What to drink instead of energy drinks: 15 alternatives that actually work

When someone tries to cut down on energy drinks, they almost always get the same advice:

Just drink water instead.

That is not bad advice as such. It is simply not very usable on its own.

If you have been drinking an ice-cold, fizzy, strongly flavoured energy drink while driving, working or gaming, a glass of tap water probably will not deliver the same experience.

Because an energy drink is not only about the caffeine.

What you may miss is:

• the taste,
• the fizz,
• the cold drink,
• opening the can,
• the break itself,
• the feeling of getting a bit of extra energy,
• or simply having something to sip continuously.

First decide what you are actually replacing

It makes a real difference whether you drink energy drinks for the caffeine, or whether what you would miss is the taste and the routine around it.

If you want to taper the caffeine gradually, a drink with less caffeine can be a good transitional solution.

If you already drink plenty of coffee, cola or tea, though, another source of caffeine may not be what you need. A caffeine-free alternative is more likely to help.

The source of the caffeine does not change your total much. According to the FDA, the body handles naturally occurring and added caffeine similarly, so every source has to be counted together.

Swapping an energy drink for a coffee may therefore cut your sugar intake, without necessarily meaning you take in less caffeine.

1. Sparkling water with ice and lemon

This is one of the simplest alternatives, and it can work far better than a plain glass of water.

The fizz, the cold and the sharp taste together go some way towards replacing the experience that makes an energy drink satisfying.

Drink it genuinely cold, with plenty of ice, lemon or lime. From a large glass, or as canned sparkling water, even the feeling of holding a drink stays.

This works particularly well if:

• it is the fizz rather than the energy drink taste that you want,
• you used to drink it with meals,
• you just want something to sip while driving or gaming,
• you do not want to introduce another source of caffeine.

It will not give you a sudden lift. But that may not always be what you actually need.

2. Caffeine-free cola

Caffeine-free cola is not a perfect health drink, but as a transitional step while cutting energy drinks it is entirely usable.

You keep:

• the sweet taste,
• the fizz,
• the cold drink experience,
• the familiar soft-drink feeling.

Meanwhile you are not adding more caffeine to your day.

It is always worth checking the label, because most regular and sugar-free colas do contain caffeine. A drink being “zero” does not automatically make it caffeine-free.

This can be a particularly good option for anyone who does not want to give up everything at once. You take the caffeine out of the familiar drink first, and deal with the taste and the fizz later.

3. Caffeine-free iced tea

Many shop-bought iced teas do contain caffeine, since they are made from black or green tea. Caffeine-free and fruit-tea-based versions exist too, though.

It is easy to make at home:

1. brew a stronger fruit tea,
2. let it cool,
3. add ice,
4. flavour it with lemon,
5. add a little sweetener if you need to.

That gives you a cold, flavoured drink you can sip all afternoon.

This suits people who find water too boring but do not like fizzy drinks either.

4. Decaf coffee

If you like the taste of coffee while cutting back on energy drinks, decaf can be a good compromise.

It works hot and iced. With milk, ice or a little flavouring it becomes a drink in its own right, rather than feeling like you just had a weaker coffee.

Note that decaf coffee is not necessarily entirely caffeine-free, but it generally contains far less than the regular version.

It can be useful if:

• what you miss in the morning is the routine of a caffeinated drink,
• you want a drink break during work,
• you would replace the energy drink with something hot,
• you do not want another large dose of caffeine.

5. A smaller coffee as a transitional step

Switching to coffee is not the same as giving up caffeine.

It can still be useful if you want to taper gradually and control the amount more precisely.

Instead of a 500 ml energy drink a day, for example, you can have a smaller coffee. Later you can reduce the size, make it weaker, or switch partly to decaf.

The key is to check the actual caffeine content. A large coffee, or one made from several espresso shots, can contain as much caffeine as the energy drink you replaced — or more.

According to EFSA, a total daily intake of up to 400 mg of caffeine from all sources generally raises no safety concern for healthy adults. That is not a target, and individual sensitivity can be considerably lower.

6. Black or green tea

Tea contains caffeine too, so it is not a caffeine-free solution.

It is generally easier to reduce in small steps with, though — particularly if you make it weaker, brew it for less time, or have a smaller cup.

It can be a good transitional alternative:

• in place of a morning energy drink,
• for afternoon work,
• when you do not want to drop caffeine entirely yet,
• if you want something warmer that you drink more slowly.

According to EFSA, caffeine occurs naturally in tea leaves, coffee beans, cocoa, guarana and kola nuts, among others.

So tea counts towards your daily total too.

7. Fruit tea

Fruit tea is usually caffeine-free, though it is worth checking the packaging for that too.

It works hot and cold, and there is a huge range of flavours. That matters, because not everyone wants to drink lemon water for the rest of their life.

