Energy Drinks

Who here needs caffeine to get through their day? I usually prefer coffee, but sometimes an energy drink tastes good on a hot day when you want something sweet. Red Bull and Monster are the two biggest ones here in Japan, and they come in a variety of flavors and sizes. I bought a Monster from the convenience store the other day, and it got me thinking about what’s really in those energy drinks.

According to organicauthority.com, Monster contains synthetic caffeine, taurine, vitamin B, and of course, lots of sugar. Those are the ingredients that give you an energy boost and make you feel alert.

“Synthetic” caffeine may sound scary, but it seems there’s virtually no difference between that and natural caffeine - they have the same effect on your body. And one energy drink has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup a coffee.

Taurine was once thought to be dangerous, but most research has disproven that.

The real problem is the sugar content, which is extremely high. This is why energy drinks taste sickly-sweet to many people, and why anyone trying to lose weight should avoid them.