Homemade Energy Drinks

Customize your kicks by creating your own drinks

Energy drink lovers must feel like kids in a candy store, as there are literally hundreds of pre-made and pre-packaged brands on the market. However, some people aren’t satisfied with this selection and are coming up with their own energy drink concoctions at home. This is especially true for those who consume energy drinks regularly for a specific purpose – such as athletes before a big game. At roughly $3 a can, a weekly supply of energy drinks can cost you a small fortune!

If you’re making your own version of rocket fuel at home you’ll need to know which ingredients will give you the desired effect. There are a lot of ingredients to choose from, but typically most energy drinks start out with carbonated water, citric acid and corn syrup. A unique taste is usually created by adding ingredients like sodium, fruit juices, niacin, sucrose, fructose, phosphate, riboflavin, dextrose, sodium benzoate, potassium chloride, sodium citrate and gum Arabic. The high you’re after can be harnessed with ingredients like caffeine, taurine, guarana, gingko, sugar, vitamins, inositol, carnitine, ginseng, green tea or milk thistle.

As you can probably tell, the combinations are pretty endless. These substances will also give your homemade brew its flavor, so if you don’t want to drink something you’ll gag on, you’ll probably need to do some experimenting.

Once you understand what affect each ingredient has on your body, and decide on the flavor you want, it’ll be a lot easier to mix your own energy drink. Keep in mind that substances such as caffeine can do serious damage to your system, and if you consume too much on a regular basis they can also be addictive. Make sure you do your homework well and take it easy on the harmful ingredients – like caffeine, sugar, glucose, taurine and guarana – when creating your own form of energy drink. Some people are even adding alcohol to their homemade drinks for an extra kick.

If you’re trying to make a healthier version of an energy drink, you might want to stay away from or cut down on the caffeine and sugar. You might not get the same buzz, but it’ll probably be better for your body. When you can stick with natural and herbal stimulants like green tea and ginseng, however, keep in mind that even herbs can be dangerous when taken in high dosages. These homemade drinks may not give you the instant and intense surge of energy that commercial drinks do, but they can help provide you with a more functional, and a more economical, type of energy.

Among the most popular and better-tasting homemade energy drinks are protein shakes. This type of drink is more suited to an athlete or weightlifter who’s looking to replenish their body after working out, rather than someone who’s looking for a quick buzz. All you really need to make a protein shake is skim milk or water mixed with a few scoops of protein (or whey) powder. Your favorite types of fresh fruit, fruit juice and yogurt can be added for flavoring.