When people think of energy drinks, they can’t help but think of the classic drinks like Red Bull or Monster Energy Drinks. However, there are plenty of other fantastic brands out there to choose from. Better yet, you can whip up any one of these energy drinks at a moment’s notice because they are powdered.
In this review of the best powdered energy drinks, we’ll introduce you to eight other energy drink brands not named Red Bull or Monster. In doing so, we’ll give you an honest review of each product including the good and the bad.
Best Pick
The Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Powder is, hands down, the absolute perfect powdered energy drink you can buy today. It comes in a delightful strawberry-lime flavor and offers a great kick of caffeine to boost your workout or help you get through your day.
Budget Pick
The CELSIUS Cranberry Lemon On-the-Go Powder Stick Packs are the best powdered energy drinks to bring with you on the go no matter where you go. It comes in these tiny, individual packets that you can quickly open up and mix with your water to create an instant powdered energy drink.
Quick Comparison: Top 8 Best Powdered Energy Drink
The Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Powder is our top choice for best powdered energy drink for a number of different reasons. The first reason is that one serving of this strawberry-lime flavored energy drink will provide you with 100mg of caffeine. This caffeine is totally helpful because it’s derived from healthy sources such as green tea. This 100mg of caffeine is sure to give you that energy boost you crave and need to help get you through your day.
Another reason why this is an excellent energy drink is that it also helps provide health benefits as well. This powder also includes amino acids, which are an integral part of a healthy person’s diet. The health benefits don’t stop there as each serving only comes with five calories and zero grams of sugar is used.
For people who want to take this to help support their physical activities, this powdered energy drink is great for that too. If taken after a physical exercise, this energy drink is said to support endurance and muscle recovery.
In terms of how much powder you get with this energy drink, you’re looking at a jar that contains roughly 30 servings worth of powder. That measures out to a net weight of 270g. To make an energy drink, simply mix 9g or two scoops of this powder into a glass of cold water and shake or stir vigorously.
What we liked: we really enjoyed the flavor of this energy drink and we also really felt the caffeine jolt from it. We found that for optimal caffeine amounts, two to three scoops is best.
What we didn’t like: there really is nothing bad to say about this energy drink although if we had to nitpick, some people may not be a fan of the strawberry-lime flavor being artificially enhanced.
The CELSIUS Cranberry Lemon On-the-Go Powder Stick Packs is another excellent and convenient powdered energy drink choice. This one is much different in that there’s no jar or container for you to scoop up powder from. Instead, this energy drink is offered in packets of powder and is meant for people that live busy lives and need a quick pick me up.
The CELSIUS Cranberry Lemon On-the-Go Powder Stick Packs offers a big boost to your day as each pack will pump 200mg of caffeine into your body. Whether you need some caffeine to get through the rest of your busy work day or need a big boost of energy before your workout, a packet of this powder will do the trick.
Customers love this powder pack for its sheer convenience and the ease with which they can transport this around. They also love that it contains no sugar or any preservatives at all. On top of that, the flavor used in this pack, cranberry-lemon, does not contain any artificial coloring or flavor.
On top of this, there are also tons of other helpful and nutritional benefits with this powder. It contains vitamin B and vitamin C for energy and an immune system jolt. A box of this powdered energy drink contains 14 packets. Each packet is to be mixed with a tall glass of water and stirred well.
What we liked: we really enjoyed the sheer convenience of having and using this powdered energy drink. The packet is so small, you can carry it in your pant pocket and ladies can easily bring it with them in their purse.
What we didn’t like: the only problem with having powder in a packet is that if you don’t watch out for them, the packet can easily explode leaving you with powder everywhere. The packet isn’t the thickest and can easily be punctured so beware.
If you’re looking for a 4-6 hours boost in energy, try the Zipfizz Healthy Energy Drink Mix. This powdered energy drink in a tasty, grape flavor and provides a fantastic 100mg of caffeine.
This Zipfizz Healthy Energy Drink Mix is similar to the CELSIUS one in that it comes in individual packs that is easy to take with you on the go. Each box of this powdered energy drink comes with 20 packets, which is plenty enough to keep you going for awhile.
As the name of this powdered energy drink suggests, its packed with nutritional value and healthy benefits. For example, it comes packed with 500mg of vitamin C as well as plenty of antioxidants and replenishing electrolytes. All of these are incorporated into this energy drink to keep you hydrated and alert.
You may be wondering what the source of caffeine is with this energy drink. Well, it turns out it is another healthy source as it is derived from green tea and guarana. It’s said that if you take two of these packets every day, it will be enough to supply you with a regular day’s worth of vitamin intake.
To make this powdered energy drink, simply mix one of these packets in with 16-20 fluid ounces of cold water and mix well. Customers absolutely love this powdered energy drink and say that it is exactly what they need to get them through their busy work days.
