See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy GRACE BANNISTER FOR YOU MAGAZINE Updated: 11:21 BST, 8 September 2026
We’re always told how bad energy drinks are for us. From our teeth to our hearts, there’s ample research showing the negative health effects that regular consumption of energy drinks can cause.Dr Aniello Maiese, a doctor at Sapienza University of Rome, explains that traditional energy drinks can be problematic because ‘they can raise blood pressure, increase heart rate and affect cardiac excitability.’But, if you’re like me, cutting out energy drinks isn’t quite so easy. And, before you tell me to focus on getting more sleep, when 4pm rolls around, I find myself reaching for the nearest can of sugary, caffeinated energy.The good news is that, according to Dr Maiese, not every energy drink is necessarily dangerous. Instead, the risk depends on the quantity consumed, the caffeine concentration and the presence of other stimulants, among other factors.Many of the energy drinks on this list claim to contain ‘natural caffeine’, but according to Dr Maiese, it’s a term that should be treated with some caution.‘Caffeine itself does not become safer simply because it comes from a natural source,’ says Dr Maiese.Caffeine isn't necessarily safer because it's natural, says Dr Maiese. He says that, pharmacologically speaking, caffeine is the same molecule regardless of whether it comes from coffee, green tea or matcha. ‘What matters much more is the total amount of caffeine, the other ingredients present and how much of the product is actually consumed.’What’s more, ‘natural caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily guarantee energy without the crash.While Dr Maiese says that it’s probably not very accurate to describe any energy drink as ‘healthy’, he does concede that some can be ‘more or less favourable from a nutritional and cardiovascular point of view.’That’s why I have reviewed five potentially more favourable alternatives to traditional energy drinks, giving you my honest opinions on everything from taste to how effective they were at providing an energy boost. Bloom Sparkling Energy Drink Bloom’s drink was lightly sparkling and didn’t taste healthy (always a good sign). I think I might even prefer its sweet-but-not-overpowering flavour to the likes of Red Bull. As for the energy release, it felt much more gradual and longer-lasting than traditional energy drinks. £1.85 Shop G Spot Awaken Drink While Gillian Anderson’s ‘G Spot’ range isn’t exactly marketed as a healthy energy drink (rather as a ‘functional energy’ drink – don’t worry, we’ve not gone that far off track), I did choose to include its ‘Awaken’ can. With passionfruit and habanero (and ‘boosted with adaptogens and nootropics’), this was my favourite-tasting can on this list. I can’t say it did much to energise (or ‘awaken’) me, but I would return to it for its lightly sparkling, fruity flavour. £2 Shop TENZING Fiery Mango + Lion’s Mango This energy drink is described as having a fiery mango flavour, but I’m unsure whether it was the ‘fiery mango’ or the lion’s mane mushroom that made it so unpalatable. It was so fiery, in fact, that I actually couldn’t finish the can (granted, it is half a litre). I also tested the ‘White Peach’ flavour and found that same unpleasant undertone. £2.95 Shop PerfectTed Cherry Matcha Energy Using ‘natural caffeine’ from sources including matcha and green tea, this alternative is designed to provide a steady stream of energy and focus. While I wasn’t a fan of the cherry flavour (and that’s coming from a cherry fan), I did enjoy PerfectTed’s peach flavour. And with 80mg of caffeine per 250ml, I definitely felt an energy boost after drinking this can. £2 Shop Grass & Co Liquid Power Drink Grass & Co’s Liquid Power drink has a strong ginger flavour that makes it feel more like a health shot than a healthy alternative to an energy drink. Nonetheless, it was quite refreshing, but I’m not sure how energised (or powerful) I felt afterwards. £2.80 Shop
