Why Caffeine Chews Better Than Energy Drinks?

caffeine chalkboard

Energy is incredibly important for day-to-day life. Having enough energy throughout the day means being able to get around safely, whether you are driving, walking, or riding a bike. Enough energy means performing well at work, being able to relate healthfully to family, friends, and co-workers, and gives you the ability to enjoy your daily activities.

Americans work more than any other developed nation in the world. Couple this with how little vacation time the average American has, which is also less than any other developed nation, it is no wonder that the supplemental energy market, which consists of energy drinks, energy chews, and energy shots, is booming. We need more energy to get through our long days, and it shows in the popularity of energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster. But are energy drinks the best way to fuel up for your day, or to combat mid-day fatigue?

Not All Energy Supplements are Created Equal

Energy drinks are often high in sugar or artificial sweeteners, like aspartame or erythritol. Energy drinks can also be high in calories, such as the Starbucks energy drink, which has 210 calories and 25 grams of sugar. High sugar levels can mean a sugar crash later, which defeats the purpose of drinking an energy drink in the first place. And the Starbucks energy drink only has 145mg of caffeine, which is less than two cups of coffee.  

Monster Energy drinks and Red Bull energy drinks also contain calories and carbs, according to Healthline.com, which wrote a comparison article on the two popular drinks. A Red Bull energy drink has 112 calories per 8-ounce serving, while a Monster energy drink has 121 calories per 8-ounce serving. “They’re also full of added sugars, which make up the vast majority of their carb content.”, says Healthline.com. Red Bull energy drinks also contain 27 grams of carbs, while Monster energy drinks contain 29 grams of carbs. To put these amounts in perspective, a Red Bull contains about 7 teaspoons of sugar. Sugar is associated with obesity, dental problems, and type 2 diabetes, and high amounts of sugar in a person’s diet can lead to other health problems, not to mention the way it can impact energy levels through a sugar crash.

Also, consider that these numbers are for an 8-ounce serving. While Red Bull comes in an 8-ounce can, Monster energy drinks generally come in a 16-ounce can, which means that while it is technically two servings per can, most people are going to be drinking the whole bottle in one sitting, giving them a whopping 240 calories and almost 60 grams of carbs at once!

What is the energy payoff for these drinks? How much caffeine do these drinks contain? Red Bull has 75 mg of caffeine per 8-ounces, and Monster has 85 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce serving. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has 95 mg of caffeine, according to the USDA, so ounce per ounce, both of these energy drinks do not even have as much caffeine as an equivalent amount of coffee.

energy drink comparison to seattle gummies

Choose Chews for Better Energy

As you can see from the graph, Seattle Gummy’s Mocca Shot has at least four times the amount of caffeine per calorie as the leading energy drinks. One Mocca shot contains the same amount of caffeine as two cups of coffee or 190 mg of caffeine. Whereas Monster contains 85 mg of caffeine per 121 calories, and Red Bull contains 112 calories per 75 mg of caffeine, one Mocca Shot only has 25 calories per 190 mg of caffeine.

When it comes to carbohydrates and sugars, Mocca Shot also thoroughly beats out the competition. One Mocca Shot contains 6 grams of carbohydrates which include 6 grams of added sugars. Consider this in comparison to Red Bull energy drink’s 27 grams of carbs per 8-ounce serving and Monster energy drink’s 29 grams of carbs per 8-ounce serving. But remember, Monster energy drink comes in 16-ounce cans, so that’s 58 grams of carbs per 170 mg of caffeine. The Mocca Shot has only 6 carbs per 190 mg of caffeine!

Let’s also consider absorption rates. When you’re tired and reaching for an energy supplement, you need that energy immediately. Liquid caffeine takes 45 minutes to absorb into the body through the small intestine. Compare this to a Mocca Shot, which has a twenty percent absorption at just 3 minutes. This is because the caffeine is absorbed through the mucosal membranes, or thin skin, lining the mouth. So, by the metrics of calories, sugar, amounts of caffeine, and absorption time, caffeine chews are solidly the way to go when it comes time to choose an energy supplement. Try a Mocca shot today! Not only do they absorb faster, and have fewer calories than an energy drink, but they are also loaded with vitamins and herbs that support a steady, smooth energy to help fuel your day.