A common misconception with energy drinks is that they’re all packed with sugar, loaded with caffeine, and taste overpowering. While that may be true for some, options like Hiball Energy, Sambazon Amazon Energy, and Matchabar Hustle prove you can have energy without compromising nutrition. Whether it’s sugar-free, low-caffeine, or nutrient-infused you have on your must-have list, there’s an energy drink (or two!) right for you.
Our top 10 healthy energy drinks for sustained energy
UTHH top pick: Guayaki Organic Yerba Mate
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – Low caffeine- Sweetened with lime juice – Only 5 calories – Clean enough to enjoy multiple – About the same amount of kick as coffee | – Not overly sweet |
Caffeine: 80mg per serving
Guayaki Organic Yerba Mate is our top choice thanks to its lower caffeine content, natural sweetness with lime juice, and only 5 calories. This energy drink could easily replace coffee as a sidekick without the jitters and energy crash. It’s a smoother energy boost brewed from the naturally caffeinated yerba mate tree leaves grown in South America.
Guayaki is also a Certified B Corp and is committed to ethical production and worker treatment during the production of these drinks. While this isn’t the top choice for sweet-drink lovers, we think it’s a game changer for people who prefer a less jarring energy drink experience.
Highlights
- 5 calories per can
- Polyphenols help control blood sugar levels
- Sweetened with lime juice
- Guayaki is a Certified B Corp
Guru Energy Water
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – Widely popular flavors like green tea – 0 calories – Multiple subscribe & save options through the website | – Not as highly caffeinated for those looking for a more considerable boost |
Caffeine: 100mg per serving
GURU energy waters provide a quick and healthy boost to your day with green tea. The drinks are 0 calories, have a subtle twist of lime, and are sweetened with stevia, which is 200 times sweeter than table sugar and doesn’t impact blood sugar levels. If you order online directly from GURU, you have a subscribe and save option to have your refills auto-delivered while saving money.
GURU spares you the jitters and provides more slow-burn energy to keep you going longer. Therefore, better options may be available for those looking for a short-term high-energy spike.
Highlights
- Subtle flavor
- Sweetened with stevia
- No jitters
- Long-lasting energy
Hiball Energy
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – Sparkling water taste – 0 calories – No added sugar | – Taste might be too underwhelming for people |
Caffeine: 160mg per serving
Hiball combines the popular sparkling water taste with a kick of instant energy. The ingredients are all-natural, including organic guarana, ginseng, B vitamins, and organic caffeine for a healthy energy hit without the synthetics. You won’t find any sugar, calories, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners in Hiball, and it’s an excellent low-glycemic option for those watching their blood sugar.
You can enjoy Hiball guilt-free; however, the carbonated taste can be overpowering, so it isn’t everyone’s top choice for that reason.
Highlights
- Natural ingredients
- Preservative-free
- Low-glycemic
- No sugar and no calories
Nuun Sport + Caffeine
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – Only 1 gram of added sugar – Electrolytes for added hydration – Cost-effective, with 10 tabs in each tube – No artificial colors or sweeteners – Sweetened with stevia – Informed Choice certified | – The tablet might be inconvenient without a to-go cup |
Caffeine: 40mg per serving
Nuun Sport + Caffeine offers a unique alternative to canned liquid energy drinks—a dissolvable tablet that can easily be added to water anywhere, anytime, without the bulk of carrying cans. They have only one gram of added sugar, are blended with electrolytes, and are non-GMO, making them the perfect way to energize and hydrate on a busy day on-site. Nuun Sport + Caffeine is available in five delicious flavors—cherry limeade, fresh lime, mango orange, wild berry, and kona cola—and each tube contains 10 tabs.
These tabs are vegan, kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO, and are Informed Choice certified, meaning they’re free of banned substances. They are perfect for workers in physical jobs who need a blend of hydration and energy, especially in hotter climates.
Highlights
- Blended with electrolytes
- Compact enough to take on-the-go
- Non-GMO
- Five flavors without the artificial taste
Sambazon Amazon Low-Calorie Energy
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – 35 calories per can – Non-GMO – Antioxidant-rich – Sweetened with stevia – Contains 310% RDV of vitamin C – Free of artificial colors and flavors | – Contain 6 grams of added sugar per serving |
Caffeine: 120mg per serving
Sambazon Amazon Low-Calorie Energy is an excellent choice for construction workers looking for great taste and who don’t mind a little sugar. These drinks are naturally caffeinated with yerba mate, green tea, and guarana and provide around the same energy as two espresso shots. They’re only 35 calories and contain organic pomegranate and acai for a freshly tart taste and added nutrients. These energy drinks are also antioxidant-rich and contain 140% of your daily vitamin C intake, helping to boost immunity and fight the effects of free radicals from environmental toxins and pollutants on site.
Highlights
- Organic
- Low-calorie
- Available in 3 flavors: Acai berry, acai berry pomegranate, acai berry passionfruit
- Fuelled by Yerba Mate
FOCUSAID Clean Energy + Brain Boost
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – 40 calories per can – Sweet tasting without being overwhelming – Supplement-enhanced to improve cognitive performance – Sweetened with agave and stevia – Free of synthetic colors and artificial flavors | – Contains 7g of added sugars |
Caffeine: 100mg per serving
FOCUSAID Clean Energy + Brain Boost is another energy drink option with additional nutritional benefits. These drinks contain nootropics like Alpha-GPC and GABA that sharpen cognitive functions and focus without the jitters of caffeine. It’s not the most caffeine-packed option on the list, making it a great option to replace your coffee or provide a mid-day boost. They’re naturally sweetened and lightly carbonated, so you won’t get the bloat and burps associated with most traditional energy drinks.
