What is an energy drink?

Making sense of the drink that fuels us

Energy drink labels contain a great deal of information for consumers, which is required by Health Canada, and enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Keeping Canadians informed

Canadians can easily learn the following from the label, among other things:

The total amount of caffeine from all sources

List all ingredients

A Nutrition Facts table showing the amount of calories and other nutrients in the product

Allergen information, if any

How much sugar is in an energy drink?

Energy drinks come in both regular and sugar-free option, giving Canadians a wide range of products to choose from. While the sugar levels may vary, for those that contain sugar, it is at levels that are around the same as an equivalent volume of other sugar-sweetened beverages.The sugar in energy drinks is not just for flavour, it’s also for function. Like other mainstream foods and beverages, nutrient and ingredient information (including the amount of sugar) can be found in the Nutrition Facts table, as well as the ingredients list on the back of the label.

Are energy drinks and
energy shots the same?

Energy shots are not energy drinks. These other products are not considered caffeinated energy drinks by Health Canada, and are regulated as non-food products. Energy shots are typically of smaller volume and contain, on average, a caffeine concentration in excess of 3,000mg/Litre, i.e. 8 to 10 times higher than what Health Canada permits in caffeinated energy drinks.
Energy shots are not energy drinks.