Nutritional Information for Red Bull Energy Drink (Detailed)!

By John C. Barnard Last updated Apr 28, 2022 0

Nothing beats a good ol’ can of Red Bull for a boost of energy, which has become associated with energy drinks at this point.

But, exactly, what do you get from a can of Red Bull? And how nutritionally sound is it for you to consume one?

To give you a quick answer, a typical 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull has 110 calories, 27 grams of sugar, and 80 milligrams of caffeine, as well as a few grams of salt, 1 gram of taurine, and several B vitamins.

Stay tuned for a deeper look into the nutritional content of a can of Red Bull and how it affects your health…

Nutritional Information for Red Bull

To begin, let’s take a look at the nutrition label on the back of a Red Bull can to get a sense of what we’re up against.

Values that are typical
Red Bull is a brand of energy drink.
(8.4 fluid ounces)
110 calories of energy
Fat (Of which 0g is saturated)
(0g)
Carbohydrate
28g (of which sugars)
(27g)
Caffeine 80mg
Sodium 105mg
22mg Niacin (Vitamin B3)
5.05mg Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
5.05 milligrams of vitamin B6
5.1 g vitamin B12
A can of Red Bull’s nutritional value.
Nutritional Information for Red Bull Energy Drink
The back of a can teach you a lot.

Calories in Red Bull

A typical 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 110 calories, which is a reasonable number of calories for any energy drink.

If you’re seeking a low-calorie energy drink, Red Bull is unlikely to meet your needs.

Although not as high as a 16 fl. oz. can of Monster, which has 210 calories, it’s still a significant number of calories to add to your diet, especially considering the size of a Red Bull can.

Given that the average adult requires roughly 2000 to 2500 calories per day (depending on metabolism and lifestyle), a can of Red Bull on occasion shouldn’t have a significant impact on your diet.

However, consuming more than one can per day means that the little number of calories consumed can soon add up, so if you’re on a diet, be careful not to consume too many cans every day.

Also, while Red Bull may provide some useful calories, if you’re hungry, it’s always better to have a meal instead, as Red Bull does not deliver the whole range of nutrients that food does.

In any case, limit your Red Bull consumption, keep your calorie intake in check, and eat a complete meal rather than skipping it in favor of an energy drink.

Ingredients in Red Bull

The components in Red Bull are rather mild compared to most other energy drinks on the market today, but they perform just fine. In an easy-to-read list, here are the ingredients:

Water with Carbonation
Sucrose
Glucose
Citric Acid is a type of acid that is used to
Taurine
Bicarbonate of sodium
Magnesium Carbonate is a mineral that contains magnesium.
Caffeine
Niacinamide
Pantothenate (calcium)
HCl Pyridoxine
B12 (cobalamin)
Flavors, both natural and artificial
Colorings

What Is the Caffeine Content of Red Bull?

The caffeine content in a standard serving of Red Bull is 80mg per 8.4 fl. oz can, which is a small quantity.

Caffeine is a significant reason why people drink energy drinks since it helps you stay alert while also improving your cognitive and athletic performance.

A can of Red Bull is far milder than your normal energy drink, which can contain up to 300mg of caffeine per serving. In fact, it’s roughly the same price as a cup of coffee (95mg per serving).

Personally, I enjoy energy drinks with 50mg to 100mg of caffeine per serving, which I find to be exactly the appropriate amount of caffeine for a short boost without making me feel ill.

Red Bull fits just into that sweet spot, with 80mg of caffeine, and I wouldn’t mind having one to jolt me up from a post-lunch slump.

Of course, depending on your caffeine metabolism and sensitivity to caffeine, you may need more than one can to feel the effects.

However, it’s best to limit your caffeine intake to a manageable amount. The FDA recommends that you consume no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, as any more might have serious negative effects like:

Insomnia
Restlessness
Headaches
Stomachaches
Dizziness
Dehydration
Anxiety

In any case, limit your caffeine intake to a safe level for you, and avoid overdoing it on energy drinks and other caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, or soda.

Take a look at the video below for more information about caffeine and what it does to your body:

What Is the Sugar Content of Red Bull?

Each 8.4 fl. oz. can of Red Bull contains 27 grams of sugar, which is rather typical for a sugary energy drink of this size.

Although it isn’t as healthful as a zero-calorie or low-sugar energy drink, 27 grams of sugar isn’t excessive for an energy drink.

In any event, the American Heart Association recommends that men and women consume 36 and 25 grams of sugar per day, respectively, so a can of Red Bull won’t be too harmful to your health if consumed in moderation.

While sugar in moderate doses is great as a treat or a mood booster, too much sugar over time can lead to major health problems, the most serious of which is the establishment of metabolic syndrome.

A high-sugar diet can lead to a number of major problems in the long run, including:

Gaining Weight
Diabetes Type 2
Heart disease risk is higher.
Acne
Depression risk is higher.

Furthermore, a sugary energy drink puts you at risk of a sugar crash, which isn’t ideal if you plan on working for an extended period of time.

As with most things in life, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, so keep your Red Bull consumption in check and avoid eating too many sugary items along the way.

If you’re not a fan of sugar, Red Bull also makes a sugar-free version, and you can find some terrific alternatives in the article I wrote on the best energy drinks with less sugar.

Red Bull’s Other Ingredients

Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid with a long list of health benefits, which makes it a popular addition in energy drinks.

Taurine is practically synonymous with Red Bull, especially given the notion that the taurine in the beverage is obtained from bull sperm.

You don’t have to worry about the taurine content in Red Bull because it’s completely synthetic.

The following are some of the taurine’s potential advantages:

Maintaining a healthy metabolism
Increasing exercise efficiency
Keeping the muscles safe

While these advantages are intriguing, data does not support any instant benefits from having taurine in your diet, so take these claims with a grain of salt.

B-Vitamins

B-Vitamins are a staple in energy drinks, from converting energy to building cells, so it’s no surprise that they’re included in Red Bull.

Check out the chart below for more information about the B-Vitamin content in Red Bull, and click here to learn more about B-Vitamins in general.