Charged is a popular carbonated energy drink that has been on the market for a while. It was launched by Thums up and is marketed to improve physical performance.
And while charged energy drink can increase your alertness, attention and energy levels, is it good for your health?
Short answer: Charged energy drink is not good for health as it is extremely high in sugar and contains artificial flavors and color.
Keep reading the post for a more detailed overview of Charged energy drink.
Also read: Is Sting Energy Drink Good For Health? Everything You Need To Know
Nutritional value of Charged energy drink
A 100ml serving of Charged energy drinks contains:
- Calories: 62
- Carbohydrates: 15.4g
- Sugar: 15.3g
- Fat: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Sodium: 13.8mg
Ingredients in Charged energy drink
The following are the components of Charged energy drink.
- Carbonated water
- Sugar
- Acidity regulators(330, 331(ii))
- Caffeine
- Color(129)
- Artificial flavors
4 Reasons why Charged energy drink is not good for health
Extremely high in sugar
The worst thing about Charged is that it comes with lots of sugar, about 15.3g per 100ml serving.
In fact, Charged contains the highest sugar levels of any other energy drink on the market.
A typical 250ml PET bottle contains around 38g of sugar, exceeding the daily limit for any age group.
While sugar may give you a quick energy boost, it can also lead to a crash later on.
Drinking Charged energy drink regularly increases the risk of developing diabetes or other health problems such as weight gain, fatty liver, dental issues, or heart disease.
Uses artificial color and flavors
The red color Charged has is not from the berries but from the artificial color used in it.
Charged energy drink uses the artificial color Allura red (129), which in studies has been linked to severe side effects such as nausea, headaches, muscle pain, asthma, lowered libido, and liver tumors.
Also, according to research by the Food standards agency, Allura red is one of the six food colors linked to Hyperactivity in children.
In addition, Charged has flavors(nature-identical) that resemble natural flavors but are not actually natural.
Risk of caffeine overdose and toxicity
A 250ml serving of Charged contains 61.5mg of caffeine.
While the maximum recommended daily caffeine intake for adults is 400mg, drinking charged energy drink can still lead to caffeine toxicity, especially in people with pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or heart disease.
Also, as per Mayo Clinic, Children aged 12-18 should ideally limit their intake to 100 mg of caffeine per day.
But while these energy drinks are consumed mainly by children, drinking just two servings of 250ml can increase the risk of caffeine overdose.
This can lead to several health issues, such as nausea, vomiting, anxiety, sleep problems, and a fast heart rate.
It can damage your teeth
Even if the upper limit of Charged energy drink is 500ml a day, drinking just 250ml serving of it on a daily basis is enough to damage your teeth.
The high sugar and acidity levels in Charged can lead to tooth decay and enamel loss.
In some cases, it might also result in cavities.
Is Charged energy drink better than Sting?
Charged and Sting are the most affordable energy drinks in the Indian market.
When compared nutritionally, Sting is slightly better than charged.
That’s because Sting has less sugar and more caffeine, which is great for an instant energy boost.
Additionally, Sting comes with several B vitamins, such as B3, B6, and B12 which are missing in charged.
However, one downside of Sting is that it uses artificial sweeteners. This is the main reason why it has low sugar content. But anyway, artificial sweeteners pose less risk than added sugar.
In the end, it’s all about your preference. If you are okay with artificial sweeteners in your energy drink, want less sugar, and want to feel more energized, Sting is the right choice.
But if you are okay with high sugar levels and want an energy drink that tastes somewhat juicy, Charged is the better option for you.
Final words
While drinking Charged energy drink can provide you with an instant energy boost, it is extremely high in sugar and contains artificial flavors and colors that can damage your health in the long run.
You can drink Charged occasionally, but making it a part of your regular diet is not healthy.
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FAQs
Charged energy drink does not contain alcohol.
The age limit for drinking Charged energy drink is 18.
Drinking Charged energy drink before workout is not a good idea to fuel yourself. It has a lot of sugar, which may give you an energy boost but can also cause a crash later. Additionally, it will provide you with many empty calories, which may not be beneficial for your health goals.
It’s not a good idea to drink Charged energy drink daily. It may lead to weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in the long run, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.
If you are someone with high blood pressure, diabetes, caffeine sensitivity, or pregnancy, it is not recommended to drink Charged or any other energy drink.
