Depending on the packaging, you may notice some products have expiration dates on the back when you’re shopping. This is labeled as ‘EXP’ below the MFG date, which stands for ‘Manufacturing Date.’
This is due to legal regulations that compel companies to offer consumers information about when a product was created and when it will expire, so they don’t wind up utilizing outdated products, which can be dangerous.
Energy drinks, like other foods and beverages, have an expiration date because they contain sugar, preservatives, and acidic components, they can extend the shelf life of food. It’s possible that these drinks can be enjoyed after they’ve passed their expiration date.
Is it true that energy drinks have an expiration date, and can you still drink them?
Ready-to-drink energy drinks have expiration dates. Usually, energy drinks have a shelf life of six to nine months. Drinking expired powdered energy drinks can be dangerous to your health. So, it’s best to avoid consuming expired powdered energy drinks.
This may appear suspicious, but don’t worry. I will take you through the pros and drawbacks of drinking expired energy drinks powders, as well as the ingredients, storage options, side effects, and appropriate powder energy drinks.
What is an expiration date?
All food and beverage manufacturers are required by law to provide a date on their packaging that indicates when something can no longer be used.
Even bottled water has an expiration date — this is because, despite the fact that water does not legally go ‘bad,’ companies are forced to print one to protect themselves from litigation and to provide customers with a helpful guideline as to when products are likely to have gone bad.
It’s also linked to shelf life because it can suggest how long the product should be kept on the shelves.
On energy drinks, an “EXP” abbreviation that stands for “expiry date” is usually stamped somewhere on the can, and you can see what the next expiration date is by looking at this.
Expiration Date on Energy Drinks
Energy drinks can be kept edible and pleasant for six to nine months if they are stored properly and not opened.
The expiration date for energy drinks is either written in short form (EXP) or printed in full. You’ll be able to determine how long the energy drink you’re drinking will last if it’s kept unopened and at room temperature using this information.
Do energy drinks need to be refrigerated?
They don’t need to be refrigerated, but many energy drink companies recommend you do so before drinking for the best taste and quality.
If you walk into any store, you’ll almost always find single cans of Monster energy drinks in the refrigerated section, but not the powder energy beverage tubs there.
Not chilling these beverages won’t harm them; they’ll be warm and probably won’t taste as good. As for the powdered energy beverage, there will not be any difference in the taste, but the shelf life might get extended.
Ingredients in Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are all about enhancing attention, energy, and concentration mechanisms. Caffeine, sugar, sodium, vitamins, and nootropics are some of the elements that distinguish powder energy drinks.
These components are crucial in making an energy drink what it is and let’s take a look at them one by one.
Caffeine
Tea leaves, chocolate, and coffee are common sources of caffeine. It is a natural brain and central nervous system stimulant and a common ingredient in energy drinks.
Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, which lowers exhaustion and gives you the energy to complete your activity. The only thing you should keep track of when it comes to caffeine is how much you consume on a daily basis.
When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark place, ground coffee can be used for a few months past its expiration date, the whole bean for up to nine months, and instant coffee for up to twenty years.
A healthy adult should not drink more than 400g of caffeine per day, according to the FDA. C
Caffeine has a half-life of up to 5 hours, as claimed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The time it takes for a quantity of a substance to be decreased to half its original amount is known as its half-life.
So, if you drink 10mg of caffeine, you’ll still have 5mg of caffeine in your system after 5 hours.
Side Effects of Caffeine
Keep in mind that you should not overdose on caffeine because it might cause serious side effects, such as the following:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Addiction
- Muscle breakdown
- High blood pressure
- Fatigue
Similarly, everyone’s caffeine tolerance is different, so different caffeine concentrations might have varied effects on your body. It’s vital to be aware of your body’s reaction to any caffeine.
Overdosing, as a result, can result in severe caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Because my body is habituated to this quantity of caffeine, I discovered that a caffeine concentration of 100g to 200mg per serving worked best for me.
This may be different for you, so pay attention to the impacts and make adjustments as needed.
Sugar
Sugar is a sweet crystallizable material that is entirely or mostly made up of sucrose and it is colorless or white when pure but turns brown when refined.
Sugar is used as a source of dietary carbohydrate as well as a sweetener and preservative in other foods.
