ENERGY DRINKS OR NATURAL ALTERNATIVES?

65% of young Europeans drink energy drinks regularly. They help keep concentration high and are well sponsored by the mass media. They are also very exciting and can be replaced with zero-risk products and natural alternatives.

What are energy drinks?

Energy drinks are drinks that contain stimulating substances, essentially glucosides, caffeine, taurine, guarana, and B vitamins, to provide energy to those who use them. As there is no real legislation on the definition of the term "energy drink", there is no requirement of ingredients or a basic formula necessary to define the energy drinks. We usually talk about keto energy drinks, because they are low in carbohydrates.

Are energy drinks bad for you? 

Maybe yes, because excessive energy drinks consumption can cause disturbances and several side effects. Not surprisingly, they are banned in some European nations such as France, Denmark, and Norway. Despite their various composition depending on the product in question, the following substances are usually present: taurine, caffeine, matè, guarana, ginseng, and carnitine. The combination of these and other ingredients, often, is proposed to us by advertisements as the "magic formula" able to enhance our ability to attention and concentration. 

The main negative energy drinks effect is caused by the dosage of their substances which, when compared to other foods, is disproportionate and could cause adverse health effects. Excessive consumption of caffeine, for example, especially in younger consumers, can interfere with normal nervous system activity by causing irritability, agitation, and restlessness.

Natural alternatives to energy drinks

The best alternative to keto energy drink? It should be the ProLon® diet. Why? Because ProLon helps improve energy, focus, and mental clarity. The only thing to do is to buy your ProLon kit now and give it a try.

As an alternative to energy drinks, we can opt for natural drinks that have at least three advantages: they are cheaper, we can make them at home and they have no side effects. Let us see what they are and how they help us "recharge batteries".

• Coconut water. A simple but nutritious energy drink: potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. In addition, coconut water is low in sugar and fat, so we can integrate it into a low-calorie diet.
• Herbal tea mate. Tea can be considered a keto energy drink. It is derived from the leaves of mate grass, in addition to giving energy to the body; it does not cause excitement but relaxation. Therefore, while not being equal to an energy drink in terms of effects it remains a viable option.
• Tomato juice. If we want an energy drink to regain strength, after a training session, we can opt for tomato juice. It may seem like a strange solution, but the substances contained in tomatoes help to recover muscle energy much faster than traditional energy drinks.

• Spinach juice. As Popeye reminds us, spinach helps us and recover energy thanks to the presence of iron. Spinach juice is a natural cocktail, easy to prepare, which requires three ingredients that we usually have at home: three stalks of celery, two of asparagus, and a tomato or a carrot.
• Hot apple juice. In addition to being a good remedy against coughing and sore throat, hot apple juice has a purifying and antioxidant action on our body. Its properties help us to stay focused and protect us from certain degenerative diseases such as senile dementia.
• Banana smoothie. Banana is one of the favourite fruits of athletes for energy recovery and the prevention of muscle cramps, during training. To prepare a banana smoothie you need two bananas, a spoonful of honey, half a glass of milk, and two ice cubes. Then all we have to do is to centrifuge and drink the smoothie.

Did you find interesting this article about natural alternatives to energy drinks? Do you want more nutritional information about these natural ingredients? Get in touch with our knowledgeable nutritionists.