FOCUSAID drinks also contain yerba mate and offer a smooth energy release with no crash. However, they contain 7 grams of sugar, so it’s something to look out for if you’re looking to skip sugar altogether.
Highlights
- Naturally sweetened with organic agave and stevia
- Yerba mate fuelled
- Contains B vitamins
- Lightly carbonated
GORGIE Energy Drink
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – 5 calories per can – No added sugar – No artificial colors or sweeteners – Contains B vitamins and L-theanine for calm focus and energy – Naturally sweetened with stevia | – Has a stevia aftertaste |
Caffeine: 150mg per serving
GORGIE Energy Drink comes in six sparkling flavors, has no added sugar, and contains vitamins B6 and B12 to support your body’s natural energy production processes and L-theanine for better mental focus and clarity. These energy drinks are smooth and fruit-flavor-inspired, with a light fizz to over-bloating. Caffeine is derived from green tea, and it’s sweetened with stevia, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer a sweeter drink.
These energy drinks have no added sugar and contain biotin to promote healthy skin, hair, and nails. Some users cite a stevia aftertaste, though, so it’s something to be mindful of.
Highlights
- Six sparkling flavors: Tropical punch, watermelon splash, peach tea, mango burst, citrus burst, electric berry
- Sugar-free, sweetened with stevia
- 5 calories per can
- Contains biotin and L-theanine for added cognitive benefits
Zevia Zero Calorie Energy
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – No added sugar – Zero calories – No artificial preservatives – Won’t raise your blood sugar | – You can taste the stevia – Higher price point than other options |
Caffeine: 120mg per serving
Zevia Zero Calorie Energy drinks are healthy and free of everything you don’t want in an energy drink—added sugar, calories, artificial preservatives—and contain all of the things you do want—natural sweetener, a more lowkey taste, and natural energy. With 120mg of natural caffeine derived from green tea and six delicious flavors, these drinks provide a good dose of energy with the buzz or after-effects of synthetic caffeine. Zevia energy drinks are also non-GMO and won’t impact blood sugar levels.
Zevia energy drinks do not contain added colors, and all six flavors are gluten-free and kosher. However, they have a higher price point than other options on our list, and some find they have too much stevia aftertaste.
Highlights
- Naturally sweetened with stevia
- Non-GMO
- No synthetic colors
- Certified B-Corp branded
- Calorie-free
Clean Cause Sparkling Organic Yerba Mate
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – Sweetened naturally with cane sugar and erythritol – Certified organic ingredients – 50% of proceeds go to charity | – Erythritol may cause gastrointestinal upset in people |
Caffeine: 160mg per serving
Clean Cause Sparkling Yerba Mate energy drinks offer great taste and great company values—Clean Cause offers 50% of its proceeds or 5% of its net revenue to a charity that supports addiction and recovery, and they focus on creating USDA-certified energy drinks. These drinks are a low-calorie option at 70 calories per can and contain caffeine derived from Yerba Mate for slow-release energy without the jitters. Plus, Yerba Mate contains more health-promoting compounds than green tea to support mental focus and productivity.
Each flavor is distinctly fruity, offering 160mg of caffeine for a more impactful boost in your work day. However, the erythritol in these drinks may cause gastrointestinal upset.
Clean Cause also offers an organic, non-carbonated alternative to its traditional sparkling energy drink for people who want the boost without the bubbles. However, it contains slightly more calories and added sugars.
Highlights
- 70 calories
- Seven flavors: Blackberry, cherry lime, raspberry, peach, lemon-lime, watermelon mint, orange ginger, watermelon
- Yerba Mate-powered
- Clean caffeine without the crash or jitters
Matchabar Hustle
| What we love | Things to consider |
| – 0 sugar – Contains antioxidants and L-theanine – Vegan, keto, and paleo-friendly | – Not sweet – Strong matcha flavor |
Caffeine: 120mg per serving
Matchabar Hustle is the earthiest option on our list. It is made with ceremonial-grade matcha grown in Japan and hand-blended by a Chasi tea master. It contains zero sugar, no taurine, natural antioxidants, and L-theanine from the matcha. Each can provide 120mg of naturally-derived caffeine for a mid-day boost without jitters or crashes.
With a subtle hint of lime flavor, these drinks are an excellent option for anyone who loves a strong green tea flavor. They’re vegan, paleo, and keto-friendly, perfect for construction workers with specific dietary needs. Some users consider the matcha flavor overpowering, so it’s only for serious lovers.
Highlights
- 5 flavor options
- Vegan, keto, and paleo-friendly
- No sugar or taurine
- Free or artificial flavors and colors
Energy drinks don’t have to be the overly bubbly, sugary, chemical-filled beverages that people know them to be. Clean options like GORGIE, Nuun Sport, and Guayaki deliver nutritional benefits with natural energy for a clean coast through a demanding workday.
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