Granulated sugar can be stored in the kitchen for up to two years after it is opened. Although it is advised that granulated sugar be discarded after two years, it may still serve its baking purpose after that time.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 36 grams of sugar for men and 25 grams for women daily.
As you can see, these are rather minimal sugar intakes each day, despite the fact that many foods and beverages contain substantially more sugar. With that in mind, I urge you to keep an eye on your sugar intake in order to avoid any sugar-related health problems.
Side Effects of Sugar
The high consumption of sugar can cause the following side effects:
- Fat organs
- Heart disease
- Increase cholesterol levels
- Linked with Alzheimer’s disease
- Addiction
Sodium
Sodium is a metal with high reactivity.
Sodium is never found in nature in its free form due to its high reactivity. Sodium, on the other hand, is always found as a salt. Sodium chloride is the most frequent dietary type of sodium. Table salt is sodium chloride in its purest form.
Salt (sodium chloride) should be stored in a dry, airtight container in a cool, dark place. A constant temperature is also recommended, preferably away from the stove or dishwasher. Salt has a best before date but no expiry date.
Sodium is important for the normal functioning of body muscles and maintaining a steady fluid balance. It increases the rate of absorption and retention in the small intestine, which helps you stay hydrated.
Side Effects of Sodium
Excess sodium/salt intake can put you at risk for the following health troubles:
- Enlarged heart muscle
- Headaches
- Kidney disease
- Osteoporosis
- Stroke
Vitamins
Vitamins are crucial nutrients for humans since they help with a variety of biological activities ranging from cognitive to metabolic.
These vitamins often comprise the following:
- Thiamine
- Riboflavin
- Inositol
- Niacin
- Biotin
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride
- Cyanocobalamin
These vitamins, which are found in modest amounts in energy drinks, help to boost the immune system and nourish the skin, among other things.
These features must be considered when selecting an energy drink. It’s critical to choose a drink that is not just energizing but also considers your body’s overall performance.
Although vitamins do not expire in the traditional sense, they do lose effectiveness over time. It is not dangerous to consume an expired vitamin, but this could be a waste of money and time since it is less effective.
I have added a YouTube video on the negative side of vitamin obsession for you to help to know more about this fact.
How long do powdered energy drinks last?
Most shelf-stable items, according to the USDA, are safe indefinitely and can last for a few months.
Powdered energy drinks are likely to be stored at room temperature and labeled as shelf-stable items. This implies they can be preserved in this manner for a long time without becoming bad.
The primary constituents in energy drinks, such as caffeine, last for four years, sugar for two years, and taurine and other vitamins never expire.
Overall, when stored properly, powdered energy drinks can stay well past their expiration date and are generally safe to use.
Do energy drinks lose their effectiveness?
If consumed in excess, energy drinks might lose their effectiveness.
According to a 2019 study, caffeine use produced a considerable performance increase for the first few days, but the advantages faded after two weeks.
Consequences of Drinking an Expired Energy Drink
Expired drinks can expose your body to hazardous microorganisms, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.
Food that has gone bad carries deadly microorganisms, including E.coli and Bacteroides.
Consuming drinks beyond their expiration date puts you at risk of acquiring food poisoning, which can cause stomach pain. If ingested in high quantities, you may need to be admitted to the hospital.
This, however, changes depending on the state of the drink. In the case of powders, look for clumpiness, a foul odor, or tears in the packing, which could indicate that a creature has contaminated it. In these circumstances, it is best to avoid drinking.
In certain circumstances, other than the drink losing any nutritional content, there are no changes at all when stored properly. You can still drink these with a lower risk of harmful side effects, but you’ll be defeating the objective of the drink, which is to have an effect.
Preservatives also expire, but natural preservatives have a longer shelf life than common preservatives, so it’s a good idea to read the contents list of any expired drink you’re interested in trying.
Danger of Drinking Expired Energy Drink Powder
Drinking expired energy drink powder can be dangerous.
As previously said, food poisoning is always a possibility, particularly with drinks that are no longer in good condition when consumed.
In some cases, taking a product that has been properly stored is unlikely to do any harm, but it is also unlikely to provide the promised results because it loses its efficacy after it expires.
It’s never a good idea to ingest expired drinks, especially if they appear to be tainted aesthetically. Some drinks, on the other hand, could be discarded if they appear to be of excellent quality, are unopened or unused, and smell and look the same as they did before their expiration date.
