Viewers limiting sugar
If you want a canned drink for the match while reducing sugar, compare the nutrition information for the whole can. A regular and a zero-sugar version can differ even when they share a brand and can size.
Who is choosing?
Viewers keeping track of caffeine
If the match is late or you have already had coffee or tea, check caffeine per can as well as sugar. Red Bull lists 80mg in a 250ml Sugarfree can, while Monster Energy UK lists 160mg in a 500ml Zero-Sugar can.
Viewers who mainly want a fizzy drink
If an energy-drink caffeine dose is not part of what you want, look at the exact soft-drink range rather than choosing by brand alone. Lucozade describes its Zero range as zero-sugar sparkling drinks and markets Alert separately as high caffeine.
What should you check?
Start with the kind of drink you want, then compare sugar and caffeine for the container you would actually drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Read sugars for the whole can and confirm the exact variant. Monster Energy UK lists 0g sugar for its 500ml Zero-Sugar can and 55g for its 500ml Original Green can. | I would rather avoid sugar in my match drink, so the regular and zero-sugar versions are not interchangeable for me. |
| Caffeine | Compare milligrams per whole can, then account for other caffeinated drinks. Red Bull lists 80mg per 250ml Sugarfree can; Monster Energy UK lists 160mg per 500ml Zero-Sugar can. | For a late match, I want to know how much caffeine is in the can I might finish, not assume that zero sugar means less caffeine. |
| Can and pack size | Check the volume of each can and the number of cans in the pack. Use per-can figures when comparing what you expect to drink at one sitting. | A smaller can may fit what I plan to drink during one match; a multipack makes it worth checking each can separately. |
| Type of drink | Check the exact range name and caffeine label. Lucozade describes Zero as a zero-sugar sparkling range and Alert as a separate high-caffeine range. | If I mainly want a cold fizzy drink, I do not need to choose an energy drink just because a familiar brand also makes one. |
| Warnings | Read the warning on the specific can, particularly when buying for others. The Sainsbury’s listing for Red Bull Sugarfree says it is not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women; Relentless gives product-specific cautions for its Cherry drink. | When drinks are being shared, I want to check who the labelled warnings apply to before buying. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming zero sugar means less caffeine
Zero sugar describes the sugar content, not the caffeine dose. Red Bull lists 80mg caffeine in a 250ml Sugarfree can, and Monster Energy UK lists 160mg in a 500ml Zero-Sugar can.
Compare caffeine for the whole container and include coffee, tea and other caffeinated products you may have that day.
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Choosing by brand instead of variant
Monster Energy UK lists 55g sugar in a 500ml Original Green can and 0g in its 500ml Zero-Sugar can. The exact variant changes the sugar comparison.
Read the nutrition panel and can size for the flavour and formulation you intend to buy.
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Treating every Lucozade range as the same drink
Lucozade describes Zero as a zero-sugar sparkling range, while it markets Alert as high caffeine.
Decide whether you want a soft drink or a high-caffeine product, then check the individual label.
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Overlooking warnings when buying for a group
Warnings differ by product. The Sainsbury’s listing for Red Bull Sugarfree advises against it for children and pregnant or breast-feeding women; Relentless gives additional cautions on its Cherry drink for people sensitive to caffeine.
Check each can’s warnings and any retailer age-verification requirements before purchasing drinks for others.
Brand ranges to distinguish
These examples show why the exact product name matters more than the brand when comparing sugar and caffeine.
Red Bull
Red Bull Sugarfree is a 250ml zero-sugar energy-drink option with a stated per-can caffeine amount.
- Red Bull states that one 250ml Sugarfree can contains 80mg caffeine and uses sucralose and acesulfame K in place of sugars.
- Sugarfree is not caffeine-free; the Sainsbury’s product listing carries warnings for children and pregnant or breast-feeding women.
Monster Energy
Monster Energy UK lists both a zero-sugar 500ml energy drink and a regular Original Green 500ml drink.
- Its listed Zero-Sugar can contains 0g sugar and 160mg caffeine per 500ml.
- Its Original Green can lists 55g sugar and 160mg caffeine per 500ml. Check the precise variant rather than applying either set of figures across the range.
Lucozade
Lucozade positions Zero as a zero-sugar sparkling-drink range and Alert as a separate high-caffeine range.
- The brand describes Orange Zero and Original Zero as containing zero sugar and zero calories.
- Those descriptions do not describe every Lucozade drink; check the exact product label before choosing.
Relentless
Relentless makes caffeinated energy drinks, but ingredients and warnings should be checked for the specific flavour.
- Relentless lists sucrose, glucose, caffeine and sucralose among the ingredients of its Cherry drink.
- The Cherry product warning advises against it for children, people sensitive to caffeine, and pregnant or nursing women; that product-specific wording should not be assumed for every flavour.
Zero-sugar energy drinks on Joybuy
These are zero-sugar canned energy-drink packs to consider if you want that type of drink for a match. Compare the details of each pack and can before choosing; a zero-sugar soft drink is a different option.
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Monster Energy Green Zero Sugar, 12 cans
This zero-sugar energy-drink pack offers multiple cans for match viewing. Check the caffeine amount and volume printed for each can before deciding how much to drink.
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Red Bull Sugarfree, 250ml, 24-pack
The 250ml can gives you a smaller container to consider for one match. Red Bull states that Sugarfree contains no sugars and has 80mg caffeine per 250ml can; it is not caffeine-free.
Questions about sugar and caffeine
Does zero sugar mean an energy drink is caffeine-free?
No. Red Bull lists 80mg caffeine per 250ml Sugarfree can, while Monster Energy UK lists 160mg per 500ml Zero-Sugar can. Check caffeine for the entire can, alongside any other caffeinated drinks you have.
How should I count caffeine during a match?
Add the caffeine in the whole can to caffeine from coffee, tea and other products consumed that day. In its 2015 scientific opinion, the European Food Safety Authority assessed intake from all sources of up to 400mg a day as not raising safety concerns for adults in the general population, excluding pregnant women; that population-level conclusion is not a personal intake target.
Is a regular 500ml can much different from a zero-sugar one?
For the Monster products compared here, the sugar figures differ: Monster Energy UK lists 55g sugar per 500ml Original Green can and 0g per 500ml Zero-Sugar can. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 30g of free sugars a day; total sugars on a nutrition panel and free sugars are not identical measures, so also check the ingredients.
Do I need an energy drink if I only want something fizzy?
No. If you want a zero-sugar fizzy drink without specifically choosing an energy-drink caffeine dose, consider a product sold as a soft drink. Lucozade describes its Zero range as zero-sugar sparkling drinks and markets its Alert range separately as high caffeine, so check the exact label.