What's the Healthiest Energy Drink (Natural Energy Drinks)?

Before we dive into what makes a healthy energy drink healthy, first, we need to define what “healthy” means.

Healthy energy drinks are beverages that provide smooth, lasting energy from plant-based, non-GMO, and organic ingredients. These drinks include much-needed vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that our bodies crave.

Best of all, healthy energy drinks provide sustained mental focus, steady energy levels throughout the day, and improved digestion.

Regardless of synthetic or organic ingredients, the healthiest energy drinks follow similar tropes. They tend to be:

• Full of organic ingredients from plant-based foods

• Free of artificial sweeteners or suspicious stimulants like guarana, ginseng, erythritol, taurine, and synthetic sugar alcohol-containing sweeteners that, while designed to give you energy, can boost your metabolic rate above normal levels, increase glucose levels, and throw your body into disequilibrium.

• Low in sugar content and from natural sugar sources like monk fruit, stevia extract, and cane sugar

• High in vitamins (like Vitamin C, B12, and B6)

• Drinks that derive energy from natural caffeine sources (such as tea leaves, yerba maté, ashwagandha, or lion’s mane)

Let’s take a look at each of these key ingredients to understand what makes them healthy elements of a nutritious energy drink.

Healthy energy drinks are full of organic ingredients

As opposed to many synthetic energy drinks, energy drinks that include a list of organic ingredients tend to be healthier than synthetic energy drinks. Imagine calming, lasting focus from natural sources such as yerba maté, ashwagandha, lion’s mane, green tea leaves, or coffee beans.

Energy drinks that include organic ingredients are often packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. As such, many energy drinks include fruit juice extract that includes antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are needed to support mental focus, enhance energy levels, and promote healthy digestion.

Plus, the ingredients in healthy energy drinks tend to offer sustained energy without a crash.

Finally, healthy energy drinks tend to be labeled USDA Organic, a designation indicating that the energy drink uses practices that “cycle resources, conserve biodiversity, and preserve ecological balance” according to the standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture.

No genetically modified organisms (non-GMO), artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives — just clean energy produced and distributed in environmentally friendly ways.

How do energy drink brands become certified organic?

A business selects a USDA-accredited agent to review and verify that the business’s practices comply with USDA regulations.

For an energy drink to qualify as being USDA Organic, it must meet strict criteria. For example, 95% of the energy drink product must contain certified organic content, be grown using eco-friendly cultivation practices, be organically produced, and include non-GMO ingredients.

Gaining a USDA Organic seal on an energy drink is no small feat. That’s why energy drinks with a USDA Organic designation tend to be some of the cleanest on the planet.

Healthy energy drinks are free of artificial sweeteners and suspicious stimulants

Natural energy drinks derive their sweetness from natural sugar sources such as organic nectar agave, monk fruit, and stevia. These sweeteners are a natural source of calories that our bodies can digest and use for later, which makes for longer-lasting energy.

In contrast, artificially sweetened beverages are linked to negative health effects on our brains, bodies, bones, and even our teeth. For example, research shows that artificial sweeteners can wreak havoc on our body’s metabolism, gut bacteria, and appetite.

What’s more, the National Institute of Health found that blood levels that included elevated levels of artificial sweeteners like erythritol are linked to increased cardiovascular events, specifically blood clot formations.

As such, many energy drinks are laden with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, erythritol, xylitol, and saccharin. Unlike salt, our body doesn’t have a safety valve that tells our brains that we’ve consumed more artificial sweeteners than our bodies can handle, which is why opting for natural sweeteners is the way to go.

Healthy energy drinks are low in sugar

Healthy energy drinks are low in sugar. And, if they do include natural sugars, there’s very little per serving.

What’s more, natural energy drinks tend to include about five grams or less of added sugar, include fewer ingredients than synthetic carbonated energy drinks, and derive their energy from natural sweeteners like agave nectar, stevia extract, and monk fruit.

Also, these energy drinks tend to derive their sweet, delicious taste from naturally occurring fruit juice. You’ll often find healthy energy drinks that include fruit fan favorites like blueberries, apples, and raspberries.

In other words, healthy energy drinks include clean, low amounts of sugar and derive their sweetness from natural sources.

Healthy energy drinks are vitamin-rich

Since many healthy energy drinks include fruit juice, it goes without saying that they include key vitamins and minerals. In particular, healthy energy drinks often include vitamin C and B vitamins.

Did you know that vitamins are also key in helping your body produce energy? The reason is that — and without getting too nerdy — vitamin biosynthesis involves a key element called carnitine.

