Healthiest energy drink: 16 energy drinks ranked
Energy drinks ranked per 8 fl oz on the two things that matter most for a daily habit: sugar and calories, with caffeine shown so you can judge the dose. Sugar-free versions dominate the top; a regular can of most brands carries 25 to 30 g of sugar.
Top 10
- Beverages, Energy drink (VAULT Zero, sugar-free, citrus flavor)8 fl oz (240 g) · 2 kcal · sugars 0 g · caffeine 46 mg-0.1score
- Beverages, Energy drink (AMP, sugar free)8 fl oz (240 g) · 5 kcal · sugars 0 g · caffeine 72 mg-0.2score
- Beverages, Energy Drink (sugar free)8 fl oz (240 g) · 10 kcal · sugars 0 g · caffeine 77 mg-0.5score
- Beverages, Energy drink (ROCKSTAR, sugar free)8 fl oz (240 g) · 10 kcal · sugars 0 g · caffeine 79 mg-0.5score
- Beverages, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY (NOS Zero, energy drink, sugar-free with guarana, fortified with vitamins B6 and B12)8 fl oz (240 g) · 10 kcal · sugars 0 g · caffeine 82 mg-0.5score
- Beverages, Energy drink (RED BULL, sugar free, with added caffeine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamins B6 and B12)8 fl oz (240 g) · 12 kcal · sugars 0 g · caffeine 72 mg-0.6score
- Beverages, MONSTER energy drink (low carb)8 fl oz (240 g) · 12 kcal · sugars 3.3 g · caffeine 72 mg-3.9score
- Beverages, Energy drink (RED BULL)8 fl oz (240 g) · 103 kcal · sugars 24.5 g · caffeine 70 mg-29.7score
- Beverages, Energy drink (Citrus)8 fl oz (240 g) · 108 kcal · sugars 25 g · caffeine 31 mg-30.4score
- Beverages, Energy Drink (Monster, fortified with vitamins C, B2, B3, B6, B12)8 fl oz (240 g) · 113 kcal · sugars 26.2 g · caffeine 79 mg-31.9score
All 16 energy drinks
| # | Energy drink | Serving | Calories (kcal) | Sugars (g) | Caffeine (mg) | Niacin (mg) | Vitamin B6 (mg) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beverages, Energy drink (VAULT Zero, sugar-free, citrus flavor) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 0 | -0.1 |
| 2 | Beverages, Energy drink (AMP, sugar free) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 5 | 0 | 72 | 2 | 0.2 | -0.2 |
| 3 | Beverages, Energy Drink (sugar free) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 10 | 0 | 77 | 0 | 2 | -0.5 |
| 4 | Beverages, Energy drink (ROCKSTAR, sugar free) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 10 | 0 | 79 | 20 | 2 | -0.5 |
| 5 | Beverages, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY (NOS Zero, energy drink, sugar-free with guarana, fortified with vitamins B6 and B12) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 10 | 0 | 82 | 0 | 2 | -0.5 |
| 6 | Beverages, Energy drink (RED BULL, sugar free, with added caffeine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamins B6 and B12) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 12 | 0 | 72 | 20.4 | 4.79 | -0.6 |
| 7 | Beverages, MONSTER energy drink (low carb) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 12 | 3.3 | 72 | 20 | 2 | -3.9 |
| 8 | Beverages, Energy drink (RED BULL) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 103 | 24.5 | 70 | 23.6 | 5.2 | -29.7 |
| 9 | Beverages, Energy drink (Citrus) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 108 | 25 | 31 | 0 | 0 | -30.4 |
| 10 | Beverages, Energy Drink (Monster, fortified with vitamins C, B2, B3, B6, B12) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 113 | 26.2 | 79 | 24.4 | 2.42 | -31.9 |
| 11 | Beverages, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY (NOS energy drink, Original, grape, loaded cherry, charged citrus, fortified with vitamins B6 and B12) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 106 | 27 | 82 | 0 | 2 | -32.3 |
| 12 | Beverages, Energy drink (AMP) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 110 | 29 | 74 | 4.8 | 0.48 | -34.5 |
| 13 | Beverages, Energy drink (FULL THROTTLE) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 110 | 29 | 79 | 4 | 0.4 | -34.5 |
| 14 | Beverages, Energy drink (ROCKSTAR) | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 139 | 29.4 | 79 | 23.6 | 3.25 | -36.4 |
| 15 | Beverages, Energy drink (VAULT, citrus flavor) | 8 fl oz (1 serving) (246 g) | 121 | 32 | 47 | 0 | 0 | -38 |
| 16 | Beverages, Energy Drink with carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 149 | 33 | 91 | 0 | 2 | -40.4 |
How the score works. Score = −(grams of sugar per 8 fl oz) − (calories per 8 fl oz ÷ 20). Higher (closer to zero) is better. Caffeine is shown but not scored: the right dose depends on the person. Items are from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy (2018) and reflect the products USDA analysed; current retail formulations may differ. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is the healthiest energy drink?
Ranked by sugar and calories per 8 fl oz, Beverages, Energy drink (VAULT Zero, sugar-free, citrus flavor) comes first with 0 g sugar and 2 calories; caffeine is 46 mg per 8 fl oz.
How are these energy drinks ranked?
Energy drinks ranked per 8 fl oz on the two things that matter most for a daily habit: sugar and calories, with caffeine shown so you can judge the dose. Sugar-free versions dominate the top; a regular can of most brands carries 25 to 30 g of sugar. Every value comes from USDA FoodData Central; see the methodology page for the formula.
Which energy drink should I avoid?
Beverages, Energy Drink with carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup ranks last of 16 on this measure, with 149 calories per 8 fl oz. 'Last' here means lowest nutrient density per calorie, not that a food is harmful.
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Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.