An Overview of
energy drinks
Caffeine has become a widely used ingredient in the food
industry. By definition, caffeine is a substance that stimulates
the central nervous system, with possible adverse effects
including irritability, hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating,
and mild addiction. It is commonly added to sweet beverages
and listed as tea, green tea, yerba, mate or yerba mate,
guarana or cacao bean. In order to identify which beverages
contain caffeine, look for those ingredients on the nutrition
labels!
Energy drinks contain large amounts of sugar, caffeine and
other stimulants such as taurine and guarana. Consuming
them provides a quick energy boost, but this boost is usually
followed by a significant energy low.
The following chart shows the average amount
of caffeine in various popular beverages 3:
BEVERAGES
(250 mL)
AVERAGE AMOUNT
OF CAFFEINE
(MG/250 mL)
DRIP COFFEE
100-180
ENERGY DRINK
80-130*
COLA (REGULAR OR DIET)
TEA (BLACK OR GREEN)
28
15-50
CHOCOLATE MILK
7
DECAFFEINATED COFFEE
3
HERBAL TEA (CAFFEINE-FREE)
0
* Yerba mate and guarana are natural sources of caffeine found in energy
drinks. According to Health Canada requirements, since the end of 2013,
the total caffeine content, from all sources, must be indicated on energy
drink containers.
The truth about
sweetened beverages
What beverages
should you favor?
Sweetened beverages
and healthy beverages
Sugary drinks have become increasingly popular
on the market. The shelves of convenience stores,
grocery stores and cafeterias are stacked with a
dizzying variety of fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports
drinks, soft drinks and various types of vitamin
water. Not only do they provide poor nutritional
value, these sweet beverages contain large amounts of
free sugars*. Excess sugar consumption is associated
with adverse health effects, including heart disease,
stroke, obesity, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, cancer
and dental caries.
Opt for water, plain milk and unsweetened soy
beverages on a daily basis, while saving chocolate milk
and flavoured soy beverages for rarely consumption
only, due to the sugar they contain. It is the same
for the consumption of 100% pure fruit juices. When
consumed in large quantities, the naturally occurring
sugar in pure fruit juice can be harmful to our health.
Lastly, beverages containing free sugars such as fruit
drinks, soft drinks, energy drinks or sports drinks
should only be consumed on rare occasions.
Taking a close look…
*As defined by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, free sugars include
all sugars added to foods by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus
sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices.
Water - the go-to option!
Water is definitely the best thirst-quenching and hydrating option there is! It is
essential to the body due to its many functions, which include carrying nutrients,
eliminating waste (e.g. the carbon dioxide produced when we breathe), aiding in
digestion, muscle contraction and renal function, as well as regulating blood
pressure. To meet the needs of the body, it is recommended that we drink 1 litre
of water for each 1,000 calories burned (i.e. about 2 to 3 litres a day in adults).
Observing urine colour is an easy way to determine whether we’re drinking
enough water, as dark urine points to a lack of water. Orange slices, raspberries
and mint leaves can be added to a glass of water to make it more appealing and
promote consumption!
BEVERAGES
CONSUMED DAILY
Think about it!
Health Canada recommends the following maximum
daily caffeine intake:
CHILDREN AGED 4 TO 6 .................................................45 MG
CHILDREN AGED 7 TO 9 ............................................. 62.5 MG
CHILDREN AGED 10 TO 12 . ............................................85 MG
ADULTS.......................................................................... 400 MG
Health Canada, It’s Your Health, Caffeine [consulted online July 26th, 2012]:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/caffeine-eng.php
Water
Plain milk and milk
substitutes
e.g. enriched, unsweetened
soy beverages
Many products other than
water can quench our thrist.
Use this chart to guide your
choice of beverage.
Fruit drinks
RARELY CONSUMED
SWEETENED
BEVERAGES
(punch, cocktail)
100% pure fruit
juice
Regular or diet
soft drink
Flavoured milk
Flavoured milk substitutes
Sports drinks
e.g. Gatorade,
Powerade, etc.
Enegy drinks
e.g. R
edBull,
Monster, etc.