You can make it:

• brewed stronger,
• chilled,
• topped up with sparkling water,
• with lemon,
• with mint,
• with frozen fruit.

The goal is not to pick the most boring drink possible, but to find something you are genuinely willing to have instead of buying an energy drink.

8. Flavoured water

Many people do not drink much water because they consciously avoid it, but simply because they do not fancy a drink with no taste.

That is easy to change.

You can add to water:

• lemon,
• lime,
• cucumber,
• mint,
• orange,
• frozen berries,
• a sugar-free flavouring.

Adequate hydration does not replace sleep on its own, and it will not end caffeine withdrawal immediately. Drinking too little, however, can go hand in hand with tiredness, headaches and worse concentration. That is why the NHS includes adequate fluid intake in its general advice for dealing with tiredness.

In other words, sometimes what you need is not another stimulant but simply fluid.

9. Sugar-free lemonade

A cold, sharp lemonade can be a good alternative for anyone who misses the intense taste of an energy drink.

A simple version:

• cold water or sparkling water,
• fresh lemon juice,
• plenty of ice,
• a little sugar or sweetener,
• mint, optionally.

It works particularly well in summer or after training.

Its advantage is not that it gives you some special energy. It is that you do not feel like you are drinking something as a punishment for giving up the energy drink.

10. Sugar-free electrolyte drink

For harder training, prolonged sweating or hot weather, a drink containing electrolytes can be a more useful choice than another energy drink.

On ordinary days, though, most people do not need a constant supply of sports drinks or electrolyte powder. They are not general energy boosters, and some versions contain a lot of sugar or sodium.

They make sense if:

• you do longer, intense training,
• you sweat a lot,
• you work or train in hot weather,
• you are losing both fluid and salts.

For an afternoon slump at a desk, though, a lack of electrolytes is probably not the leading explanation.

11. Protein shake or drinking yoghurt

Sometimes we reach for an energy drink because we feel tired, when actually we simply have not eaten for hours.

An energy drink can temporarily suppress the tiredness, but it does not make up for the meal you skipped.

A protein shake, drinking yoghurt or a simple smoothie can be the better choice if:

• you skipped breakfast,
• you have just trained,
• a long time has passed since your last meal,
• you would eat something alongside the energy drink anyway.

It does not have to be an elaborate “super drink”.

A simple version could be:

• milk or lactose-free milk,
• plain yoghurt,
• a banana,
• a little oat flakes.

That contains nutrients which genuinely provide energy, rather than only stimulating a tired body.

12. A glass of cold water and something to eat

This is less exciting, but in many cases it is what is actually needed.

If your energy suddenly disappears in the afternoon, think through:

• when you last ate,
• how much you have drunk,
• how much you slept,
• whether you have been sitting in one place for hours.

First drink a large glass of water, then eat something simple:

• fruit,
• yoghurt,
• a sandwich,
• porridge,
• eggs,
• a handful of nuts,
• or your next proper meal.

Then wait ten to fifteen minutes.

You may find the energy drink no longer feels urgent.

13. Gum or a mint

This does not sound like an energy drink substitute at first, yet in certain situations it works well.

If what you mostly miss while driving, working or gaming is having a taste in your mouth, a strong mint gum can interrupt the automatic urge.

It will not make you more rested, of course.

But it can help through the ten to twenty minutes when the craving suddenly hits and you would instinctively go and buy a can.

Often it is enough simply not to act on the first impulse.

14. A short walk and a cold drink

Not every energy drink craving is solved with another drink.

If you have been sitting in front of a monitor for hours, five to ten minutes of movement may do more for the dullness than drinking another caffeinated drink in the same chair.

Try this:

1. stand up,
2. go outside for five to ten minutes,
3. take a short walk,
4. drink cold water or another caffeine-free drink while you do,
5. and only then decide whether you still need the energy drink.

This is not a motivational trick. It simply breaks the situation in which you would automatically reach for an energy drink.

Persistent or severe tiredness can of course also come from a lack of sleep or a health problem. According to the CDC, fatigue is often a response to inadequate sleep, or to sustained physical or mental exertion.

15. The same drink in its caffeine-free version

Often you do not need to invent a completely new habit.

It is enough to keep the shape of the drink and take the caffeine out of it.

For example:

• caffeine-free cola instead of regular cola,
• decaf instead of coffee,
• fruit tea instead of black iced tea,
• a similarly flavoured caffeine-free soft drink instead of an energy drink,
• a caffeine-free water flavouring instead of a caffeinated one.

This works because the rest of the habit stays intact.

You still have a cold drink. You can still open a can. You can still take a short break.

You are only starting to reduce the caffeine.

What to have instead of a morning energy drink

The morning energy drink is often not only about tiredness. A whole routine is attached to it.

You wake up, get dressed, set off, and open the first can.

