energy packs a powerful punch of plant-powered ingredients, including fruit, veggies, blueberry, pomegranate, and lemon/lime. It also has a reputation as one of the tastiest healthy energy drinks on the market.
Here’s How the Four Brands Compare:
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine | Sodium | Sugar | Carbohydrates |
| True North | 40mg per 8 oz. can | 0mg | 0 grams | 0 grams |
| Guru | 100mg per 8 oz. can | 0mg | 3 grams | 3 grams |
| Zoa | 160mg per 8 oz. can | 200mg | 23 grams | 3 grams |
| V8+ | 80mg per 8 oz. can | 140mg per 8 oz. can | 6 grams (varies depending on the drink version) | 8 grams (varies depending on the drink version) |
How To Select The Right Energy Drink?
Choosing the best energy drink for your needs and health is essential.
While taste is key, you’ll also want to look for labels that don’t have added sugar, contain crucial nutrition from fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals, and that’s free from artificial flavors, colors, and additives.
Also, check the caffeine amount to ensure that it’s enough to get an energy boost but not an amount that will give you the jitters or send your heart racing.
Best Ingredients to Look for in an Energy Drink
When you’re looking for the right energy drink, there are several best ingredients that you’ll want to look for that, including:
- Niacin: Helps support your body’s energy, circulatory and nervous system while helping your system convert proteins, fat, and carbs into energy.
- Thiamin: Works to process carbs into energy.
- Vitamin B6: Activates more than 100 various enzymes that metabolize amino acids, nucleic acids, and lipids that are needed to perform hundreds of biomechanical jobs throughout your body.
- Vitamin B12: Increases energy, supports the central nervous system, and helps protect the body from diseases and stress.
- Riboflavin: Assists red blood cell production and is crucial for releasing energy from carbs.
- Pantothenic acid: Supports blood sugar, skin, and workout performance.
- Potassium: Drains extra sodium from the body, helps kidney function, and assists with the heart and other organs.
- Guarana: A natural alternative caffeine source.
- Green tea extract.
- Stevia or other natural sweeteners like agave. Many energy drinks have far too much sugar.
- Ginseng root.
Which Energy Drinks Do Reddit Users Prefer?
According to Redditors, choosing a zero-calorie energy drink is best if you can.
When it comes to healthy energy drinks, many Reddit users prefer Celsius, Beyond Raw, Adrenaline Shoc, Alani Nu, and Summit.
What Makes Energy Drinks Healthy?
An energy drink that’s organic has zero sugar, zero artificial ingredients, and doesn’t contain too much caffeine qualifies for healthier drinks.
You’ll also want to look for energy drinks that are packed with vital, plant-derived nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that will support your body and performance rather than empty or potentially harmful ingredients.
Are Organic Energy Drinks Better for You?
Usually, organic, non-GMO drinks are better for you because they don’t contain pesticides or chemicals and often have a lower caloric intake.
Plant-based drinks give you nutritional benefits without boosting your caloric intake to levels that increase the risk for obesity and heart disease.
Organic juice is also rich in antioxidants like vitamins A and C, manganese, and beta-carotene, promoting immunity and overall health.
Like green energy sources, clean and healthy energy drinks promote a healthy mind and body.
Healthy, organic energy drinks contain multiple benefits derived from natural, plant-based origins and can help you feel more awake, focused, revitalized, and ready to tackle the day.
Photo altered by dejittr.com | Photo attribution: Tyler Nix
