9+ Keto-Friendly Energy Drinks to Try Out
While keto dieting is excellent for your health, there are times throughout the week when you will simply run out of energy. That’s when you’ll need a quick boost, and few products are better at giving said boost than energy drinks. However, would taking such products clash with your keto diet?
Luckily, there are lots of keto-friendly energy drinks on the market. In this article, you’ll learn about the best ones that will give you a boost and not interfere with your dietary regime.
Drinks vs. Shots: What’s the Difference?
Before we move on to the actual products, we should define our terms. Right now, in terms of caffeinated beverages, there are two types of drinks available in retail:
• Energy drinks
• Energy shots.
So, is there any difference between the two? After all, they both contain roughly the same ingredients and claim to affect the human body in the same way, right?
As it turns out, there are quite a few things that don’t match between energy drinks and energy shots. The biggest difference (pun intended) is the size. An average energy drink usually contains between 16 and 20 ounces of liquid. Shots, on the other hand, contain 2-2.5 ounces.
Normally, you would buy an energy drink in the cooling section of the supermarket, among bottled waters, juices, ice teas, ice coffees, and flavored waters. Energy shots, on the other hand, are near the checkout counter, alongside gum, candy bars, peppermint hard candy, Tic-Tacs, tissues, and packets of condoms.
Finally, there’s the issue of price. Most energy drinks sell for under $3.00 a can. Shots tend to be pricier, with the average being around $3.50 and some brands hiking the price as high as $6 per shot.
Best Keto-Friendly Energy Drinks
Now that you know the difference between the two types of products, let’s get into our top picks for keto-friendly energy drinks.
Bang
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Bang offers a wide variety of excellent energy drinks. Their lineup of flavors include:
• Blue Razz
• Cotton Candy
• Black Cherry Vanilla
• Rainbow Unicorn
• Key Lime Pie
• Delish Strawberry Kiss
• Frose Rose
• Star Blast
• Sour Heads
• Radical Skaddatle.
The reason you’re seeing their full list of energy drink products here is simple — they are all keto-friendly energy drinks. Not one of the options we’ve just listed contains any carbs. And as far as caffeine goes, the highest amount you will find in any of these options is 300 mg. By keto dieting standards, that’s perfectly acceptable.
Of the products listed above, you will surely enjoy Cotton Candy the most. It has a delicious, recognizable taste of cotton candy that keto dieters can’t consume in huge quantities. So, if you crave a good, keto-friendly candy substitute, then this drink from Bang is definitely going to be up your alley.
As an interesting aside, Bang offers other brands of energy drinks as well. And yes, the company even produces its own keto-friendly shots.
Red Bull Sugar-Free
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Red Bull is an industry heavyweight, still outselling most energy drinks 25 years after its original introduction to the US market. And with the keto product market on the rise, it was only a matter of time before one of the giants introduced its own line of keto-friendly energy drinks.
The brand’s Sugar-Free option contains 8.4 ounces of liquid. There are merely 2 carbs in each can, which is within keto diet limits. In addition, the product uses nutritional substitutes for sugar, such as acesulfame k and aspartame. Furthermore, even the caffeine amount is lower than usual for Red Bull, with only 80 mg per can.
Of course, if you aim to change things up a bit with Red Bull, the company also offers a sugar-free Coconut Edition. All of the same keto-friendly ingredients, but with a mellow coconut-y aftertaste. When Red Bull gives you wings, it definitely does so with style.
Monster Ultra Gold
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If there is ever a brand that can rival Red Bull when it comes to keto-friendly energy drinks, it’s Monster. This brand’s line of products has been exceptionally popular in the past few decades, with some clever marketing campaigns and a spectacular selection of drinks.
One of our personal favorites is Ultra Gold. This sugar-free option tastes like golden pineapple, a perfect aroma for keto-friendly dieting. Aside from containing no sugar, this drink also has no calories. The carbohydrate level is also exceptionally low — low enough not to interfere with the keto diet.
Each 16-ounce can contains a solid 150 mg of caffeine. That percentage is a lot lower than what most commercial brands offer. In other words, Monster Ultra Gold will give you the much-needed pick-me-up, but without any of the possible side effects that come with caffeine consumption.
Monster Ultra Sunrise
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Speaking of Monster, the citrusy Ultra Sunrise is an excellent follow-up to Ultra Gold. If you happen to be a morning person who gets up early to do what makes them happy, then you’ll need the perfect low-carb option to give you that energy.
Ultra Sunrise is the perfect morning boost that businesspeople, athletes, and entrepreneurs use to get through the early hours easily.
The aroma of Ultra Sunrise is that of orange and light citrus. In other words, you get all of the benefits of citrus fruits with absolutely no sugar. And with just 5 g of carbohydrate content, you’re sure to maintain a stable keto diet.
The vitamin content matches other Monster energy drinks, giving you the perfect healthy balance of ingredients. Finally, there’s only 150 mg of caffeine per can of Ultra Sunrise, i.e., the best amount possible for a sugar-free keto-friendly energy drink.
Other Monster Options
While we can’t recommend Ultra Gold and Ultra Sunrise enough, there are, in fact, plenty of other sugar-free keto-friendly energy drinks from Monster for you to choose from. So, instead of providing dedicated paragraphs to them, we will simply list them below.
Remember that either one of these options will work for your particular form of keto diet, since they contain no sugar and very few carbohydrates.
