Energy & Caffeine
No sugar. No substitutes. No excuses.
Energy without sugar: alternatives to energy drinks
Looking for an alternative to energy drinks? Here’s how much sugar and caffeine are in energy drinks, coffee and tea – and who’s better off avoiding energy drinks.
Anyone looking for an alternative to energy drinks is often put off by the sugar: traditional energy drinks and caffeinated fizzy drinks contain, on average, around 100 g of sugar per litre – so in a 250-ml can, that’s about 25 g, roughly eight sugar cubes. On this page, you’ll find out what’s in energy drinks, how much caffeine coffee and tea contain, who should avoid energy drinks, and how to recognise energy drinks with no sugar.
What’s in an energy drink?
Energy drinks are caffeinated soft drinks that also contain taurine, glucuronolactone or inositol. They usually contain sugar or sweeteners. In Germany, maximum levels per litre apply to these ingredients:
| Fabric | Maximum quantity per litre |
|---|---|
| Caffeine | 320 mg |
| Taurine | 4,000 mg |
| Glucuronolactone | 2,400 mg |
| Inositol | 200 mg |
If a drink contains more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre, the can must state: ‘High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women’ – followed by the caffeine content. The article ‘Caffeinated water’ explains how caffeinated water and energy drinks are classified under the law.
Sugar or sweetener
Energy drinks generally fall into one of two categories. The classic version is sweetened with sugar in the form of glucose or sucrose – on average around 100 g per litre, which equates to about 100 kilocalories in a 250-ml can. Sugar-free energy drinks and caffeinated soft drinks are available with sweeteners.
The label will tell you whether sweeteners are present: they are listed in the list of ingredients under the category ‘sweeteners’, along with their name or E number, and the statement ‘contains sweetener(s)’ is also included. The reason why we avoid both is explained in the guide ‘Sugar-free without sweeteners’.
An overview of alternatives to energy drinks
Which alternative is best depends on what you want to replace: the sugar, the caffeine, or both.
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy drink containing sugar | 250 ml | 80 mg | around 25 g (on average) |
| Sugar-free energy drink | 250 ml | up to 80 mg | sweetened with sweeteners |
| Acqua Reaper Energy – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate | 330 ml | 105.6 mg | 0 g, no sweeteners |
| Filter coffee | 200 ml | 90 mg | depending on how it is prepared |
| Espresso | 60 ml | 80 mg | depending on how it is prepared |
| Black tea | 200 ml | 45 mg | depending on how it is prepared |
| Green tea | 200 ml | 30 mg | depending on how it is prepared |
| Matcha | 1 to 2 g of powder | 13 to 68 mg | depending on how it is prepared |
| Water | – | – | – |
The German Nutrition Society recommends drinking around 1.5 litres a day – ideally water or other calorie-free drinks such as unsweetened tea. You can find all caffeine levels, along with their sources, in the caffeine table.
What is taurine?
Taurine occurs naturally in the human body and is produced mainly from the amino acid cysteine. Through a normal diet, people consume between 10 and 400 mg of taurine per day, mainly from fish, seafood and meat.
According to a 2015 opinion by the EFSA, taurine, in the amount of 4,000 mg per litre typically found in energy drinks, does not affect the safety of single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg. According to the BfR, there is no clear evidence that additional taurine improves physical or mental performance: the studies on this subject are contradictory and often of poor scientific quality. According to the label, ‘Energy – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate’ contains 0.02 per cent taurine.
Who should avoid energy drinks
According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, high doses of caffeine pose a particularly high risk to children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and people who are sensitive to caffeine – such as those with cardiovascular conditions. They should avoid drinks with high caffeine content, such as energy drinks.
For healthy adults, no adverse health effects are to be expected with moderate consumption, provided the consumer guidance is followed; a 250-ml can contains 80 mg of caffeine, which is roughly the same as a cup of coffee. However, three 250-ml cans consumed in quick succession – totalling 240 mg – exceed the single dose of 200 mg considered safe for healthy adults. Larger amounts of alcohol or intense exercise can further intensify the effects on the heart and circulation. The article ‘How much caffeine a day?’ explains how much caffeine is safe when spread throughout the day.
Blackcurrant & Pomegranate: Energy with no sugar and no sweetener
Our ‘Energy – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate’ variety is legally classified as an energy drink: it contains caffeine and taurine. Sugar and sweeteners are not listed in the list of ingredients.
- Ingredients as stated on the label: water, carbon dioxide, citric acid (acidity regulator), natural flavouring, colouring concentrates from carrot and blackcurrant, taurine (0.02 per cent), caffeine (0.03 per cent).
- Caffeine: 32 mg per 100 ml, i.e. 105.6 mg in a 330-ml can.
- Nutritional values per 100 ml: 4 kJ or 1 kcal, sugar 0 g.
- Note on the can: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women (32 mg/100 ml)”.
More on energy and caffeine
- Caffeine table: a comparison of coffee, espresso, tea, cola and energy drinks.
- Caffeinated water: the legal implications and what must be stated on the label.
- How much caffeine a day: the EFSA’s guidelines for adults, pregnant women and adolescents.
- Half-life of caffeine: how long caffeine remains in the body.
- A gaming night without a sugar crash: drinks for long evenings at the computer.
- Coffee alternatives: what else is there instead of coffee?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good alternative to energy drinks?
That depends on what you want to replace. Unsweetened coffee or tea provides caffeine without added sugar – a cup of filter coffee contains around 90 mg, and black tea around 45 mg. Blackcurrant & Pomegranate contains caffeine and taurine, but neither sugar nor sweeteners. For a completely caffeine-free option, the DGE recommends water or unsweetened tea.
How much sugar is there in an energy drink?
On average, around 100 g per litre. A 250-ml can therefore contains about 25 g of sugar, around eight sugar cubes and about 100 kilocalories.
Are there any energy drinks with no sugar?
Yes. There are sugar-free energy drinks that are sweetened with sweeteners. The ‘Energy – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate’ flavour contains neither sugar nor sweeteners.
Who should avoid drinking energy drinks?
Children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and people who are sensitive to caffeine – such as those with cardiovascular conditions – according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
Can you drink energy drinks every day?
According to the BfR, no adverse health effects are to be expected in healthy adults provided they consume it in moderation and follow the consumer advice. The total amount of caffeine is the decisive factor: according to the EFSA, up to 400 mg spread over the course of the day is considered safe, and up to 200 mg as a single dose.
How much caffeine is there in Energy – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate?
32 mg per 100 ml, i.e. 105.6 mg in the 330-ml can.
Sources
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Questions and answers on caffeine and caffeinated foods, including energy drinks, FAQ dated 5 January 2026. bfr.bund.de
- Federal Ministry of Justice: Fruit Juice and Soft Drinks Regulation (FrSaftErfrischGetrV), Sections 4–5 and Annex 8, accessed 16 September 26. gesetze-im-internet.de
- Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL): Analysis of the trendy drink matcha tea, updated 26 June 25. lgl.bayern.de
- German Nutrition Society: It’s best to drink water, accessed 16 September 2026. dge.de
- Consumer Advice Centre: Sweeteners: What are sweeteners and sugar substitutes?, as at 26 June 25. verbraucherzentrale.de
- Acqua Reaper: Product label for Energy Blackcurrant, as at 07/26.
Energy & Caffeine
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Six varieties with no sugar and no sweeteners — still, sparkling, three flavoured varieties and an Energy drink – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate. With all ingredients and nutritional values per 100 ml.