Best Storage Options for Powdered Energy Drinks
Because powdered energy drinks come in a variety of packaging, the best way to store them varies. They’ve often mentioned the recommended manner to store each product on the label.
The manufacturers recommend keeping these drinks in the refrigerator; however, this isn’t always the case. These powdered energy drink sachets can also be kept in a cool, dark place. They won’t be exposed to direct heat or sunshine, which could cause the chemicals in the sachets or tubes to melt.
If you keep these powdered energy drinks in these circumstances, they will likely keep their flavor for a year or two, depending on when they were made.
I recommend that you keep track of your expiration date so that you can avoid negative consequences.
Can you drink expired energy drink powders?
You can drink expired energy drink powders but with caution.
Energy drink powders can be consumed if they are unopened and stored in dry, cool settings, especially away from any source of heat.
Other factors to consider include whether the sachets have been destroyed or whether the tubes have no closure. While it’s still in the sachet, you can always check if it’s powdered or clumped. These are good indicators of whether you should try them or not.
If the drink doesn’t fizz after you make it, or if it has a strange odor or even discoloration when mixed with water, it has most likely been exposed to heat or other damaging substances. Its composition has most certainly changed, and it can be harmful if consumed.
Difference Between Expiry Date and Best Before
The expiry date states that the active ingredients have lost their potency and that the consumption of this product is then possibly harmful and can lead to dangerous health circumstances. On the other hand, best before dates are a kind of suggestion from the manufacturer itself.
Expiry Date
The expiry date is associated with discoloration, a foul odor, and clumpiness as a result of heat exposure, as I previously stated.
As the composition begins to degrade, the expiration date warns us that the product will lose its health benefits or, in the case of energy drink powders, its boosting effects.
Best Before
The label best before, according to the FDA, indicates when a product is best for consumption in terms of quality but not safety.
This means that the best before date indicates that the product is at its peak quality, in its most ideal state, with the best taste, look, and overall effect.
It’s crucial to note that this information only applies to unopened items, not sachets that have already been opened. This means you can use the best before the date for as long as you like.
What are some good energy powdered drinks to try?
Now that you’re ready to examine energy drink powders in their best and worst states, it’s time to consider some good energy drink options.
Here are some powdered energy drinks to consider based on your caffeine intake, sugar content, vitamins, carbohydrates, calories, and pricing preferences.
- ZipFizz Energy
- Advocare Spark
- Rogue Energy
- Celsius On-The-Go
- Ghost Gamer
Powdered energy drinks are easy to transport, inexpensive, and include a good amount of caffeine for your boosting mechanism, ranging from 55mg to 300 mg.
I am adding up the caffeine content, calories, sugar, and price of the mentioned energy beverages through the table below.
| Energy Drink | Caffeine | Calories | Sugar | Price |
| Zipfizz Energy | 100mg | 20 | 0g | $37.99 to $29.99 |
| Advocare Spark | 120mg | 45 | 0g | $54.99 |
| Rogue Energy | 175mg | 12 | 0g | $32.99 |
| Celsius On-The-Go | 200mg | 10 | 0g | $16.63 |
| Ghost Gamer | 150mg | 18kJ | 0g | $39.99 |
Upon taking a closer look at the table you can see that all the energy beverages comprise a decent amount of caffeine and calories along with zero sugar in their formulation.
Advocare Spark includes the highest amount of calories with the highest price. On the other hand, Rogue Energy includes the highest amount of caffeine but comprises low-calorie content and comes cheaper than others mentioned above. It’s totally up to you which energy beverage suits your preference.
They can provide a boost in both energy and focus when they are in peak health. They’re frequently available in a wide variety of flavors, so you’ll almost certainly never run out of options.
You may also mix these powdered energy drinks with any of your favorite beverages, such as juices; water isn’t necessarily the best option. They are available in tubs or sachets and may be purchased online from a variety of retailers such as Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.
Final Verdict
Energy from powdered drinks, as well as the preservatives that help keep their quality, can go bad. Consuming them is therefore hazardous, as it exposes you to the risk of food poisoning and other pathogens.
There are some circumstances in which an expired drink is fine, and there are others in which you should avoid consuming an expired product at all costs.
When looking at products, it’s important to be cautious and understand the difference between an expiry date and a best before date so you can make an informed decision before consuming anything that has passed its expiration date.
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