Celsius has created quite a hype because of its clean and healthy energy formula. Since it has become the new favorite for many, it’s natural to compare it with one of the most popular energy drinks around the globe.
Red Bull has been in the energy drink industry for a while now. The classic taste and energy boost of Red Bull are hard to beat.
With so many options out there, trying out new energy drinks can be a bit overwhelming.
Therefore, I have put two of the popular energy drinks in the industry right now head-to-head to help you figure out which will work the best for you.
Celsius Energy drink comes in five different versions, each formulated to meet a specific energy and fitness goal. In this article, we will be focusing on Celsius Original.
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Ingredients
Let’s start by comparing the ingredients in each of these energy drinks
Celsius
Celsius Original is comprised of the following ingredients:
- Caffeine
- Taurine
- Guarana Extract
- Glucuronolactone
- Ginger Extract
- Natural Wild Berry Flavor
- Green Tea
- Citric Acid
- Silicon Dioxide
- Cherry Red Powder (Color)
- Erythritol
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Sucralose
- Beet Root Powder (Color)
Red Bull
Red Bull contains the following blend of ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Citric Acid
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Niacinamide
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Natural and Artificial Tones & Flavors
Nutrition Facts
The following table shows head to head comparison of the nutrition facts of Red Bull and Celsius:
| Nutrients | Celsius (per 12 fl.oz) | Red Bull (per 12 fl.oz) |
| Energy | 10 calories | 160 calories |
| Protein | – | 0g |
| Fat (Of Which Saturated) | 0g (0g) | 0g (0g) |
| Carbohydrates (Of Which Sugars) | 2g (0g) | 40g (37g) |
| Sodium | 0g | 150mg |
| Caffeine | 200mg | 114mg |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 1.7mg (131% of DV) | – |
| Vitamin B3 (niacin) | 20mg (125% of DV) | 120% of Daily Value (DV) |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 10mg (200% of DV) | 70% of DV |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) | 2mg (118% of DV) | 350% of DV |
| Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) | 6μg (250% of DV) | 120% of DV |
| Vitamin C | 60mg (67% of DV) | – |
| Calcium | 50mg | – |
| Chromium | 50μg | – |
| Biotin | 300μg | – |
Celsius vs. Red Bull: Caffeine Content
A 12 fl. oz can of Celsius Original contains 200mg of caffeine, while a 12 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 114mg of caffeine.
Caffeine plays an essential role in the energy boost you feel when you consume an energy drink. It’s one of the main components that help elevate your energy levels and makes you feel active.
Caffeine works by blocking the adenosine receptors thus promoting wakefulness and a better mood. However, there’s a downside to excess caffeine consumption.
Excess caffeine can result in anxiety, jitters, and severe headache. In some severe cases, it has also resulted in insomnia, high blood pressure, and muscle breakdown.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a daily caffeine intake of 400mg.
If your body is used to handling high caffeine intake then both the drinks will work fine for you, but if you’re sensitive to caffeine, the caffeine content in Celsius might result in some side effects.
Check this video to learn more about how caffeine affects your brain:
Celsius vs. Red Bull: Sugar Content
A 12 fl. oz can of Celsius Original contains zero sugar, whereas a 12 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 37g of sugar.
Due to the high sugar content, Red Bull provides a quick and effective energy boost, but this can cost you your health in the long run.
Sugar is one of the main reasons for obesity. The excess increase in blood glucose levels puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes and various heart and kidney diseases.
Celsius Energy drink provides a relatively healthy energy boost with zero sugar in its formula.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a daily sugar intake of 24 and 36g for women and men, respectively.
When consuming Red Bull, you’ll need to eliminate all other sources of sugar intake to ensure minimum health risks. This can be quite difficult to do.
While with Celsius Original, you can enjoy your energy rush without having to worry about your health.
Celsius vs. Red Bull: Flavors
Celsius Original is available in a wide range of flavors, some of which are:
- Sparkling Strawberry Guava
- Sparkling Peach Vibe
- Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear
- Sparkling Orange
- Sparkling Kiwi Guava
- Sparkling Wild Berry
- Sparkling Watermelon
- Sparkling Grape Rush
- Sparkling Cola
Red Bull comes in the following range of flavors:
- Original (amber)
- Sugar-free
- Total Zero
- Red
- Ruby/Red
- Blue
- Orange Sugar-free (orange)
- Yellow/Tropical Sugar-free (tropical)
- Pear Sugar-Free
- Lime Sugar-Free
- Purple/Acai Sugar-Free
- Purple/Acai
- Lime (lime-lemon)
- Yellow/Tropical
- Orange/Mandarin
- Green/Kiwi
- White/Coconut
- Peach
- Winter Edition (plum-cinnamon)
- Summer Edition (beach breeze)
Active Ingredients
The effectiveness and intensity of an energy drink depend on its blend of active ingredients.
Let’s get into the main energy-boosting ingredients of both Red Bull and Celsius Original.
