Red Bull, Monster, Campa are not energy drinks, says FSSAI: So which is a safe beverage?

Red Bull Energy Drink, PepsiCo's Adrenaline Rush Energy Drink, Reliance Consumer Products' 'Campa Energy Drink- Gold Boost', Sting Energy Drink, Hell Energy and Coca-Cola-backed Monster Energy - these aren't what they claim to be, says the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The food regulator recently issued notices to six beverage companies for misleading claims and misbranding their products as energy drinks, saying they haven't met any standards for the energy drink category. They are given 90 days to remove the claim from their products and arrange new packaging material.

"Functional or therapeutic claims, including but not limited to 'vitalises body and mind', 'enhancing focus', 'boost energy levels', 'aid in general weakness', or similar conditions, are not permissible for food products under the FSS Act 2006 and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder," said FSSAI.

The officially recognised energy drinks
As per reports, India doesn't have any officially recognised 'energy drinks'. In the UK, high-caffeine drinks, which are considered energy drinks in many countries, will be banned for under-16s from next year. In countries like Pakistan, they are often re-labelled as 'stimulant drinks' rather than energy drinks. According to the National Institutes of Health, an energy drink should be a non-alcoholic, stimulant-based functional beverage designed to improve alertness, concentration, and endurance. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, they are not sports drinks or regular coffee either.

Meanwhile, the drinks that we can traditionally depend on for nutrition and rejuvenation are the healthy, simple ones that many Indian households always had - buttermilk and rice water.

According to Minu Marian Jose, Clinical dietitian at the Mar Sleeva Medicity, Palai, they have a healthy mix of good carbs and proteins. "For instance, one cup of buttermilk has about 15 gms of carbs and 7 gms of protein. It can be a good pick for rejuvenation. Coconut water also has nutritional properties that can restore our energies," she explains.