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Energy Drinks: college kids are addicted. It takes more than just motivation and coffee to keep kids up for an all-nighter. There are many different types of energy drinks out there; most with Guarana, Taurine, and dangerously high amounts of caffeine.
Although some energy drinks are bad and have things that are potentially dangerous in them, some of them are also good — using small amounts of caffeine similar to that of only one cup of coffee, and natural vitamins to give energy.
SoBe No Fear
This energy drink has several different flavors, as well as different levels of energy. “Bloodshot” is a drink made for the morning and has 31 percent juice, and gives you 150 percent the daily amount of vitamin C as well as vitamin B.
“No Fear” comes in 16-ounce cans, with two servings per can. A whole can has 200 calories and 46 grams of sugar.
While “No Fear” does have good energy boosting vitamins, it also contains 174 mg of caffeine per can, as well as Guarana and Taurine.
When compared to other energy drinks, “No Fear” is a good choice for the morning or any time of the day, and unlike some other energy drinks it has a good taste. It keeps you going, and the crash is much lighter than that of other energy drinks.
“SoBe is good for you, and it also tastes really good,” said Derya Saydam, freshman Engineering major. “You don’t really crash from it.”
This energy drink is very similar to “No Fear” in that it has similar sugar content and calories, but it does not have the same juice content.
Monster
This is a very popular drink, and also includes vitamins along with different energy boosters. One huge problem found within the Monster drinks family is that they have high levels of carbohydrates.
These make it more difficult for the body to absorb foods and necessary nutrients into the bloodstream.
There are also cases where difficulty in absorbing food and nutrients results in gastrointestinal distress or more serious problems. Despite this, it still remains a very popular drink among college students.
“I like Monster the best of all that I have tried, because it tastes the best,” said Caroline Medders, freshman Business major. “I would recommend it to anyone.
You do crash from drinking Monster – you just get really tired and you usually just want to go to sleep – but you will have a lot of energy before that. It definitely will keep you up when you need to study all night.”
5-Hour Energy
This little bottle is only two ounces, but packs a punch of energy that holds true to its saying, “Hours of energy now – no crash later.”
This powerful energy drink only has the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, and even comes in a decaffeinated version.
“5-Hour Energy” has only four calories and no sugar, and it’s packed with B vitamins that are good for giving natural energy like folic acid and Niacin, and contains very little sodium.
This energy drink gives a good boost of energy that keeps you alert and awake, but does not let you crash, because it contains no sugar. With two flavors to choose from as well as only four calories and no crash, “5-Hour Energy” is one of the best choices.
“It works, and it’s good for you – its all vitamins and one cup of [coffee worth of] caffeine,” said Saydam. “I would recommend ‘5-Hour Energy’ to anyone, because you won’t crash and you feel great when you take it.”
NOS
This drink is basically trying to ride the coattails of “The Fast and the Furious” movies, and became popular right after the movie’s release. They used nitrous oxide systems in their imported cars to make them faster, and that is what “NOS” energy drinks will do for you as well.
This energy drink is the most dangerous of all those tested. “NOS” rated high in the taste category as well as giving the best kick due to the different kinds of energy used. This very sweet drink is very strong and will keep you up all night, but it did not have a horrible crash as compared to others, which as soon as they are gone you can no longer get up, and either need another drink or you need a very long nap.
And for those who want less calories in your energy drink, there is “NOS Powershot:” it gives the same boost of energy, without the high calorie content. A full bottle of “NOS” will cost you about 340 calories and contains over 52 grams of sugar. The reformulated nitrous oxide system taken from cars is more toned down, but it gets the job done.
“‘NOS’ is my favorite energy drink, because it’s the only one that works,” said senior Communications major Brittnay Hilton. “I would recommend it to anyone, because it tastes good and it works. It’s the only one I like, and I think it’s worth the money.”
Starbucks Doubleshot
Starbucks has taken their already-strong coffee and added energy. These drinks are basically coffee with more caffeine, and then more energy added on top of them.
Not to be outdone by other energy drinks, Starbucks added in Ginseng and Guarana along with B vitamins.
The upside to this energy drink would be that it tastes very similar to Starbucks coffee, and allows people to have the taste of a Starbucks coffee without running out to a café, and also so you can have Starbucks any time of the day, even at 3 a.m. when it closes.
When it comes to energy drinks, there are tons out there. NOS and 5-Hour Energy drink got the best rating among people interviewed and by several other reviews.
As with anything else, they are not dangerous when used for the occasional all-nighter — but extended use of these drinks can lead to insomnia along with heart problems, and the high sugar content is definitely not good for that beach body.
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