The regular Bang Energy Drink contains caffeine. A lot of caffeine. So it’s the subject of many jokes, just like Red Bull and Monster, thanks to its ‘xtreme’ advertising slogans.
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But then there is Bang Caffeine-Free Energy Drink which just doesn’t get much attention. And that’s a shame because it’s one of my top-rated caffeine-free energy drinks!
My full review explains why I liked it so much (and why you might not).
Bang Caffeine-Free Energy Drink
You’re probably wondering, if it’s caffeine-free, how does it work?
That’s always my first question when I find a caffeine-free “energy” drink. Even more so when the regular version relies primarily on massive caffeine content, as Bang does. (A can of regular Bang energy drink contains 300 milligrams of caffeine!)
Caffeine-free Bang instead uses essential amino acids (EAAs), B vitamins, CoQ10, and Super Creatine to provide an energy boost. And that is a great list, because in the right doses, those substances can indeed provide a nice jolt of energy.
Unfortunately, we can see on the ingredients list that the B vitamin content is so low as to be meaningless. Quantities are not listed for the other ingredients, but I’m guessing they are also really low.
I mean, if the drink included substantial quantities of these key ingredients, I’m sure they’d advertise that prominently!
And don’t get me started on “Super Creatine” which in fact, is not actually creatine!
Yet somehow, despite my extreme skepticism, I enjoyed this drink and found that it boosted my energy levels.
Health & Nutrition Analysis
While I don’t expect an energy drink to provide health benefits, I always consider health and nutrition when it comes to something I’ll be ingesting in my body.
Ingredients
Ingredients list for the Cotton Candy flavor:
Carbonated water, citric acid, EAAs (L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-lysine, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-methionine, L-tryptophan), natural flavors, beta-alanine, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), phosphoric acid, potassium citrate monohydrate, sucralose, SUPER CREATINE® (Creatyl-L-Leucine [Creatine bonded to L-Leucine]), potassium phosphate dibasic, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), acesulfame potassium, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium disodium EDTA, vitamin B3 (niacinamide), CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), and vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin).
Nutrition Facts
0 Calories 0 g Fat 40 mg Sodium 0 g Total Carbohydrate 0 g Dietary Fiber 0 g Total Sugars 0 g Added Sugar 0 g Protein
Calcium 5 mg (0% DV) Iron 0 mg (0% DV) Potassium 85 mg (2% DV) Vitamin C 27 mg (30% DV) Vitamin B6 0.5 mg (30% DV) Magnesium 5 mg (1% DV) Niacin 5 mg (30% DV) Vitamin B12 1.5 mcg 60% DV)
So we have a zero-calorie energy drink. That’s made possible by sucralose and acesulfame potassium, the popular calorie-free artificial sweeteners.
They do use “natural flavors,” but you can’t really say it’s natural, since it contains those artificial sweeteners.
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But when you consider that basically every energy drink these days contains an artificial sweetener, this looks like a quality product. It’s a solid choice for anyone cutting out caffeine.
Where does the energy boost come from?
Most likely, the energy boost comes from the EAAs. This drink contains all 9:
- L-leucine
- L-isoleucine
- L-valine
- L-lysine
- L-threonine
- L-phenylalanine
- L-histidine
- L-methionine
- L-tryptophan
It’s possible you get some boost from the Vitamin B12, but the amount in here is so low, I’m skeptical. A can of Bang provides 60% DV of this vitamin while most B12 supplements provide at least 1,000% DV!
Also, B12 is unlikely to provide an energy boost unless you’re deficient in it in the first place. (Deficiency is not uncommon though. For instance, if you’re a vegan, it’s quite possible you are deficient in Vitamin B12.)
The CoQ10 may play a role. This substance helps to generate ATP (for energy), and it’s an antioxidant, so it may help improve exercise performance by decreasing oxidative stress and improving mitochondrial function within your cells.
As for what they call “Super Creatine” – it sounds fancy but it might be a gimmick. This proprietary ingredient is a form of creatine that is bonded to the amino acid L-leucine.
