Natural Energy Boosters: Plant-Based Ingredients to Look for in Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are delicious and energizing... but not all brands use natural ingredients. Over the last few years, we've seen more and more customers decide to switch up their coffee and Red Bull in favor of cleaner, smoother and more refreshing formulas (aka, Zest). So, here's what you need to know.

This guide explores the natural ingredients you should expect to find on the labels - from green tea extract that provides a source of caffeine to sugar and natural sweeteners for a pop of flavor.

7 Natural Ingredients in Canned Energy Drinks

For supporting energy levels and mental alertness, these seven ingredients are your best friends! The best thing about them? They all come from natural plant-based sources.

Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract is used in energy drinks for two important nutrients: caffeine and L-Theanine. They actually work together to boost the focus and clarity of your mind. L-Theanine can also lengthen and smooth over the effects of caffeine for a longer energy boost.

Other benefits of L-Theanine and caffeine include enhanced creativity and attention while multitasking! If you feel your body and mind getting tired in the afternoon, even after several cups of coffee (which doesn't contain L-Theanine), choose energy drinks with tea-based ingredients. It's a great and natural way to boost energy without the jitters, shakes and crash.

Yerba Mate

Another popular ingredient in the energy drink world is yerba mate. This herbal ingredient is also a popular tea, particularly in South America. However, while it contains more than a bit of caffeine, it has no L-Theanine whatsoever. So, just like coffee, you'll add energy to your diet but leave focus at the door if you drink too much.

Yerba mate can contain up to 180mg of caffeine when prepared traditionally. The FDA recommends no more than 400mg per day (or 200mg for pregnant women). Just make sure you check all energy drink products to find out exactly how much caffeine they contain!

Just like green tea extract, yerba mate doesn't add significant calories to the beverage, but it can have a bitter aftertaste. Learn more about sugar and natural sweeteners below to find an option that tastes best for you.

Ginseng

Ginseng is a root (like ginger and turmeric) that's used to improve the flavor and energizing properties of energy drinks, often alongside caffeine and taurine. This ingredients works by helping your body reduce inflammation and boost brain function. Some studies have found that ginseng could offer benefits for your memory, mood and behavior. It could also prevent certain types of cancer... but we recommend taking that with a pinch of salt. Drinking an energy drink with ginseng won't cure anything!

There's usually only a small amount of ginseng (usually in extract form) in energy drinks, so you might not even taste it. Along with the B-vitamins (more on those below), ginseng is used to pack in brain-boosting power without relying on chemicals.

B Vitamins

Vitamins are commonly included in energy drink ingredients lists, particularly the B Vitamin complex:

• B1 - thiamine,
• B2 - riboflavin,
• B3 - niacin,
• B5 - pantothenic acid,
• B6 - pyridoxine,
• B7 - biotin,
• B9 - folic acid,
• B12 - cobalamin.

While caffeine can block adenosine to boost your energy, some of these B vitamins work by supporting your immune system and metabolism.

For people with a vitamin deficiency, energy beverages with B-vitamins are an extra great way to provide energy and mental clarity throughout the day. For the rest of us, they provide a smaller but still valuable energy boost.

Water

Water is the ultimate refreshing beverage and we couldn't make a drink without it. Did you know that scientists have found that water can support your physical performance? Losing as little as 2% of your body's water content can lead to dehydration, headaches and sluggishness - read the article if you don't believe us.

Both sparkling and still water are excellent for rehydrating your body.

P.S. Energy drink formulas are all about putting energy first and hydration second. If you're looking to swap your priorities, explore our electrolyte powders. They're full of electrolytes to help you hold onto hydration for longer, with a little sugar and caffeine too.

Stevia

Sweet ingredients aren't just in energy drinks to give you a little energy boost, they're also there to enhance the flavor. In fact, the bitter taste of caffeine can often make sweeteners like sugar, aspartame and stevia essential.

At Zest, our favorite way to pack in sweetness and flavor is with stevia and sugar. Stevia is made from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant that's native to South America. It's 50 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and it features in our energy drinks and electrolyte powders - for a full briefing on what stevia is all about, read our guide Should You Drink Electrolyte Powder Without Stevia?

If you have a question about stevia or just want to purchase a pack of naturally sweet energy drinks to save the day, head over to LiveZesty.com

Sugar

Finally, sugar. Yes, it's a natural ingredient too! Pure cane sugar, which is our sugar of choice, is made from sugarcane. This added sugar provides your body with glucose, which fuels your muscles and gives you a quick energy boost.

Sugar is great if you are on your way to the gym and need a quick, sudden boost to get through your reps. However, sugar energy does not last and regularly consuming more sugar is a bad idea - we all know the health risks of too much sugar. Weight gain, leading to diabetes and heart attacks, is just one side of sugar. There's also evidence that too much sugar can lead to depression, cellular aging, and even cancer.

So, low sugar and high caffeine is the key to an energy boost that lasts longer. And if you'd like to avoid sugar altogether, stevia is ready and waiting!

The Zest Way to Make an Energy Drink

If you're looking for an energy drink that can pack in flavor, vitamins, caffeine and L-Theanine without all the nasty crap, you've found it. Not to brag, but our ready-to-drink energy products are the best!

Yep, we even include some that have sugar and others that are sugar-free, so you can buy some energy drinks that are full of flavor and add to your diet in a meaningful way. With the delicious mix of caffeine and L-Theanine - both from a natural source of green tea leaves - you'll have mental clarity and energy that lasts longer.

Find your favorite taste - buy a variety pack of our Ready-To-Drink Energy Teas today.

Taste Good, Feel Good

A lot of different energy drink product types claim to be clean... but are they? At Zest, we fill our energy drinks with:

• Sparkling water
• Cane sugar or stevia leaf
• Natural flavorings
• Black tea
• Green tea extract
• L-theanine
• B vitamins
• Citric acid (a natural preservative)
• Sodium citrate (a natural acidity regulator)

Everything ingredient we add has a purpose, from improving the taste to providing an energy boost and mental clarity. You have four flavor options to choose from - or add the variety pack to the cart instead!