While walking into work or school in the early morning, no one would bat an eye at someone walking in with a cup full of caffeine. People now often see younger teens and adults carrying in coffees and energy drinks. As times are changing and many social media apps influence the younger generations, there are often creators promoting energy drinks. But now the question is which energy drink is better?
At Grand Ledge High School (GLHS) you might see a variety of different energy drinks while roaming around the halls early in the morning, including Red Bull, Monster Energy, Bang Energy, PRIME, Celsius, Alani Nu, and more. Popular drinks usually seen around GLHS are Celsius, Alani Nu, and Red Bull.
Students drink energy drinks for different reasons, Sophomore Grace Brentar says Alani Nu is her favorite drink because of the multitude of flavors and energy boost.
“I mainly drink them because they taste good and they’re a good start to my day,” Brentar said.
However sophomore Ava Joslin expresses her opinion by stating that her favorite drink is Red Bull.
“I like drinking Red Bulls because they taste really good,”
While many new and upcoming flavors and drinks are a main topic of discussion. The best flavor and type are still left undecided.
While energy drinks with high levels of caffeine levels are often seen in the hands of students, some students look for alternative energy drinks that have less caffeine levels such as Bloom Energy and the mini version of Alani Nu. Sophomore Annabelle Goucher says that she likes drinking Bloom Energy because the lower caffeine levels affect her physical health less.
“I like the less caffeinated ones because they make me feel less shaky but still [able to] function, ” Goucher explains.
While energy drinks are now made with unique and tasty ingredients to entice people to drink them, the question remains whether caffeine consumption is extreme. Sophomore Mary Luce – who drinks mainly Alani Nu or Celsius says that the amount of caffeine in energy drinks is very high.
“The [caffeine level] is probably too high because when I do not eat anything and then drink one, I tend to feel shaky and physically ill,”
As some students drink energy drinks multiple times a week, other students opt to stay away from the drinks altogether.
“I don’t drink energy drinks because I don’t want to become dependent on the caffeine,” Junior Christian Helzer stated regarding his reasoning as to why he has decided to stay away from the drinks.
While it is still debated whether younger adults and teenagers should consume energy drinks. Many have taken it upon themselves to recognize the negative effects of drinking highly caffeinated energy drinks often.
The debate continues through GLHS on whether energy drinks are good or bad and what the best flavors are. Some students continue to consume energy drinks while others are knowledgeable about their effects and choose to avoid them, or at least remain neutral. Sophomore Taylor Tweedle clarifies why she’s chosen to not choose a side.
“I think it is really bad for our health, but if I am going to be tired I am gonna drink an energy drink,”