Carnitine is responsible for helping your body’s mitochondria produce energy. Without vitamins — or with insufficient vitamin intake — you can experience fatigue and even body tissue weakness, according to research.

In other words, healthy energy drinks are rich in vitamins and help support a healthy immune system.

Likewise, vitamin B6 and B12, among other vitamins, help give our bodies energy. That’s partially because vitamin B6 and B12 help the body metabolize food into energy.

For example, many healthy energy drinks include plant-based foods that are rich in B vitamins. For example, Ola maté includes yerba maté, a food that’s rich in vitamin B6.

One of the health benefits of consuming yerba maté, particularly energy drinks that include yerba maté, is immune system support and clean, steady energy to fuel your day.

In other words, healthy energy drinks are made with organic, plant-based, vitamin-rich ingredients.

Healthy energy drinks include caffeine from natural, non-synthetic sources

While both synthetic and natural caffeine are processed in similar ways in the body, the major difference between the two is that synthetic caffeine is produced from urea and chloroacetic acid instead of from plant-based foods.

In fact, research suggests that synthetic caffeine may have a significant impact on brain chemicals particularly with our adrenaline response.

In contrast, caffeine from natural sources, like yerba maté and tea leaves, contain polyphenols and flavonoids, two types of antioxidants that protect us from chronic diseases. In other words, when consuming caffeine from natural sources, your body receives added protection in the form of antioxidants (we like antioxidants).

Caffeine from natural organic ingredients like yerba maté provides lasting, sustained energy without the crash or jitters. It’s a win-win for your body!

Is there an energy drink that has it all?

Can an energy drink really check all the boxes? Yup.

We’re not biased or anything (okay, maybe we’re a little biased), but we wanted to share Ola maté with you.

Harnessing natural caffeine from yerba maté — and the antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, and botanical extracts often found in tea or coffee — our sparkling tea-based organic energy drink provides long-lasting, smooth, and steady energy without the crash or jitters.

Each on-the-go can is made without artificial sweeteners, synthetic coloring, and added sugar.

At 40 calories per can, with less added sugar (5 grams total) than other energy drinks on this list, and boasting 310% of your daily vitamin B6 and B12 per day, Ola maté is a healthy energy drink writing home about.

And most importantly, they taste delicious!

Our sparkling tea-based maté comes in three refreshing and tantalizing flavors that’ll have your taste buds pressing the heart emoji button over and over again.😍😍

Our Berry Coconut Lavender, Grapefruit Ginger, and Raspberry Bliss maté are chock full of B vitamins, natural herbs, and plant-based ingredients. Plus, all our products are USDA Organic.

If you’re looking for a low-sugar, on-the-go, ready-to-sip energy drink that’s both healthy, delightfully refreshing, and crisp, give Ola maté a try.

If you have any questions about energy drinks or yerba maté, drop us a line. We’d love to know how we can help! We look forward to sipping with you soon.

Frequently asked questions about healthy, natural energy drinks

1. Who should avoid energy drinks?

Energy drinks aren’t recommended for children and adolescents. Also, adults who are sensitive to natural and synthetic caffeine shouldn’t drink energy drinks.

What’s more, individuals who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a history of heart disease should avoid energy drinks. Finally, people who are taking specialized medication should avoid these beverages and check with their healthcare team before consuming energy drinks.

2. What should you look for when choosing an energy drink?

When choosing an energy drink, note the caffeine dose in each can. In addition to the source and amount of caffeine per can, you’ll want to look at where the caffeine comes from and the serving size in each can.

Healthy energy drinks often include caffeine derived from green tea and naturally occurring plants like yerba maté.

Also, be mindful of excess sugar. Opt for drinks with little to no added sugar.

3. What’s the difference between natural and synthetic caffeine?

The difference between natural and synthetic caffeine lies in the source of the caffeine. Natural caffeine comes from a variety of different leaves and seeds, such as coffee, tea, cacao beans, or yerba maté leaves.

In contrast, synthetic caffeine tends to contain more additives and is created with urea and chloroacetic acid. What’s more, synthetic caffeine is made in a laboratory or pharmaceutical plant.

You’ll often find synthetic caffeine in soda and other energy drinks. As always, those who are sensitive to caffeine or who want to limit the effects of caffeine should limit their caffeine intake and consult with their healthcare team before consuming caffeinated beverages.

Note: While yerba maté shows great promise — and while the market for yerba maté is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade — the content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider regarding any health-related questions.

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