Brunch-goers watching sugar and caffeine
If you want a sugar-free energy drink alongside brunch, check caffeine per can as well as sugars on the label. Coffee or tea at the same meal adds to your caffeine intake.
Who is choosing a brunch drink?
Shoppers who prefer a smaller can
A smaller serving may make the choice easier to plan: Red Bull states that its 250ml Sugarfree can contains 80mg caffeine. For comparison, Monster Energy UK states that its 500ml Ultra can contains 150mg. Those figures apply to the named products, not every can of either size.
Shoppers who mainly want a fizzy drink
If an energy drink is not the point of brunch, consider the type of drink separately from its sugar claim. Lucozade describes its Zero range as zero-sugar soft drinks; check the exact drink’s label if caffeine content matters to you.
What should you check before choosing?
Decide whether you want an energy drink at all, then compare the exact can’s sugar information and total caffeine with the other drinks you expect to have.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar wording | Distinguish a no-added-sugar claim from a zero-sugar claim. Read sugars per 100ml on the nutrition panel and check the ingredients of the exact flavour. | I want to know whether the drink contains sugars, not just whether sugar was added. |
| Caffeine per can | Compare the whole container, not just its volume. Red Bull states 80mg caffeine in a 250ml Sugarfree can; Monster Energy UK states 150mg in a 500ml Ultra can. | If brunch includes coffee or tea, I want to account for that caffeine before opening an energy drink. |
| Drink type | Decide whether you want an energy drink or simply a zero-sugar fizzy drink. Lucozade describes Zero as a zero-sugar soft-drink range; check individual labels for caffeine. | A fizzy drink may be what I want with food, without choosing an energy-drink format. |
| Pregnancy and sensitivity | Check caffeine from all sources. The NHS advises no more than 200mg caffeine a day during pregnancy; follow warnings on the exact product if caffeine sensitivity is relevant. | I need to consider caffeine separately from sugar, particularly during pregnancy or if I am sensitive to it. |
What is easy to overlook?
-
Assuming sugar-free means caffeine-free
The named sugar-free energy drinks still contain caffeine: Red Bull specifies 80mg in a 250ml Sugarfree can, and Monster Energy UK specifies 150mg in a 500ml Ultra can.
Check caffeine per full can and account for coffee, tea or other caffeine you plan to have that day.
-
Reading “no added sugar” as “zero sugars”
A statement about sugar not being added does not, on its own, tell you that the finished drink contains 0g sugars.
If zero sugars matter to your choice, read the nutrition panel as well as the front-of-pack wording.
-
Choosing a larger can by its sugar claim alone
Can size changes how much of a drink you consume. For the named examples, Monster Energy UK states 150mg caffeine in a 500ml Ultra can, compared with Red Bull’s 80mg in a 250ml Sugarfree can.
Compare caffeine per container before choosing a serving size for brunch.
-
Assuming every flavour in a range has the same ingredients
Relentless lists sucrose in its Guava flavour, while Lucozade describes its standard Energy range as containing glucose. A brand name alone cannot establish that a particular drink fits a no-added-sugar goal.
Check the ingredients and nutrition panel on the exact flavour and pack you intend to buy.
Which product ranges are relevant?
Red Bull
Red Bull Sugarfree is a small-can example for comparing caffeine at brunch: Red Bull specifies 80mg in a 250ml can.
- A stated caffeine quantity makes this particular can straightforward to compare with other drinks.
- Sugarfree is not caffeine-free; account for any coffee or tea as well.
Monster
Monster Energy UK describes Monster Ultra as a 500ml zero-sugar energy drink with 150mg caffeine per can.
- The stated sugar claim, can size and caffeine quantity allow comparison for this Ultra variety.
- Do not apply Ultra’s caffeine figure to a different Monster variety without checking its label.
Relentless
Check Relentless by flavour rather than assuming the whole range fits a no-added-sugar choice: the brand lists sucrose in Guava.
- The Guava ingredients list gives a concrete point to check against your sugar requirement.
- Relentless says Guava is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women or women who are nursing. That warning and ingredient list concern this flavour.
Lucozade
Lucozade describes Zero as a zero-sugar soft-drink range for shoppers considering a fizzy drink instead of an energy-drink format.
- The Zero range gives a distinct soft-drink option when an energy drink is not the aim.
- Lucozade describes its standard Energy range as containing glucose; check the exact range and flavour rather than relying on the brand name.
Joybuy energy-drink options
These options include 250ml, 355ml and 500ml energy-drink cans, several sold in multipacks. Check the exact variety’s sugar information and caffeine per can against what you plan to drink at brunch.
No image available
Monster Energy Ultra Zero Sugar 6x4x500ml
For a larger zero-sugar energy-drink can at brunch, compare its caffeine with any coffee or tea you also intend to have. Monster Energy UK states that a 500ml Monster Ultra can contains 150mg caffeine. This listing is for a 6x4x500ml pack.
No image available
CELSIUS Kiwi Guava 12x355ml
If a 355ml can suits your brunch plans, compare the exact can’s sugar information and caffeine quantity before choosing it. This is a 12x355ml Kiwi Guava pack.
No image available
Red Bull Sugarfree Energy Drink 250ml 4 Pack
For a smaller energy-drink can alongside brunch, Red Bull states that each 250ml Sugarfree can contains 80mg caffeine. Count that alongside any coffee or tea; this product is a four-pack.
No image available
PerfectTed Matcha Energy Very Cherry 4x250ml
If you are considering this 250ml can for a no-added-sugar choice, check the exact pack’s claim, ingredients and sugars on the nutrition panel; do not treat “no added sugar” as a promise of zero sugars. Check its caffeine per can alongside other brunch drinks. Sold as a 4x250ml pack.
No image available
Monster Energy Original Green Zero Sugar 4x500ml
This 500ml zero-sugar variety is a separate choice from Monster Ultra: check the Original Green Zero Sugar can’s own caffeine figure rather than applying Ultra’s 150mg figure to it. Compare the label with any other caffeinated drinks planned for brunch. Sold as a 4x500ml pack.
Brunch drink questions
Does “no added sugar” mean zero sugars?
No. A claim about sugar not being added is different from a statement that the finished drink contains 0g sugars. Check sugars on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients of the exact flavour.
Which contains less caffeine: Red Bull Sugarfree or Monster Ultra?
For the named cans, Red Bull states 80mg caffeine in 250ml of Sugarfree, while Monster Energy UK states 150mg in 500ml of Ultra. Compare those whole-can quantities with any coffee, tea or other caffeine you expect to have that day.
Does sugar-free status change the caffeine advice during pregnancy?
No. The NHS advises no more than 200mg caffeine a day during pregnancy, counting sources such as coffee, tea and energy drinks together. Check the can’s caffeine quantity and seek advice from your maternity-care professional about your circumstances.
What if I want a zero-sugar fizzy drink rather than an energy drink?
Consider a soft-drink range such as Lucozade Zero, which Lucozade describes as zero sugar. If avoiding caffeine is also important, check the exact drink’s label rather than assuming that its sugar claim answers both questions.
Can I choose by a retailer’s sugar-free category alone?
Use the category to narrow your choices, then check the individual can. Confirm its sugar information, ingredients, size and caffeine per container, because those details belong to the exact variety you will drink.