The Guayusa Guide

What is the healthiest energy drink?

No energy drink is the healthiest for each person, so compare the labels. Look at the caffeine in one serving, the sugar, the ingredient list and the size of the container. In Canada, a caffeinated energy drink can have no more than 180 mg of caffeine in a serving, and Health Canada recommends a maximum of 400 mg of caffeine a day for adults.

What do you compare on the label of an energy drink?

• The caffeine in one serving. Health Canada limits a caffeinated energy drink to 180 mg of caffeine from all sources in a serving. The recommended maximum for an adult is 400 mg in a day, from all food and drink.
• The sugar. Health Canada names sugary drinks as a source of high amounts of sugars, and it links too many added sugars to tooth decay in children and to excess calories.
• The ingredient list. Health Canada says that caffeinated energy drinks typically also contain ingredients such as taurine, B vitamins, minerals and herbal ingredients. Read which ones a drink has.
• The size of the container. The label tells you how much caffeine is in the container, and how many servings you can have in a day.

What must the label of an energy drink say in Canada?

Each caffeinated energy drink must have the statement “high caffeine content”, a caution identifier for supplemented foods, and two cautions: that the drink is not recommended for those under 14 years old, for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for people sensitive to caffeine, and how many servings you can drink in a day.

What is on the label of a can of Waísa?

An asterisk marks an organic ingredient. The other two flavours, Golden Pineapple and Wildberry Mint, have the same nutrition values and their own ingredient lists. The caution of the label is: “Not recommended for those under 14 years old, pregnant or breast-feeding women or individuals sensitive to caffeine. Do not drink more than 2 servings per day. Do not drink on the same day as any other supplemented foods or supplements with caffeine.”

Is an energy drink with natural caffeine healthier?

Not because of the caffeine. The caffeine in a leaf such as guayusa is the same compound as the caffeine that is added to a drink. In a small trial published in 2016, the body absorbed caffeine from a guayusa leaf extract, from a green coffee extract and from synthetic caffeine in the same way. Compare the amount of caffeine, the sugar and the other ingredients.

Who should not drink energy drinks?

Health Canada says that children, people who are pregnant or who breastfeed, and people who are sensitive to caffeine should not consume caffeinated energy drinks. Read about the side effects of guayusa and of caffeine.

Is there an energy drink without carbonation?

Yes. Waísa is a guayusa infusion that is not carbonated. Read about the energy drink without carbonation in Canada.

Sources

1. Health Canada, Caffeinated energy drinks: the limit of caffeine in a serving, the usual ingredients and the label.
2. Health Canada, Caffeine in Foods: the recommended maximum daily intake.
3. Health Canada, Sugars and your health: the sources of sugars and their effects.
4. Krieger D. R. and others, The Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Nervous System Effects of Two Natural Sources of Caffeine in Healthy Adult Males, Clinical and Translational Science, 2016.