Looking for alternatives to energy drinks?

If you're searching for alternatives to energy drinks, start with what you actually want from your drink. Sometimes you need water. Sometimes you want caffeine. Sometimes you simply want something cold, fizzy and more interesting than plain water.

Options include water, sparkling water, coffee, tea and functional drinks. The useful comparison isn't which category is universally “best”, but what each drink contains and how it fits your day.

Why look beyond sugary energy drinks?

Traditional energy drinks can vary considerably in their ingredients, caffeine and sugar content. For a closer look at options in this category, read our guide to natural energy drink alternatives.

If you're trying to change what you drink, it helps to be more specific than simply looking for a “healthy energy drink”.

Ask yourself:

• Do I want caffeine?

• Am I mainly thirsty?

• Do I want something sparkling?

• Am I looking for zero added sugar?

• Do I want a convenient canned format?

• What other ingredients do I actually want?

Once you know what you're looking for, choosing between the drinks and nutrition products available from vybey and other everyday options becomes much simpler.

1. Water

Sometimes the obvious answer really is the right one.

If you're thirsty and don't particularly want caffeine, sweetness or additional ingredients, water keeps things simple.

It's widely available, easy to carry and doesn't require you to analyse an ingredient list.

You can also make plain water more interesting with ice or fresh fruit if flavour is the reason you're reaching for another drink.

2. Sparkling water

If what you like about canned energy drinks is the fizz rather than the caffeine, sparkling water is an easy alternative.

You still get the cold, carbonated format without automatically adding caffeine or a long list of ingredients.

Check flavoured versions individually, though. Products vary, so don't assume every flavoured sparkling water has the same ingredients or nutritional profile.

3. Coffee

If caffeine is what you're actually looking for, coffee is another straightforward option. For more on why someone might change up that habit, see why choose a coffee alternative?

The caffeine content of coffee varies depending on the beans, serving size and preparation method, so don't assume every cup delivers exactly the same amount.

What you add matters too.

A plain coffee and a large coffee drink with syrups, sugar and other additions can have very different nutritional profiles.

If you're trying to reduce sugary drinks, check the whole drink rather than focusing only on the coffee itself.

4. Tea

Tea gives you plenty of choice.

Black tea and green tea naturally contain caffeine, while many herbal infusions don't. If matcha is on your list, our guide to whether matcha contains caffeine helps put that option in context.

That makes tea useful when you want to choose a drink based on flavour, temperature and whether you want caffeine at that particular point in the day.

As with coffee, added sugar, syrups or sweetened ready-to-drink versions can change what you're consuming.

5. A functional canned drink

There's also a growing middle ground between traditional energy drinks and simple water, coffee or tea: functional canned drinks.

These products can combine caffeine with other ingredients, but formulations vary considerably.

This is where reading the label becomes important.

Check:

• caffeine per serving

• serving size

• sugar and added sugar

• calories

• other functional ingredients

• sweeteners

• vitamins and minerals

• allergens

Don't assume a product is better simply because the can uses words such as “functional”, “natural” or “smart”.

The formulation matters more than the category name.

Where does vybey Collagen + Energy fit?

If you want a sparkling canned option with a clearly stated caffeine amount, vybey Collagen + Energy provides another format to compare.

Each 330ml can contains:

• 8g hydrolysed marine collagen

• 75mg natural caffeine from guarana

• 150mg L-theanine

• 300mg lion's mane extract

• electrolytes

• vitamin B12

• vitamin C

It has no added sugar, uses a natural sweetener and contains 38kcal per can. It's available in Mixed Berry and Lemon & Lime.

Those are formulation facts rather than promises about how the drink will make you feel.

The presence of lion's mane, L-theanine or collagen, for example, shouldn't automatically be interpreted as proof that the drink improves concentration, cognition, stress, skin, hair or joints.

If you're comparing it with another canned drink, use the ingredient list and nutrition information rather than assumptions about those ingredients.

What about caffeine?