Celsius
The energy formula of the Celsius energy drink is called the MetaPlus blend. It’s a proprietary blend consisting of ingredients that promote thermogenesis.
The following table shows the components of the MetaPlus blend along with their functions:
| Ingredients | Function |
| Taurine | Boosts exercise performance and helps fight fatigue |
| Guarana Extract | Enhances physical performance and improves brain function |
| Glucuronolactone | Improves alertness and enhances energy levels |
| Ginger Extract | Helps fight oxidative stress and promotes thermogenesis |
| Green Tea Leaf Extract | Helps with weight loss by increasing the rate of calorie burn |
Other ingredients of Celsius include essential vitamins and chromium. These components elevate your overall body performance and help your body perform at its best.
Red Bull
The energy formula of Red Bull is quite simple. It’s comprised of caffeine, taurine, and essential vitamins.
When caffeine is mixed with taurine, the effects of caffeine on the body multiply resulting in an effective and long-term energy boost.
Taurine is an amino acid that helps improve the physical performance of the body. It speeds up the muscle recovery process post-workout and delays exhaustion.
Essential vitamins are important for the proper functioning of the body. B-Vitamins contribute to better energy production and brain function.
Is Red Bull Stronger Than Celsius?
Since Celsius contains more caffeine than Red Bull, Celsius is a stronger energy drink than Red Bull.
Celsius market itself as a fitness energy drink and therefore contains zero sugar. While 37g of sugar in a 12 fl. oz can of Red Bull contributes to its effective energy boost, Celsius contains ingredients like ginger and guarana extract that elevate the energy levels.
Even though Celsius has a high caffeine content resulting in a strong energy boost, more caffeine isn’t always a good thing.
Excess caffeine consumption can result in various side effects, especially if you are caffeine sensitive.
Is Celsius A Better Energy Drink Than Red Bull?
Based on the sugar content and other active ingredients, it can be said that Celsius Original is a better energy drink than Red Bull.
Red Bull contains a whopping 37g of sugar per 12 fl. oz of serving. This high amount of sugar can result in various health issues. One of the major risks of constant consumption of sugar is type 2 diabetes.
Celsius Original is sugar-free and contains no preservatives or artificial colors. It’s based on ingredients that promote thermogenesis. When combined with regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle, Celsius can help ease the weight loss process.
Is Celsius The Same As Red Bull?
No, Celsius isn’t the same as Red Bull.
Celsius is a fitness energy drink, containing zero sugar and no preservative or artificial colors. The drink is packed with essential vitamins and minerals to elevate your energy experience.
Drinking Celsius before a workout session will help increase the rate of calorie burn resulting in effective weight loss.
Red Bull contains 114g of caffeine, 37g of sugar, and taurine. It is a great source of effective energy boost that helps you get through the day. If you’re skeptical about the high sugar content, you can switch to the sugar-free version of Red Bull.
Benefits of Celsius
With moderate consumption, Celsius Original can help:
- Elevate energy levels
- Improve muscle strength and delay exhaustion
- Boost brain function and focus
- Promote weight loss by thermogenesis
- Improve the overall body performance
Benefits of Red Bull
Red Bull is one of the most popular brands of energy drinks around the globe. Here are some of the benefits you can get by drinking Red Bull. But remember, moderate consumption is essential.
- Clears mental fog and improves alertness
- Improves physical and mental strength
- Helps fight fatigue
- Increases energy production
Side Effects of Celsius
Celsius Original is based on clinically approved ingredients, but it still requires limited consumption as it contains a high amount of caffeine.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, Celsius can result in side effects, like:
- Severe headache
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Muscle breakdown
- Anxiety and jitters
- Restlessness
If you experience any of the above-mentioned side effects, either lower your consumption of Celsius Energy drink or switch to something that contains less caffeine.
Since Celsius has a high caffeine content as compared to Red Bull. This means there are more chances of experiencing a caffeine crash or other related side effects with Celsius than with Red Bull.
Side Effects of Red Bull
Even though Red Bull can result in better mental and physical performance, the high sugar content of the drink can be quite dangerous for your health.
Consuming energy drinks with high sugar content often results in a sugar crash. A sugar crash occurs when your body experiences a sudden drop in energy levels as the effects of sugar wear out. This results in fatigue, irregular heartbeat, and irritability.
Other side effects of high sugar consumption include:
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- Risk of heart and kidney diseases
- Risk of type 2 diabetes
Final Thoughts
Which drinks work for you the best depends on various factors like your energy needs, lifestyle, and your caffeine tolerance.
Celsius Energy drink contains thermogenic ingredients that enhance the productivity of your workouts. Red Bull, on the other hand, is a great energy source to help you with your everyday hustle.
If you can tolerate high amounts of caffeine, then a Celsius Energy drink is the right option. While Red Bull is suitable for those who can’t handle caffeine that well.
The sugar content in Red Bull is also a deciding factor. Since sugar is linked with various health problems, I am personally inclined towards Celsius Energy drink because it contains zero sugar.
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