Emerging Topics
Letters to The Editor

July 26, 2010: Beverage Industry corrects misinformation on energy drinks

Istock_000004661519xsmall To: Canadian Medical Association Journal The Canadian Non-Alcoholic Beverage sector is writing to you to...

July 15 Toronto Sun: Stop selling pop to kids

Istock_000004661519xsmall I would like to correct some of the errors and misinformation in the July 15...

Nutrition labels are the roadmaps to a healthy diet and lifestyle, providing valuable information about ingredients in foods and beverages. Learning to properly read a nutrition label can help you make informed decisions about maintaining a balanced diet.

For more information on nutrition labels, visit the following link to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.  



Energy Drink Nutrition Labels

At left is a typical nutrition label with common ingredients for energy drinks. Not all energy drinks contain these ingredients, so be sure to read the label of your favorite beverage for its ingredients.

Energy drinks may contain the following ingredients:

1. B-Vitamins
Essential nutrients that play an important role in energy metabolism.

2. Water
Base of energy drinks.

3. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Caloric sweetener.

4. Taurine
An amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body and is involved in many of its vital functions. Taurine also occurs naturally in a wide variety of foods such as scallops, fish and poultry.

5. Caffeine
A mild stimulant.

6. Guarana
Extract from a South American plant that may be used to provide flavor. In its natural form, guarana contains a high level of caffeine, ranging from 3 to 5 percent by dry weight. However, these high levels are not found in the finished energy drink product.

7. Ginseng
A perennial herb.  There are two different herbs commonly called ginseng:  Asian or Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng, also known as Chinese ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax guinguefolius).  The two types are closely related.  Panax ginseng is one of the most commonly used herbal ingredients.  Many cultures have been adding ginseng to tea for hundreds of years.