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5 Popular Energy Drinks: Are They Safe?
By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men's Health
Oct 03, 2011
My buddy Brian brags about his morning routine: On the way to work, he swings by a local convenience store and picks up a large cup of coffee, lunch, and a can of Amp Energy. His theory: The coffee jumpstarts his morning, lunch fuels his afternoon, and the energy drink—which he downs in the early afternoon—propels him past his 5 p.m. finish line.
This all sounds plausible, but here's the problem: My friend is a good 30 pounds overweight. In other words, he's already consuming too much energy. So adding 220 calories and 58 grams of sugar to his day, in the form of an energy drink, doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
For most Americans, it's not a lack of sugar that makes us tired during the day—it's the fact that we're already consuming too much. Sugary foods and drinks cause blood sugar to spike, and you feel energized. To compensate, your body releases insulin, which quickly lowers blood sugar levels, causing you to "crash" and feel tired. If you indulge your sweet tooth throughout the day, your blood sugar yo-yos all day long. It's no wonder Amp revs up my buddy's afternoon—the sugar blast pulls him out of his post-lunch crash.
Americans will spend around $9 billion on energy drinks this year, which is why manufacturers haven't strayed far from the best-selling recipe they used when the first energy drinks took off a dozen years ago. It's a formulation that includes a hefty dose of caffeine and sugar combined with smaller amounts of natural substances like guarana, ginseng, and taurine that—the labeling promises—may sharpen your mind and improve your overall health. (Here are more foods with amazing—and scientifically proven—health benefits: Check out the 40 Foods with Superpowers.)
But do these beverages really work? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, we analyzed five key ingredients in the market's most popular potions.
Read much more: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/menshealth/truth-about-energy-drinks
By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men's Health
Oct 03, 2011
My buddy Brian brags about his morning routine: On the way to work, he swings by a local convenience store and picks up a large cup of coffee, lunch, and a can of Amp Energy. His theory: The coffee jumpstarts his morning, lunch fuels his afternoon, and the energy drink—which he downs in the early afternoon—propels him past his 5 p.m. finish line.
This all sounds plausible, but here's the problem: My friend is a good 30 pounds overweight. In other words, he's already consuming too much energy. So adding 220 calories and 58 grams of sugar to his day, in the form of an energy drink, doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
For most Americans, it's not a lack of sugar that makes us tired during the day—it's the fact that we're already consuming too much. Sugary foods and drinks cause blood sugar to spike, and you feel energized. To compensate, your body releases insulin, which quickly lowers blood sugar levels, causing you to "crash" and feel tired. If you indulge your sweet tooth throughout the day, your blood sugar yo-yos all day long. It's no wonder Amp revs up my buddy's afternoon—the sugar blast pulls him out of his post-lunch crash.
Americans will spend around $9 billion on energy drinks this year, which is why manufacturers haven't strayed far from the best-selling recipe they used when the first energy drinks took off a dozen years ago. It's a formulation that includes a hefty dose of caffeine and sugar combined with smaller amounts of natural substances like guarana, ginseng, and taurine that—the labeling promises—may sharpen your mind and improve your overall health. (Here are more foods with amazing—and scientifically proven—health benefits: Check out the 40 Foods with Superpowers.)
But do these beverages really work? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, we analyzed five key ingredients in the market's most popular potions.
Read much more: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/menshealth/truth-about-energy-drinks