I’ve always experimented with diluting beverages. Either the drink was too sweet, or I just needed to tweak it to suit my palate. Below I will dive into some of the key benefits and what to expect when mixing your energy drink with water.
Key Takeaways:
When you mix energy drinks with water, an overall dilution occurs. Moreover, the carbonation and sweetness are also reduced, which causes the drink to become less fizzy and watery-tasting.
Benefits Of Mixing Energy Drink With Water
#1. Low Calories For Equal Portion Size
When you add water to any energy drink, the overall concentration of the energy drink reduces, provided the portion size remains the same as before.
So for the same energy drink portion, you will now consume fewer calories than before dilution. Sounds interesting? But wait, because there’s a catch!
The above low-calorie effect only applies if we talk about the same portion size. So, for instance, you want to drink an 8.4-ounce (260 ml) can of Red Bull energy drink. Typically, such a can contains around 29 grams of sugar.
So, in other words, every 260 ml of Red Bull contains around 29 grams of sugar.
Suppose you mix 50 ml water with a Red Bull energy drink can. So what would happen?
Well, now, the concentration of the liquid will change as we have diluted it by adding water.
| Before Adding Water | After Adding (50 ml) Water |
| Every 260 ml of Red Bull has 29 grams of sugar. | Every 310 ml of Red Bull has 29 grams of sugar. |
After adding water, the energy drink’s sugar concentration will reduce. What this means is:
If you were drinking 100 ml of Red Bull energy drink before adding water, you’d consume more sugar than consuming 100 ml of Red Bull energy drink right after adding water.
So if you want to enjoy a sip of an energy drink with a low-calorie intake, adding water is beneficial.
But remember that if you drink the full portion of an energy drink, the calorie intake will be the same. Why? Because, for instance, 260 ml of Red Bull and 310 ml of Red Bull (after adding water) contain the same sugar content of 29 grams in total. So there won’t be any difference in such a scenario.
#2. Improved Hydration
One of the common concerns of consuming energy drinks is the higher chances of dehydration, especially because of the presence of caffeine in these drinks.
The main reason you feel the stimulating effects of energy drinks is their caffeine content.
Caffeine is known to have a diuretic effect. And so it raises the levels of water and salts the body releases. Therefore, when you do prolonged exercise in a hot climate, it is advised to avoid energy drinks because of their dehydrating effect.
Moreover, some energy drinks also contain other ingredients that lead to dehydration. For instance, energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster contain Taurine, another component known for its diuretic effects. (In simple terms, diuretic means things that cause the body to produce more urine.)
When we consume energy drinks with water, we ensure that our body remains hydrated. Thus, staying hydrated is another benefit of combining energy drinks with water.
#3. Reduced Carbonation Of The Energy Drink
Energy drinks contain carbonated water. And carbonated water is simply water that has dissolved carbon dioxide gas injected into the water under pressure. Because of the carbonation, you notice the formation of those small bubbles, which we most of us just call fizz.
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But when we add water to the drink, the carbonation is reduced. And as a result, you’ll experience less fizz in the energy drink than before. And if you prefer energy drinks with less fizz, that’s an added benefit.
Are you enjoying reading posts like this? Then we think you’ll also enjoy checking out our post on what happens when you mix energy drinks with soda.
Does Mixing Energy Drink With Water Affect Health?
Generally, there’s no health impact in consuming energy drinks mixed with water because water is neutral in nature. So water is not harmful on its own, and it doesn’t cause any drastic change to the properties of the energy drink.
The only main change is that the concentration of the components in the energy drink changes. And the drink becomes overall diluted.
Remember that if you consume the whole energy drink mixed with water, the stimulating effect will still be the same because by adding water, you are not decreasing the amount of stimulating substance in the drink.
Best Energy Drink To Dilute With Water
Usually, mixing energy drinks with water makes the resulting drink diluted. So the taste of the energy drink will also get affected.
For instance, if a particular energy tastes sweet and sour, like Red Bull, after mixing water, the intensity of the flavors will be reduced.
So while you may not get the best flavors combining water with energy drinks, they have a couple of benefits, and it’s sometimes worth trying things differently, right?
Some of the most popular energy drinks include Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar. So it’s best to experiment, starting with these energy drinks.
What changes can you expect after mixing water with these energy drinks?
Here’s a chart that explains:
| Energy Drinks | Original Taste | Taste After Mixing Water |
| Red Bull | Sweet And Sour | Less Sweet And Sour |
| Monster | Sweet And Tangy | Lighter Taste With Less Fizz |
| Rockstar | Smooth And Sweet | Watery With less Intense Flavors |
What Not To Mix With Energy Drinks?
As a general rule, it is not advised to mix energy drinks with alcohol because it causes more alcohol consumption. As a result, it raises the risk of alcohol-related harm. You can learn more about this aspect by reading our energy drinks vs. beer post.
Another thing that you should typically avoid mixing is milk. This is because both milk and energy drinks are acidic, and the combination of both is not good for health. To learn more, read this post on what happens when you mix energy drinks and milk.
