Checking labels to read what is inside was our number one goal when selecting the best products, but some of the big names like 5 Hour Energy and Monster live in the front of the lineup for a good reason. When looking for a product that is going to be work for you, the bigger brands may not always be the best option. These companies are trying to market to a much wider audience, so they pack their formulas with ingredients that are going to work for everyone. That isn’t a bad thing, but it may not be ideal for your very specific needs. If you are looking for something that will, for instance, bolster your metabolism to help you shed some extra pounds for the summer, the product offered from Celsius is going to be a better option for your needs over Monster. When we were compiling our list, we made sure to select products that were going to work for everyone’s specific needs, and not just a general audience. Buying from household names will guarantee that the product is going to taste good and give you a jolt, but smaller companies tend to offer you more unique ingredients- such as flax seed oil- that you many not find anywhere else. Our biggest piece of advice that we can give you is to look at the back of the can before you look at the front!

One of the biggest questions that people ask when trying to find the best option for them is how it compares to a cup of coffee. Some products will give you a direct comparison to how to slacks up against your standard cup of coffee, and others only tell you how many milligrams are in each can. We have broken down the different levels so that you can get a better understanding of exactly what you are putting inside of your body.

Mild options: The milder options typically have between 0-80 milligrams. We know what you are thinking- how can 0 milligrams of caffeine possibly wake me up in the morning? For that, you must look closer at the label. While it may not have any caffeine listed in the ingredients, it offers other substances that are going to help wake you up sans the possible jitters. Ingredients such as ginseng provide users with a natural source of focus and clarity. While it isn’t going to give you the same rush as pounding a shot of espresso, the effects are going to be a little more mild. This is the perfect pairing for someone that is a little sensitive to caffeine, but still needs a little help waking up in the morning. Plus, you aren’t going to have the same type of crash that you would later morning after your coffee wears off!

Moderate options: Moderate options measure to be between 80-120 milligrams per serving. To put this into perspective- your standard cup of coffee clocks in at about 95 milligrams. Therefore, an 80 milligram option (which we found to be the most common) is going to give you just a little bit less than a cup of coffee. This may seem less than ideal, but keep in mind that it is more than likely packed with other vitamins and minerals that will keep you awake. Those that measure to be about 120 milligrams are going to be slightly higher than your standard cup of coffee. But let’s face it- who can stop at just one cup of coffee in the morning?

Intense options: You had one too many margaritas at dinner, and now you are faced with a morning of meetings and office chit chat. In those instances, you are probably going to reach for something pretty intense. Sure, you could fill up a bucket with a full pot of coffee, but that it going to take forever to drink! Some of the more intense options clock in at 120-200 milligrams per serving, with the addition of vitamins and minerals to really kick it into gear. This is the equivalent of around 2 cups of coffee, and it is typically delivered in cans that are 12-24 ounces.

We spent quite some time combing over the fine print in may ingredient and nutritional labels to ensure that each product that we selected for our list was packed with things that you could actually pronounce. We were drawn to products that had labels that promoted cane sugar, non GMO, and vegan options. Below, we go into a little more detail on why selecting these types of products can be important to your health and overall well being.

Cane sugar: In a perfect world, we would be able to ditch the sugar altogether. In a perfect world, brussel sprouts would taste like jelly beans and quinoa would taste like bacon. However, we do not live in a perfect world, and sometimes you just want to treat yourself with a little sugar. For products that did add sugar to their formula, we tried to stick to those that only used cane sugar instead of granulated sugar or syrups. So, why is cane sugar so much better? The simple answer to this is that it is minimally processed. The more you tinker with your food, the worse it is for you. Take the humble potato for example. Raw and untouched, it isn’t all that bad for you. Cut that same potato up and fry it in a pan- and suddenly it is considered to be terribly unhealthy. The same principles apply to sugar. Cane sugar is ideal because it still has traces of the plant in which is was derived, so it is going to be less sweet and have a lot of the nutrients and minerals still intact.

Non GMO: It’s something that you see a lot, but do you know what it really means? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Food. It is a little controversial, because some people feel that it is perfectly fine practice, while others feel that it has deeper environmental and health implications. While we here are far from scientists, we are still drawn to non GMO because we like to keep things simple!

Vegan: For some, vegan products are a must, and we like the idea of consuming beverages that don’t involve the use of animal products. When it comes to these types of beverages, there really is no reason for using any dairy or meat products, so this was a label that we were more than happy to find on most of these brands.

During our research, we discovered that there were far more types and styles that your standard carbonated soda-substitute. If you are expecting a beverage that is going to have the same consistency as your basic soda, you are in for a surprise! We have categorized the different types and suggestions on what you can do to really switch up your tired old coffee routine!

Non-carbonated: Many of the healthier options out there on the market don’t bother with the bubbles. V8+ is a great example of this. Bubbles have a tendency to upset stomachs in some, especially so early in the morning. These options are going to be your best ingredient if you want to whip up an incredibly healthy morning smoothie that you can take with you to work, or take before your early morning workout to get you a little boost with your fruit and veggies. 5 Hour Energy is another great non carbonated option that is going to turn your basic morning smoothie into something that is really going to get your moving.

Lightly carbonated: If you worry about bubbles so early in the morning, but you like the idea- this is going to be your best bet. We have read from many users that lightly carbonated options remind them of an open 2 liter of soda that is approaching day 2. The bubbles are going to be small, but it will still be something that is going to taste light and refreshing.

Carbonated: Products such as Monster are going to provide you full on carbonation that ranks right up there with your favorite soda. These options are not going to be the best for morning smoothies because of the high carbonation, but they are light and refreshing enough to drink on their own.

We wanted to ensure that we selected ingredients that were going to work well not only for your busy lifestyle, but also that is going to help promote a sense of wellbeing overall, and that could potentially be a beneficial pre-workout drink before heading to the treadmills at the gym. There were a few big standouts in the ingredients department that we made sure that we included in almost all of the beverages that we selected.

Vitamin B6: Why is this one of the most important vitamins in these beverages? It is because this vitamin is brain food. This ingredient is going to be one of the key components in keeping in starting your day off as sharp as a tack. Plus, in some studies it has been shown to possibly improve your mood and reduce the symptoms of depression.

Vitamin B12: This is another great inclusion, because this is a vitamin that your body cannot produce on it’s own- it is derived generally from food sources, but in this case it is found in your beverages. Just like B6, it has been noted to improve your mood, and can lessen the symptoms of depression. Plus, it is going to help bolster the neutrons in your brain which is going to help keep your memory sharp and your brain focused.

Vitamin C: This is a vitamin that needs no formal introduction. Due to the fact this this essential vitamin can only be found in the foods that you eat (and is not produced by your body), it means that you are going to want to get your hands on it whenever you can. It is packed with antioxidants that are going the help your body be well equipped to fight of chronic illnesses and infections that are trying to break through your defenses. Some lesser known benefits about this vitamin include reducing memory loss, as well as lowering your blood pressure.

Ginseng: This is another one of those ingredients that is going to play well off of vitamins B6, B12, and C, because it also helps to improve your general brain function. However, it has a few other benefits that you aren’t going to find in your basic vitamins. This ingredient is going to provide you with more general get up and go without the use of old fashioned caffeine. Users often find that the added boost of power is a little longer lasting than caffeine, and it doesn’t cause users to crash as hard. If you have your eye on a specific drink that doesn’t quite have the high levels of caffeine that you would like, it’s important that you don’t count it out if you find that it has ginseng!