The list of the remaining Monster keto-friendly energy drinks includes:
• Ultra Red
• Ultra Black
• White Monster (Zero Ultra)
• Ultra Paradise
• Ultra Fiesta Mango
• Blue Monster (Ultra Blue)
• Ultra Rosá
• Ultra Watermelon
• Purple Monster (Ultra Violet)
• Ultra Peachy Keen
• Hydro White.
Jocko GO
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Monster, Red Bull, and Bang are all huge brands with established reputations. However, they are not the only ones on the market that aim to promote keto-friendly energy drinks.
In fact, there’s one US-based brand that has a whole lineup of keto-friendly products tailor-made for people who need some extra energy. Those products all fall under the Jocko GO line of Origin Lab drinks.
Jocko GO Whoop Assault Watermelon is the drink of choice for many keto athletes. All of its ingredients are sourced locally in the US, and it contains zero sugars.
In addition, the caffeine content of each individual can of Jocko GO is 95 mg, well under the upper limit for human consumption. Furthermore, it contains lots of natural amino acids that provide you with a solid physical and cognitive boost.
Of course, Whoop Assault Watermelon is merely one of many flavors that Jocko GO has to offer. Others include:
• Mango Mayhem
• Sour Apple Sniper
• Afterburner Orange
• Dak Savage
• POM’R
• Tropic Thunder
• Citrus Psycho.
Reign
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Much like Jocko GO, Reign has a massive lineup of keto-friendly energy drinks that contain absolutely no sugar and have an extremely low amount of carbs. The brand’s catalog contains the following flavors:
• Melon Mania
• White Gummy Bear
• Lilikoi Lychee
• Reignbow Sherbet
• Razzle Berry
• Sour Apple
• Mang-o-Matic
• Carnival Candy
• Peach Fizz
• Strawberry Sublime
• Cherry Limeade
• Orange Dreamsicle
• Watermelon Warlord
• Red Dragon
• True Blu
• Lemon HDZ
• Jalapeño Strawberry.
In terms of caffeine content, Reign keto-friendly energy drinks do pack quite a punch. For example, each individual can contains a whopping 300 mg of caffeine. That’s the equivalent of drinking three cups of coffee. In other words, it seems excessive, but it’s still well below the limit of unhealthy consumption.
When you compare it to the leading competitors, Reign dominates across the board. For instance, a single can will provide you with 6 times the amount of BCAA’s, 5 times the amount of Coenzyme Q10, and double the electrolytes. Combine all of that with 300 mg of caffeine and zero sugar, and you have yourself an excellent energy drink that will boost any keto-dieting individual.
Optimum Energy
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Optimum Energy is a brand that handles all of your supplementary needs. Whether you need whey protein supplements, protein bars, probiotic vitamin gummies, or creatine capsules for muscle building, OE has got you covered.
And as of late, the brand has been tapping into the keto-friendly energy drinks market with its own line of products, aptly named AMIN.O. ENERGY.
Available in 10 different flavors, AMIN.O. ENERGY. is by far one of the most powerful products on the market. A single can of this energy drink offers 5 mg of necessary amino acids while sporting no sugar and a single carbohydrate.
In addition, it only contains 100 mg of caffeine. That’s more than enough to give you a boost, but far less than what most competing brands offer.
Every single ingredient within AMIN.O. ENERGY. is sourced locally and processed using ethical means. In fact, Optimum Energy prides itself on its organic production and on using as few artificial ingredients as possible. After all, the best way to get energy is via natural means.
Best Keto-Friendly Energy Shots
Eternal Energy
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Eternal Energy shots might cost a pretty penny, but they are an excellent keto-friendly option if you need an energy boost. As of 2022, EE offers two variants of their patented shots: classic and extra strength. Both variants of the shots are available in five flavors:
• Grape
• Berry
• Pomegranate
• Tropical Punch
• Lime.
EE’s shots contain no sugar, no calories, and no carbs. In addition, they contain an assortment of amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants. And to top it all off, you will feel no crash jitters after taking them. In short, it’s an excellent option to try if you need a quick dose of energy.
5-Hour Energy
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In terms of variety, 5-Hour Energy outclasses Eternal Energy. In fact, the brand’s regular strength line of products sports 7, and the extra strength line has a whopping 12 options. That’s a lot of shots, and every single batch is as keto-friendly as it gets.
A single 1.93 oz bottle of regular strength 5-Hour Energy contains 215 mg of caffeine, with only 4 calories, no carbs, and no sugar. The extra strength variant contains 242 mg of caffeine for an extra boost. And yes, the products are as potent as they claim; consuming only half a shot will give you a massive 5-hour boost of energy.
When taking these shots, never exceed 2 per day, and take the doses at least several hours apart. You can refrigerate them if you want to, but there’s no need; they will be just as potent at room temperature.
Are Keto-Friendly Energy Drinks Dangerous?
Keto-friendly energy drinks and shots — and energy beverages in general — can help you out in the short term. For instance, they will increase your alertness, help keep you awake, and increase endurance.
But there are definitely some side effects if you don’t consume these drinks properly, be they keto-friendly or not. So, here are a few things you should consider before buying a can or a shot bottle:
• Never mix energy drinks with alcohol; the extra caffeine will make you feel more alert and cause you to drink even more alcohol, getting drunk faster than usual.
• Keep energy drinks away from children and young teens, as too much energy drink intake can cause severe health problems.
• Drinking too many energy drinks can cause unsteadiness of the hands.
• Too much caffeine can result in sleep disorders, anxiety, dehydration, and digestive problems.
• Don’t mix energy drinks with tobacco, marijuana, or any other narcotics.
• Don’t drink too many energy drinks if you’re taking any kind of prescription drugs.
