One thing every high schooler can relate to is the feeling of tiredness. Waking up at the crack of dawn every morning, going to school for hours, and probably a sports practice, usually gets the greater population down and grouchy. With the introduction of independence in high school, students find themselves being able to do things their parents might not approve of. One thing that most parents try to limit is the amount of caffeine their child has. Coffee isn’t necessarily seen as the monster here, seeing as coffee has some health benefits like lowering your chance of getting colon cancer, 0r helping your body digest glucose better. But most adolescents aren’t fans of the bitter taste. Instead, they reach for an energy drink: less calories, usually no sugar, and a fruity taste.
Energy drinks have been around for a quite awhile, a few large names creating a dynasty in the business and making their product known as the best. Names like RedBull, Reign, and Monster keep the game in motion, challenging each other to release new flavors and up their branding. One name has shot up in the past year, reaching the highest of popularity and every refrigerator shelf out there: Alani Nu.
Alani is a popularized energy drink known for its vibrant can coloring and fruity colors. The brand has a multitude of regular flavors out like Cherry Slush, Orange Kiss and Breezeberry. They also have extremely popular seasonal flavors, like Witch’s Brew during fall, Winter Wonderland in Winter, and Bomb Pop during summer. No matter the flavor, these drinks stay stocked in a high school girls’ hand.
“I drink one probably everyday,” Senior Emma Hunt said. “Sometimes in the morning before school, and sometimes before practice. My favorite flavor is either Orange Kiss or Blue Slush.”
The drinks, although fun in nature, are just like any energy drink on the market. Each can has 200mg of caffeine, zero sugar, and 10 calories. I think the part that gets consumers is the lower calories compared to other names in the business like RedBull. However both Reign and Monster offer the same number of calories.
Alani’s brand doesn’t stop there. They also offer different products like protein bars, pre-workout, gummies, and water flavoring packets. The packets are the same flavors as their best sellers, ranging from Cherry Twist to Hawaiian Shaved Ice.
With these drinks flying off the shelves it begs the question: Is anything good in moderation?
Energy drinks may have their benefits, like helping you through a long day, but studies show that they are not good for you if you drink them everyday. Heart risks come in to play as 200mg of caffeine is the same as 2 1/2-3 cups of coffee. Do yourself a favor, and maybe reach for a water.