Adapted from the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Sugar, heart disease, and stroke position statement, August 2014 and the MSSS program entiled “Vision de la
saine alimentation pour la création d’environnements alimentaires favorables à la santé, Plan d’action gouvernementale de promotion des saines habitudes de vie
et de prévention des problèmes reliés au poids 2006-2012 – Investir pour l’avenir”.
Sugar drinks = acidity
Most sweetened beverages are acidic (pH value
below 7), which can contribute to the formation
of cavities. After consuming an acidic (or sweet)
food, an acid attack occurs that demineralizes the
tooth enamel. This process ends approximately twenty
minutes after the food is consumed, at which time
saliva remineralizes the tooth enamel.
However, when we sip a beverage over
a long period, our teeth undergo
repeated attacks and the
balance is broken because
the saliva doesn’t have time
to remineralize the teeth
properly. It is therefore
recommended that sugary
drinks be consumed more
quickly in order to limit the
number of acid attacks, and to
eat a piece of cheese or rinse
the mouth with water after
having a sugary drink.
How to calculate the amount
of sugar in a food?
Simple sugars belong to the carbohydrate family,
which provides the fuel the body needs to accomplish
its everyday tasks.
SIMPLE SUGARS
+ FIBRE
+ STARCH
= 4 grams of sugar
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES
Don’t forget to check the portion
listed on the nutrition label, as it
doesn’t always match the amount
consumed!
Nutrition Facts
Per 355 mL
Free Sugars
Free sugars are widely
used in the food industry,
particularly in the production
of sugary drinks. They can be
found hidden behind the
following terms:
To make sense of it all,
it can be helpful to compare
the total amount to
sugar cubes.
Amount
% Daily Value
Artificial sweeteners
Sometimes also called sugar substitutes,
artificial sweeteners are commonly found in
so-called diet beverages, usually under the
name aspartame, sucralose or saccharin.
These sugar substitutes have become popular
and are widely used in the food industry due
to their great sweetening power, which makes it
possible to create calorie-free or low-calorie
products. It is best to remain vigilant
towards these artificially sweetened beverages,
since they contain no nutrients (and therefore
no nutritional benefit), in addition to stimulating
a taste for sweet foods and having a high level of acidity.
Challenge yourself to identify products
that contain artificial sweeteners,
especially those that make
nutritional claims such as
being “light” or low-fat.
Sports drinks
The Heart and Stroke Foundation
recommends that an individual’s total intake of
free sugars not exceed 10% of total daily calorie
(energy) intake, and ideally less than 5%.
Sports drinks contain free
sugar, along with electrolytes
such as sodium and potassium,
in order to compensate for
losses incurred through
perspiration during intense and
continuous physical activity.
Otherwise, the recommendation
is to have water and a healthy
snack. After completing the
activity, having a glass of
plain milk, or an enriched
soy beverage, helps the body
recover while also being
wholesome (simply because
these beverages contain
proteins, electrolytes and
carbohydrates).
Calories 160
Fat 0 g
0%
Sodium 30 mg
1%
Vitamin C 0%
Carbohydrates 40 g
13%
WORDS ENDING IN “OSE”
(GLUCOSE, FRUCTOSE, ETC.)
Sugars 40 g
SYRUPS
(CANE, MAPLE, RICE, CORN, ETC.)
VITAMIN A
IRON CALCIUM HONEY OR MOLASSES
INGREDIENTS : CARBONATED WATER,
SUGAR, GLUCOSE-SUCROSE, SODIUM
CITRATE, CAFFEINE.
Protein 0 g
Maximum recommended daily intake of sugar
According to the Heart and Stroke Founda3on and to the World Health Organiza3on (2014): Maximum recommenda7on 0%
4%
0%
TOTAL SUGARS INCLUDE:
SUGARS FROM NATURAL SOURCES, SUCH AS
FRUCTOSE (NATURAL SUGAR FROM FRUIT)
LACTOSE (NATURAL SUGAR FROM MILK)
FREE SUGARS (INCLUDING PURE FRUIT JUICES)
10% of the calories 12 to 15 sugar cubes (For a diet of 2,000 to 2,500 calories) Perfect scenario 5% of the calories 6 to 7 sugar cubes (For a diet of 2,000 to 2,500 calories) Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Sugar, heart disease, and stroke position statement, August 2014.
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