What we liked: we surprisingly really enjoyed the grape flavor of this energy drink. It doesn’t taste bad at all and there’s no weird aftertaste as well. This energy drink comes as advertised and does provide 4-6 hours of heightened awareness.
What we didn’t like: there really is nothing bad to say about this powdered energy drink although it can be on the more expensive side for powdered energy drinks.
If you’re one who is sick of having coffee as your main source of caffeine, turn to something better instead. The Morning Buzz Sports Energy Drink Mix by New Health is a great choice to help get your morning started off on the right foot.
This powdered energy drink will give you the perfect start to your day. It comes in a container that contains about 30 servings of this blue raspberry flavor. This is their customers’ most favorite flavor and on top of its great taste, it also provides excellent health benefits.
One serving of this energy drink will help you feel refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to start your day. In a serving, your metabolism will also get a strong boost and healthier immune system. This powdered energy drink is loaded with helpful minerals and vitamins and is said to last the entire day.
This energy drink works a few hours longer than other ones and is great at preventing that sluggish feeling most people get in the afternoon from drinking a morning coffee. This is because this energy drink actually contains no sugar at all, and that helps to avoid that crash feeling.
To make a serving of this powdered energy drink, simply use one scoop of this powder and mix it well with 8-16 fluid ounces of ice cold water.
What we liked: we really liked using this over drinking our morning coffee. We found that it worked fairly well but it doesn’t last the entire day. You may need to have another scoop in the afternoon.
What we didn’t like: despite blue raspberry being their most popular flavor, we found that it tasted quite terrible and would have preferred to try a different flavor instead. You might have to add some real fruits and then blend it to make it taste a bit better.
For people looking for a boost in their physical activities, the Tailwind Nutrition Naked is the ultimate hydration beverage for their needs. This one goes above and beyond what any snack, gel, chew, or pill could provide. One serving of this powdered energy drink will give you all the nutrients you need to push on further.
This package of powdered energy drink is in the “naked”, or unflavored, flavor. It comes in a single package (not a container or tub), and it offers roughly 30 servings of powder. If you’re one to pay attention to its health value, this powder is vegan-friendly and gluten free and just about anyone can drink this energy drink. It’s made of all-natural and organic ingredients and does not include any additives or preservatives.
Despite it being an unflavored flavor, many people seem to enjoy it as it’s very refreshing and light to drink and doesn’t taste bitter at all. Each serving offers a somewhat hefty 100 calories and to make a serving, all you have to do is mix about two to three scoops (more or less, depending on how you like it) with 24 fluid ounces of water. This serving is recommended for athletes about to do an endurance physical activity.
What we liked: we really felt a big boost in our energy levels when taking this energy drink before we rode our mountain bikes. We didn’t feel exhausted after our ride and still felt very fresh.
What we didn’t like: each serving is quite heavy in calories and if you’re one to watch your caloric intake, you might want to alter how much powder you put in to your water.
Gatorade is one of the kings of sports drinks and they enter our list with their Gatorade Endurance Formula Powder. This one comes in a cherry flavor but they also offer lemon lime, orange, and watermelon.
This powdered energy drink is made with no artificial flavors such as sweeteners or flavors. This particular energy drink is still catered to athletes but more specifically, athletes that compete in endurance sports or activities. If you’re a runner, cyclist, or swimmer, there’s a good chance your body would highly benefit from taking this Gatorade powdered energy drink.
The Gatorade recipe is slightly altered with this energy drink. Since this is geared towards high-performance, endurance athletes, it features more than double the amount of sodium as the regular, thirst-quenching Gatorade, and over three times the amount of potassium. The increase in these ingredients is designed to help keep endurance athletes fit and hydrated.
Endurance athletes looking to take this Gatorade powdered energy drink should mix one-and-a-half spoons of the endurance formula powder with 12 fluid ounces of water and they need to mix this very well. All of the powder must be fully dissolved in order to reap the full rewards from this powdered energy drink.
What we liked: the goal of energy drinks like this is to ensure the body stays fully hydrated and that the electrolytes in the body are fully replenished. This Gatorade energy drink does both amazingly well and it’s recommended to consume one serving of this before a 90-minute, endurance activity.
What we didn’t like: unfortunately, one of the main issues people experience with this endurance formula powder is that when mixing it with water, it can clump or not dissolve very well into the water. If you have access to a blender, we recommend mixing it in there for at least one minute or until the powder has dissolved fully into the water.
If you want to try something other than Gatorade to help give you a boost during endurance events, the GU Energy Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Drink Mix is a solid alternative.
This powdered energy drink is designed specifically for endurance athletes and provides them the increase in performance they need to perform better. The powder comes in a 1.7-pound jar that will supply you with about 12 servings. If you want more, there’s a 3.4-pound jar that provides 24 servings.
For this 12-serving jar, it comes in a tropical fruit flavor. They also have grape, lemon berry, and summit tea as other flavors. Each serving is packed with many different things. One, a serving will net you about 250 calories, which may seem like a lot, but if you use this before an endurance activity, you will easily burn those calories off and then some.