That sounds good, but this is NOT the tried and true creatine monohydrate you’re used to. This formulation has not been studied rigorously.
Rather than discuss the chemical details, the best way to describe it might be that there was a lawsuit against Bang’s creatine claims alleging false advertising… and the verdict was against Bang Energy.
Taste Test
There are at least five flavors of Bang energy drink available in the caffeine-free formulation. Here are my thoughts on each:
Miami Cola
They definitely captured the cola flavor in this non-cola beverage. But it’s not a generic cola flavor – it’s very much like Pepsi. (I say it’s more akin to Pepsi because it’s sweet. If you like Pepsi, you’ll probably like this one. If you prefer Coke, this Miami Cola may be too sweet for your taste buds.)
Looking back at my notes, my initial thought was, “Wow this is sweet! It’s like Pepsi but sweeter!”
Fortunately, it does not have any bitterness that I can detect, nor any sign of artificial sweeteners (even though it does contain sucralose). Yes, it’s very sweet, but not obviously that over-the-top fake sweetness.
I especially like the color – the liquid is dark like real cola. That’s from the caramel color being added, but that’s how they do it with any regular cola.
(Other flavors are clear like sparkling water.)
Black Cherry Vanilla
Now this flavor is incredibly sweet. It’s sweeter than Miami Cola and much sweeter than I remember any cherry cola tasting like.
I’ve had “black cherry vanilla” sparkling water and it tasted like cherry Coke. This Bang is purely cherry and vanilla flavors! Two sweet flavors with no cola taste to temper it.
I expected more of a cherry cola flavor, but this is pure cherry vanilla. It’s fruity and SWEET.
Not recommended.
Cotton Candy
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While the name evokes childhood memories of the sugar rush I’d get from eating pink and blue cotton candy at carnivals, this drink was just the right amount of sweet.
I was worried this one could be too sweet, but it was surprisingly pleasant. It offers just a light flavor, but it’s very tasty. Indeed, it does remind me of cotton candy.
I was expecting super sweet, but it’s actually just right. This one is easily my favorite!
Candy Apple Crisp
This flavor tastes like you’re sucking on one of those Tootsie Caramel Apple pops.
Birthday Cake Bash
It’s like drinking a birthday cake!
The birthday cake flavored ONE Bar is neat, but to experience a birthday cake in liquid form with zero calories? Unreal.
What all these drinks have in common is the sweetness. There’s no getting around it. If you otherwise eat a healthy, natural diet, these could all be disturbingly sweet. But if you’re consuming any sports drinks and energy gels as most cyclists do, these flavors probably won’t be too big of a shock.
The Energy Boost
It’s impressive if a caffeine-free drink offers any energy boost whatsoever. But the energy boost from Bang Energy’s caffeine-free formula is not just impressive, it’s fantastic!
I typically used this drink for an afternoon pick-me-up and it worked wonderfully. I can’t drink coffee in the afternoon or it will keep me up all night. But with Bang, it gave me an energy boost without interfering with my sleep.
Every single time I had one, it provided a mild energy boost with no jitters. Mainly, it gave me that mental energy boost that had me feeling refreshed and optimistic rather than worn down. And that feeling would last through the afternoon and evening.
The feeling would come on gradually and last for hours, with no crash.
It was especially great on days when I had lots of chores. Those days where you’re not excited about what you’re doing and not energized by the activity. Normally those sorts of days leave me drained, but not if I drank a can of Bang beforehand!
I would avoid drinking this right before workouts though. The main ingredient is carbonated water. It’s fizzy. That’s very enjoyable at rest, but it doesn’t mix well with intense workouts.
As always, your mileage may vary.
My final verdict is…
Bang makes a delicious, caffeine-free energy drink that works. The fact that it works to provide gradual, sustained energy all day long, without caffeine, allows me to overlook the use of artificial sweeteners and alleged false advertising.
Assuming you need an energy drink at all, this one is highly recommended.
Official website: www.BangEnergy.com
Buy online: www.Amazon.com
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