Caffeine deserves particular attention when comparing alternatives to energy drinks.

It's found in coffee, tea and many functional drinks, as well as traditional energy drinks.

The amount can vary substantially between products and serving sizes.

If you're moving away from one energy drink but choosing another caffeinated option, check the caffeine amount rather than assuming the alternative contains less.

Collagen + Energy contains 75mg of caffeine per 330ml can, giving you a specific figure to use when comparing it with coffee, tea or another canned drink.

Your total caffeine intake across the day matters too, not just what's in one serving.

Does “natural caffeine” mean caffeine works differently?

Not necessarily.

“Natural caffeine” describes the source of the caffeine. In Collagen + Energy, the caffeine comes from guarana.

It shouldn't be interpreted as meaning that caffeine from a natural source automatically provides a different physiological effect from caffeine in another product.

If caffeine amount matters to you, compare the number on the label.

What if you're trying to cut down on sugar?

Start with the nutrition information.

Don't assume every energy drink is high in sugar, and don't assume every alternative is low in sugar.

Products vary.

Water, unsweetened sparkling water, plain coffee and unsweetened tea are simple options when you don't want added sugar.

For packaged drinks, check the label.

Collagen + Energy has no added sugar, giving you another option when you're specifically comparing canned drinks on that basis.

What if you're trying to reduce caffeine?

Replacing one caffeinated drink with another doesn't necessarily achieve that.

Consider:

Water or sparkling water if you want no caffeine.

Herbal infusions if you want a hot drink without caffeine, while checking the individual product.

Decaffeinated coffee or tea if you like the ritual and flavour.

If you do choose a caffeinated functional drink, check the amount per serving and consider what else you've consumed that day.

What should you drink in the afternoon?

There isn't one afternoon drink that works for everyone.

If you're thirsty, water may be enough.

If you want the ritual of making something, tea can work well.

If you're specifically looking for caffeine, check the amount and consider how late in the day you're consuming it.

Caffeine can affect sleep, and sensitivity varies between people. That makes timing worth considering rather than automatically reaching for another caffeinated drink whenever the afternoon feels long.

How to choose an energy drink alternative

Before buying something new, run through this quick comparison.

1. Decide whether you actually want caffeine

This immediately narrows your options.

2. Check the caffeine amount

If the drink contains caffeine, look at the amount per serving.

3. Check sugar and added sugar

Use the nutrition information rather than the front-of-pack design.

4. Look at the full ingredient list

Especially with functional drinks, understand what else you're consuming.

5. Consider the format

Do you want something hot, cold, still, sparkling or portable?

6. Think about the rest of your day

One drink is only part of your overall food, fluid and caffeine intake.

FAQ: alternatives to energy drinks

What can I drink instead of an energy drink?

Options include water, sparkling water, coffee, tea, decaffeinated drinks and functional canned drinks. The right option depends on whether you want caffeine, flavour, carbonation or a particular nutritional profile.

What can I drink instead of an energy drink for caffeine?

Coffee and caffeinated teas are common alternatives. Some functional drinks also contain caffeine. Compare the caffeine amount per serving rather than assuming one category contains more or less.

What can I drink instead of energy drinks without caffeine?

Water, sparkling water, many herbal infusions and decaffeinated coffee or tea are possible options. Check individual products because formulations can vary.

Is Collagen + Energy sugar-free?

vybey Collagen + Energy has no added sugar and uses a natural sweetener. “No added sugar” is different from automatically describing a product as “sugar-free”, so check the current nutrition information for its complete nutritional profile.

How much caffeine is in vybey Collagen + Energy?

Each 330ml can contains 75mg of natural caffeine from guarana. Consider this alongside other sources of caffeine you consume during the day.

Choose based on what you actually want

Finding alternatives to energy drinks doesn't have to mean hunting for another product promising bigger or better effects.

Start with the job you want the drink to do.

Water and sparkling water keep things simple. Coffee and tea give you familiar