The Science behind Natural Energy Drinks
The natural energy drink market has exploded in recent years due to the newly health conscious society we now live in. Natural Energy is usually advertised as free from synthetic caffeine, artificial colours & sweeteners and preservatives. Instead of these ingredients, they are usually replaced with clean-label ingredients such as green tea and cold-brew coffee as energy replacements.
Understanding the Key Ingredients in Natural Energy Drinks
Green tea is an ingredient that is commonly used in natural energy drinks. This is mainly due to its energy boosting properties. Green tea does contain caffeine, however it also has a high amount of L-theanine. L-theanine’s main property is to release caffeine in a slow and sustainable manner providing long lasting and stable energy to the consumer. At Mission, we utilise all the benefits of Green tea in our Energise blend, explore here!
Another ingredient rising in popularity in the western world and now commonly in natural energy drinks is yerba mate.Yerba mate (yer-bah mah-tey) is a traditional drink made from the dried leaves of an evergreen holly, Ilex paraguariensis. It is a caffeinated drink which helps provide the boost of energy that some would usually get through a coffee. Some drinkers say that yerba mate gives them the alertness of coffee but without the jittery anxiousness that often follows. We lover Yerba mate, especially for its athletic performance benefits. Our Perform blend is best for this!
Although, sometimes not all clean label ingredients that appear on natural energy drinks are actually that clean. Many natural energy drinks contain steviol or stevia as their form of sweetener. While these ingredients have been deemed safe, there is recent research that stevia may harm our kidneys, reproductive systems and cardiovascular system. It can also wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels when consumed regularly.
How these ingredients Interact with the Body and their Benefits
As these ingredients are “clean” they are mostly beneficial to the body. As mentioned, green tea has a very high concentration of L-theanine which has a number of benefits on the body. L-theanine is an amino acid which helps alleviate stress and anxiety. Green tea has also been researched for a protective function against cognitive decline of illnesses such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons.
Green tea has been linked to an improvement in bone health, lowering inflammation and cholesterol as well as improving overall longevity. Green tea is a powerful ingredient which is why we use it in our blends at Mission. You can find Green tea in our Energise blend which aims to provide sustainable energy in the morning without the caffeine crash.
Yerba mate, as it contains caffeine, stimulates the brain, cardiovascular system, muscle lining blood vessels and many other parts of the body. On top of this, yerba mate is also used for athletic performance. In saying this, you do not need to be an elite or regular athlete to benefit from the athletic performance that yerba mate offers. One study found that yerba mate increased fat utilisation during exercise in untrained individuals. Fat utilisation is when the body burns fat as fuel, instead of carbohydrates.
Comparing Natural Ingredients to those used in Traditional Energy Drinks
Arguably the most well known Energy Drink is Red Bull. Red Bull contains high caffeine in the most common form (without L-theanine) and therefore once consumed may cause a caffeine crash. Red Bull also contains Glucose, Artificial Flavourings and, what they call, colors. On top of the unsustainable amount of caffeine, these other ingredients like glucose, contribute to the 11g of sugar per 100ml of drink. The artificial flavourings and colors are not named.
Comparing these ingredients to the clean energy drink ingredients show a vast difference. The main aim of a natural energy drink is to provide a natural source of energy whether it is to get you through the work day or fuel you for a workout. The caffeine packed into the likes of Red Bull will arguably not provide this, due the crash after caffeine and sugar wears off. Natural and sustainable, long-lasting energy comes from ingredients such as green tea and yerba mate.
At Mission, we like to shout about these game changing ingredients and that's why we have included them in a range of our blends. Yerba mate can be found in Rise, Perform and Focus with Green tea being the main ingredient in our Energise Blend. Explore the range and learn more about Mission and our blends here.