A serving also contains 59g of carbohydrates which is essential for your body since endurance activities draws energy from carbohydrates stored in your body. With 59g of carbs in your body from this energy drink, your body is more than ready to begin using it during your endurance activity.
Lastly, a serving also has a whopping 1900mg of amino acids and this is to help your body recover from your intense workout and to also minimize muscle fatigue and damage. To make a serving, simply take two scoops of this powder and mix it with 21 ounces of water.
What we liked: this is the one of the top powdered energy drinks for people who run half-marathons. When drinking this energy drink before a half-marathon, you’ll have all the energy you need during the race and the recovery process after is quick thanks to the high concentration of amino acids.
What we didn’t like: watch out for the calories with each serving of this powdered energy drink. 250 calories are, by far, the most calories per serving for any powdered energy drink we have seen.
The last choice on our list of the top powdered energy drinks is the Everly Energy - Natural Energy Drink Mix Powder. This one comes in an individual-sized pouch and it contains 20 servings or approximately 70g of powder. It has a unique packaging in that it has a small spout in the corner of the pouch where the powder comes out of.
This powdered energy drink is made of all natural ingredients and contains 120mg of caffeine per teaspoon of powder. The caffeine is derived from organic coffee beans and offers a refreshing improvement in alertness.
This particular energy drink comes in a peach mango flavor, however, they also offer other ones including fruit punch, fruit tea, grape, and pomegranate berry. What’s unique about this energy drink is that it uses vegetables to help give it color. Vegetables such as red radishes and purple carrots help to give the powder a bright and bold shine.
Each serving of this energy drink will net you next to no calories simply because it uses stevia and organic erythritol as its sweetening agent instead of using regular sugar. For those looking for more health benefits, this powder also features plenty of vitamin B and contains no artificial coloring or flavors.
What we liked: if you’re looking for a caffeine hit that isn’t as dramatic as a cup of coffee or a can of red bull, this powdered energy drink has got just enough caffeine in it where you don’t feel completely wired and don’t crash when that caffeine rush expires.
What we didn’t like: unfortunately, the peach mango flavor isn’t any better than any of their other flavors. We’ve tried them all and we’re sad to inform you that none of them really taste very good. You might want to mix in some real fruits and blend it to make this taste better.Things to Consider Before Buying Best Powdered Energy Drink
When buying an energy drink that isn’t Red Bull or Monster, it can be hard to decide which one to buy. Fortunately, the best options tend to be ones that are powdered. Here are some of the most important considerations people who enjoy powdered energy drinks think about when purchasing it. These factors are important because it summarizes the main concerns people may have when purchasing the best powdered energy drink.
Amount of Powder
One of the chief considerations when purchasing any powdered products is how much powder you get. With powdered energy drinks, we tend to see some patterns in that the figure can range from anywhere between 20-30 servings per package. Some packages are more conventional and are in a container-type shape.
However, as we have seen with some of the options on our list, that some powdered energy drinks come in individual packets with each packet being the equivalent of one serving. This is obviously very beneficial for people who want access to a powdered energy drink but may not want to bring an entire container with them to work. Thus, it’s important to always be measuring the price relative to how many servings a package comes with in order to justify its value.
Caffeine
Another critical feature you definitely want to consider in a powdered energy drink is how much caffeine you will get. Energy drinks are known to give people that extra boost they need to get through a challenging day and powdered energy drinks are no different.
Plenty of the ones we reviewed have varying amounts of caffeine from 100mg to 200 mg per serving. For reference, an 8-fluid ounce cup of coffee contains roughly 100mg of caffeine and so it really depends on how much of a caffeine boost you’re looking for with one of these powdered energy drinks.
Purpose
You may find it surprising but some energy drinks are more geared towards different purposes. For example, there are a few powdered energy drinks that are tailored specifically towards athletes that compete in endurance physical activities or sports.
The ingredients used in these energy drinks are more suited towards athletes because these athletes will be utilizing their body at a much more rigorous and strenuous capacity and because of that, their body needs to be replenished with the right nutrients. So, it’s incredibly important to monitor the type of powdered energy drink you’re buying because some of the important metrics (like calories) may be a lot higher per serving than other powdered energy drinks.
Calories
We just mentioned calories in the previous section and for many people, their caloric intake is something they may monitor very closely to ensure they are not overconsuming too much in a day. Most of the powdered energy drinks actually have a very low calorie count however, there are some that may seem to be incredibly high.
For example, the GU Energy Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Drink Mix has 250 calories per serving and that’s simply because of the nature with which this energy drink should be consumed.
This energy drink is suited towards people competing in endurance sports and the high calorie count is because during endurance activities, the body will burn a lot of calories and needs a fresh intake of calories to help build that count back up. So, before you check the calories on that powdered energy drink, be sure that it’s suited for what you want to use it for.
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