On the one hand, there is Dwayne Johnson’s product, ZOA energy. But, on the other hand, there’s the well-known Red Bull Energy Drink. So, what is the difference between them?
Key Takeaways:
The main difference between ZOA Energy and Red Bull is the ingredients, caffeine source, caffeine amount. Typically, Red Bull contains synthetic caffeine, but ZOA energy drink has a natural caffeine source. Also one serving of ZOA Energy has double the caffeine and Sodium of a Red Bull.
Keep reading to decide what makes both of these energy drinks different from one another and how they perform against each other in the top 8 aspects.
ZOA Energy Vs. Red Bull: Key Differences
#1. Cost Comparison
The size of one can of Red Bull (8.4 Fl Oz) and ZOA energy drink (16 Fl Oz) is different. So the best cost comparison can be made when we compare the cost per Fl Oz of each energy drink.
A ZOA energy drink costs – $0.12/Fl Oz when you purchase a pack of 24. However, Red Bull energy drink – cost is $0.17/ Fl Oz for the 24-pack purchase, which makes it a bit more costly than the ZOA energy drink.
If you ever wondered why energy drinks cost so much, then we highly suggest you read our complete analysis of why energy drinks are pricey.
#2. Nutrition & Calories Comparison
| ZOA Energy | Red Bull | |
| Calories | 100 | 110 |
| Carbohydrates | 2.4 g | 28 g |
| Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Vitamin B5 | 1.3 mg | 5.05 mg |
| Sodium | 200 mg | 105 mg |
#3. Ingredients Comparison
One can of ZOA Energy drink is typically 16 Fl Oz (473.2 ml). On the other hand, one can of Red Bull is 8.4 Fl Oz (248.4 ml).
ZOA Energy Ingredients:
In short, ZOA energy contains branched-chain amino acids, electrolytes, and vitamins, among others. Here’s a more detailed description of some of the included ingredients:
- Sugar
- Potassium Citrate
- Citric Acid
- Carbonated water
- Natural Flavors
- L-Isoleucine
- L-Glutamine
- L-Agen
- L-Citrulline
- Ascorbic Acid
- Niacinamide
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pyridoxine
- Folic Acid
- Cholecalciferol
- Hydrochloride
- Thiamin
- Hydrochloride
- Riboflavin
- Cyanocobalamin
- Choline Bitrate
- Camu Camu Extract
- Turmeric Extract
- Beta-Carotene Color
- Stevia Extract
- Natural Caffeine
- Magnesium Lactate
- Green Tea Extract
- Acerola Juice Powder
Red Bull Ingredients:
In short, Red Bull contains sugar, taurine, caffeine, and vitamins. Here’s a more detailed description of some of the included ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Niacinamide
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Citric Acid
- Taurine
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Caffeine
- Pyridoxine HCI
- Vitamin B12
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
#4. Caffeine Comparison:
One can of ZOA energy drink contains 160 mg of caffeine. And it is equivalent to what we get from 2-3 cups of coffee.
On the other hand, one can of Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine. The caffeine content is equivalent to what we get in 1 cup of home-brewed coffee.
So in terms of caffeine, ZOA energy is ahead of Red Bull.
Moreover, one major difference between the caffeine source of both energy drinks. While Red Bull contains synthetic caffeine, ZOA claims its caffeine comes from green tea and green, unroasted coffee beans.
Synthesized caffeine gets absorbed more quickly than naturally occurring caffeine – resulting in a quicker crash. So considering this aspect, ZOA energy wins more points than Red Bull because of the naturally sourced caffeine.
#5. Taste Comparison:
ZOA Energy Drink Taste:
- Unlike Monster, Rockstar, or Bang, the flavor is not too intense.
- Not too much carbonation present! This drink has light carbonation, so if you don’t like much carbonation – that’s an added benefit.
- ZOA Energy drink has a slight similarity to the taste of Red Bull. Also, the sugar-free version of ZOA generally tastes better than the one with Sugar.
- Be prepared to expect a bit minerally taste with this drink; it can smell like vitamins too.
Overall, the ZOA energy drink tastes great, with an interesting smell. If you want to try something less artificial and intense than some other drinks, this is worth a try.
Red Bull Energy Drink Taste
- The taste mainly depends on the chosen flavor – fruity or tart taste in general.
- Red Bull offers a distinct taste and is one of the best-tasting energy drinks.
- It is not too sweet, and its bitterness level depends on the type of Red Bull you drink.
- But with some editions (e.g., the Red Bull Pear Edition), you get a chemical aftertaste that is hard to ignore.
In short, Red Bull is a popular energy drink, and if you have been drinking it frequently, then there’s not much more to tell. Overall, it is also a nice-tasting energy drink.
#6. Flavor Comparison
ZOA energy drink comes in seven different flavors as follows:
- Original
- Super Berry
- Tropical Punch
- White Peach
- Lemon Line
- Pineapple Coconut
- Wild Orange
If you love trying different flavors of energy drinks, you won’t be disappointed with Red Bull either. They offer a wide variety of options as follows:
- Original Red Bull
- Red Bull Sugarfree
- Red Bull Zero
- Tropical
- Blueberry
- Coconut Berry
- Watermelon
- Peach Nectarine
- Pomegranate
So in terms of flavor variety, Red Bull beats ZOA with slightly more flavors. However, it is essential to highlight that Red Bull has discontinued some of its flavors.
For instance, Red Bull has discontinued the cranberry and orange tangerine flavors. So if you like a particular Red Bull flavor, it is a good idea to enjoy it fully instead of regretting it later.
In a recent article, I compare Red Bull to KSI and Logan Paul’s new Prime energy drink. (Less than 6-minutes read)
#7. Health-Affect Comparison
ZOA energy drink comes with amino acids, antioxidants, B vitamins, and caffeine from a natural source.
On the other hand, we have Red Bull, which contains caffeine, taurine, B vitamins, and sugar. The caffeine content per can of Red Bull is lesser compared to ZOA energy. However, it contains synthetic caffeine, which ZOA doesn’t have.
ZOA Energy also has sugar, and although it offers a sugar-free version, other parameters can’t be ignored – like including artificial sweeteners. Overall, the result of the comparison is almost a tie.
In short, ZOA energy and Red Bull – are both energy drinks, so they will have health downsides that are generally attributed to energy drinks.
Keeping that aside, drinking either of these energy drinks once in a while shouldn’t cause any significant problem.
Interested in reading more comparison posts like this? Check out our recommended posts below:
#8. Brand Comparison
ZOA Energy Drink Overview
ZOA Energy Drink is one of the newcomers in the Energy drinks industry. Yet they have created a good deal of buzz because (you guessed) – Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), one of the founders of this energy drink.
First launched in 2021, this energy drink is claimed as one of the clean and healthy alternatives to other energy drinks.
Red Bull Energy Drink Overview:
If you have been drinking energy drinks, it’s quite rare that you haven’t heard about them.
They are one of the pioneer companies in the energy drinks industry, founded back in the mid-1980s. Since then, the brand has successfully gained great popularity among the audience. More than one hundred billion cans of Red Bull have been distributed around the globe since the company’s founding in 1987.
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