If you have diabetes, there are a couple of things to consider when choosing what to drink. First, it is essential to consider whether the drink has a potential to affect your blood sugar levels. Second, you should also consider the number of calories in your drink, as liquid calories can be difficult to control.

Low-sugar energy drinks are an attractive proposition for people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Some of the energy drinks available on the market contain upwards of 20 grams of sugar, making them off-limits for people trying to manage their diabetes. 

In this context, low-sugar energy drinks sound like a more suitable choice. However, even though you're opting for low-sugar energy drinks when you want a boost of energy on a busy day or when working out, it doesn't mean that all these drinks are suitable for people with diabetes.

Are low-sugar energy drinks safe for people with diabetes?

Low-sugar energy drinks have little to no sugar at all, and most of them only contain a couple of calories per serving. They may seem ideal for people with diabetes, but because they contain artificial sweeteners, they might not always be great if you're closely monitoring your blood sugar levels.

Research has shown that even though sugar-free drinks don't have quite the same effect on blood sugar levels as sugar, they may alter the gut bacteria over time, which induces glucose intolerance in people with and without diabetes.

Moreover, low-sugar energy drinks also contain lots of caffeine, which may cause blood sugar problems too. According to research, people with diabetes who consume caffeine tend to experience longer and higher sugar spikes.

How to pick the best low sugar energy drinks if you have diabetes

When choosing energy drinks as a person with diabetes, it's essential to carefully look at the ingredients and nutritional information. 

• Added sugar – make sure the drink has either zero sugar or definitely less than 10 grams per serving. If you want to have a drink with a higher sugar content than that, you should only do so prior to exercise.
    
• Caffeine – it is best to limit your daily caffeine intake to under 400 milligrams per day. Different people have different sensitivity levels to caffeine, but that is a limit that's safe for most people.
    
• Vitamins – most energizing drinks are fortified with vitamins and antioxidants. While these may not always make a difference in your energy levels, B vitamins play an essential role in converting food into energy. Low-sugar energy drinks typically have lots of B vitamins in them because they are vital for the body to break down and use the energy from food.
    
• Adaptogens – some low sugar energy drinks also have adaptogens to reduce soreness in the muscles.

What are some of the best low-sugar energy drinks?

Even though it's a bit difficult to find healthy low energy drinks suitable for people with diabetes, we rounded up some of the healthiest drinks on the market to help you make smarter choices.

1. Zevia Energy 

This is a natural energy drink with zero calories and sugar and is available in multiple refreshing flavours, such as raspberry lime, grapefruit, mango ginger, and even kola. The drink contains 120 milligrams of caffeine and is a good choice for those moments you need a little power boost to hit a deadline or power through a spin class.

2. Hiball Sparkling Energy Water 

There is absolutely no sugar in this energy drink. It only has six ingredients: carbonated water, caffeine, natural flavour, guarana extract, ginseng, and B vitamins. It also has zero calories and just 1 gram of carbs, making it suitable for people with diabetes.

3. RUNA Energy Drink

Brewed with organic guayusa tea, this energy drink packs up to 150 milligrams of caffeine and has a fruity sweetness from the pear juice concentrate. You can choose from multiple flavours, including mint strawberry, lime, watermelon, blood orange, mango, pineapple, and pomegranate.

4. Bai Bubbles Sparkling Antioxidant Infusion

A sparkling drink that combines seltzer with various fruit juice flavours. Bai Bubbles Sparkling Antioxidant Infusion only has 45 milligrams of caffeine per serving, 5 calories, and just 1 gram of sugar. It's a refreshing drink that comes in multiple flavours such as black cherry, pineapple, blackberry lime, grapefruit, and coconut lime.

5. Tea Riot

The energy drinks from Tea Riot have added cold-press juices, which means that you're getting a healthy side of veggies and fruit together with your energy boost. Flavours include hibiscus, turmeric, and Matcha.

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