As a first step you do not necessarily have to drop that routine entirely. It can be enough to:

• choose a smaller size,
• switch to a weaker tea,
• have a smaller coffee,
• postpone the energy drink until after breakfast,
• or choose a caffeine-free drink every other day.

Most importantly, do not quietly increase your total caffeine. A large coffee introduced alongside the energy drink is not a reduction — it is another source of caffeine.

What to have for the afternoon slump

In the afternoon, the first thing to work out is whether you actually need caffeine.

Try running through this order:

1. drink a large glass of water,
2. eat, if you have not eaten for hours,
3. go outside for ten minutes,
4. wait another ten to fifteen minutes,
5. and only then decide about caffeine.

If you still want a caffeinated drink, a smaller tea or coffee is an easier-to-dose transitional solution.

It is worth being careful with caffeine late in the day, though. According to EFSA, as little as 100 mg of caffeine may affect the duration and pattern of some adults’ sleep, particularly when consumed close to bedtime.

It is easy to end up in the loop of drinking caffeine in the afternoon because you are tired, sleeping worse because of it, and needing even more caffeine the next day.

What to have while driving

Plenty of people do not drink energy drinks while driving only for the caffeine. The cold drink, the sipping and the strong taste all help occupy them.

Here, what can work is:

• cold sparkling water,
• caffeine-free cola,
• strong mint gum,
• iced fruit tea,
• a short break and a walk.

It is important, though, that no drink makes drowsy driving safe.

Caffeine can temporarily reduce the feeling of drowsiness, but it does not remove a lack of sleep.

What to have while gaming

While gaming, the can itself and the constant sipping often become part of the routine.

Good alternatives here are:

• canned sparkling water,
• caffeine-free cola,
• iced caffeine-free tea,
• sugar-free lemonade,
• gum,
• a large bottle filled in advance.

The important part is that the alternative is already there when you sit down to play.

If you only start thinking about it once you already want an energy drink, it is far easier to simply grab or order one.

What to have before training

Not everyone needs caffeine before training.

A proper meal, adequate hydration and good sleep often matter more than another stimulant.

Before training you can use:

• water,
• lightly flavoured water,
• a sugar-free electrolyte drink for longer, sweaty sessions,
• a banana or a small meal,
• a smaller coffee or tea, if you deliberately want to keep some caffeine.

Watch out that you do not automatically swap the energy drink for a strong pre-workout. Some pre-workout products contain significant amounts of caffeine, so you can easily end up consuming even more.

Do not chase a perfect copy of the energy drink

There is probably no caffeine-free drink that gives you exactly what your usual energy drink does.

That is fine.

The goal is not necessarily to find something that matches it perfectly in taste, effect and experience.

The goal is to have an alternative that is good enough in that particular situation for you not to reach for the energy drink automatically.

You may need several different solutions:

• a smaller coffee in the morning,
• water and food in the afternoon,
• caffeine-free cola for gaming,
• sparkling water and gum for driving,
• and iced fruit tea in the evening.

That is usually far more realistic than forcing the same drink into every situation.

If you want to cut the caffeine, do it gradually

For anyone who drinks energy drinks regularly, stopping abruptly can cause headaches, fatigue, irritability or difficulty concentrating.

That is why the FDA recommends a gradual reduction for regular caffeine consumers.

A simple transition might look like this:

Step one

Swap the second energy drink of the day for a caffeine-free drink.

Step two

Swap the remaining 500 ml can for a smaller size.

Step three

On some days, switch to tea or a smaller coffee.

Step four

Replace some of your caffeinated drinks with caffeine-free versions.

Step five

Build in completely energy-drink-free days.

You do not have to get through all the steps in two weeks. The right pace is the one you can actually hold.

So what is the best energy drink substitute?

There is no answer that works equally well for everyone.

If you miss the caffeine

• a smaller coffee,
• black tea,
• green tea,
• then gradually a weaker or caffeine-free version.

If you miss the fizz

• sparkling water,
• caffeine-free cola,
• sugar-free lemonade.

If you miss the taste

• flavoured water,
• iced fruit tea,
• a caffeine-free soft drink.

If you miss the energy

• sleep,
• proper meals,
• fluid,
• a bit of movement,
• and some thought about why you are constantly tired.

If you miss the habit itself

• have another drink ready in advance,
• keep a similar break,
• use a can or bottle alternative,
• and change the situation the energy drink was attached to.

In short

You do not necessarily need to find another “miracle drink” to replace an energy drink.

It is often enough to treat these separately:

• the caffeine,
• the taste,
• the fizz,
• the tiredness,
• and the habit itself.

The best alternative is one you genuinely enjoy drinking, and which helps bring your total caffeine intake down.

That might be sparkling water, caffeine-free cola, iced fruit tea, a smaller coffee, lemonade — or simply a proper meal.

You do not have to choose perfectly overnight.

It is already real progress if once a day you do not reach for the energy drink automatically.