What's in red bull and how (un) healthy is it?
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Red Bull gives you wings - you undoubtedly know that commercial. Red Bull is therefore one of the most popular energy drinks in the Netherlands at the moment. It has taken off in particular among young people: they sometimes even drink several cans a day. However, some athletes also like to drink some of it now and then. It may seem like easy energy, but that convenience comes at a price.
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Red Bull is a lot worse for you than that nice advertisement suggests. What exactly is the problem with these and other energy drinks? And are there alternatives that you could make better use of? We will discuss this in today's blog!
Why is Red Bull so popular?
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It is no wonder that many people enjoy enjoying one or more cans of Red Bull every day. There are not many faster and easier ways to give yourself a good shot of energy in one go.
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu -
45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade -
30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
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After drinking a portion of Red Bull you soon have the feeling that you can handle the whole world a lot easier. Ideal if you have had a bad night's sleep, as is sometimes the case for many teenagers. But Red Bull is also sometimes drunk before a workout. This way you can continue for longer while exercising and ultimately achieve more results. Sounds great, doesn't it?
What's in Red Bull?
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Unfortunately it is not as perfect as you might think at first glance. Red Bull may be an effective shot of energy, but it is certainly not healthy. In fact, the drink is just a cocktail of enormous amounts of stimulants.
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It contains caffeine, about the same amount as in a large mug of coffee. In addition, Red Bull contains per can a large scoop of sugar and the stimulating substance taurine, in about six times the recommended dose. All these substances are effective, but also have unpleasant side effects in large quantities. And in Red Bull there are certainly quantities that can ensure that.
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake -
20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat -
40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce -
15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
How much sugar in Red Bull?
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Of course we all know that sugar is not very healthy. This is especially true for the quantities that you find in Red Bull: about eight sugar cubes per can. To begin with, this not only causes a huge energy peak, but also a huge energy crash. So in the long run, you will only feel more tired.
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In addition, this enormous dose of sugars contributes to, for example, chronic inflammation and the development of obesity. Finally, of course, it is just really bad for your teeth. Sugar also has a nasty side effect, you can quickly eat too much of it without feeling satisfied.
Caffeine in Red Bull
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Caffeine has a fairly harmless image in most people. After all, we mainly know it from coffee, which most of us drink regularly. Still, caffeine in large amounts can have unpleasant consequences.
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20 minMain dishTasty vine tomato, (olive oil, fresh basil, onion, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, zucchini spaghetti, pumpkin spaghetti, mini buffalo mozzarella,lukewarm pumpkin and zucchini spaghetti -
15 minSide dishtraditional olive oil, curry powder, wheat flour, coconut milk, sambal oelek, chicken broth tablet, water, fresh mango,curry sauce with mango -
30 minMain dishtraditional olive oil, lean ground beef, frozen Mexican wok vegetables, salsa sauce mild, taco shell, grated young cheese, creme fraiche,Mexican vegetable in tacos -
95 minMain dishmaize chicken, lemon, coarse sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, zucchini, tomatoes (small to), black olives without pit,provençal chicken with zucchini and tomatoes
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Too much caffeine can cause nasty mental side effects. Think, for example, of insomnia, but also, for example, of fear and feelings of panic. This will not happen with just one can of Red Bull, but whoever drinks several in a row is certainly at risk.
Taurine in Red Bull
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The last important ingredient in Red Bull and other energy drinks is taurine. It's also in pre-workouts, which is why some athletes use Red Bull for training. Again, however, large amounts produce all kinds of unpleasant side effects.
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25 minSmall dishflour, frozen puff pastry, egg, milk, walnut, mature cheese, paprika, dried Provençal herbs,puff pastry-sticks -
20 minSide dishEggs, lettuce, parsley, olive oil (extra virgin), tarragon vinegar, salt and freshly ground pepper,lettuce with egg dressing -
15 minSmall dishbaking flour, peanut oil, flat leaf parsley,ar'nabit mi'li -
15 minAppetizerScottish salmon fillet, butter or margarine, fresh dill, creme fraiche, dry white wine, arugula lettuce melange, pan tostado,baked salmon with white-wine sauce
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Taurine taurine increases the acid production in your stomach. If you already have a sensitive digestive system, it can be an extra burden. Finally, it affects your heart and blood vessels. Too much taurine thins your blood, which can be dangerous for some people. In addition, in high doses it can lead to cardiac arrhythmias by affecting the electrolytes that control your heart.
Bull sperm or bull piss in Red Bull?
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And about that taurine: many people believe that this stuff is obtained from bull urine or â € “semen. Indeed, it is true that taurine is found there - its name even comes from taurus, meaning bull. However, this does not mean that taurine can only be obtained from live animals!
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The ingredient is simply produced artificially in a laboratory for Red Bull. In this way, no bulls need to be involved and Red Bull can control the quality better. So there are plenty of reasons not to drink Red Bull, but concerns about muscle sperm don't fall into that category.
How unhealthy is Red Bull?
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But how bad is the combination of those substances together? In principle, the caffeine is not the problem: one can of Red Bull does not contain dangerous amounts. The same goes for small amounts of taurine. However, the sugar is already very unhealthy with one serving of energy drink: you really just want to avoid consuming so much, especially through your drink.
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It simply makes you gain weight very quickly, and it is bad for the regulation of your blood sugar. In addition, many people drink a lot of Red Bull. With several cans a day, the side effects of caffeine and taurine also become noticeable.
Addicted to Red Bull
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All in all, Red Bull is bad for your digestion, your heart and blood vessels, your mental rest and your weight. Reason enough to ignore it, in other words! Yet many people continue to drink it, even though they are all too aware of the ill effects of the drink. The reason is that Red Bull can be very addictive.
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25 minMain dishbalsamic vinegar, garlic, steak, Spaghetti, traditional olive oil, fresh green olive tapenade, arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano,spaghetti with steak and arugula -
15 minAppetizerfennel bulb, arugula, red pointed pepper, black agnus carpaccio (a 100 grams), capers,black angus carpaccio with fennel -
35 minMain dishsweet potatoes, salad onion, garlic, cooking dairy, grated cheese for vegetable gratin, almond shavings, peanut oil, breaded schnitzels, Broccoli,crispy schnitzel with sweet potato gratin and broccoli -
30 minMain disholive oil, onion, tomato, risotto rice, laurel leaf, thyme, saffron, turmeric, fish stock of 1 tablet, mixed seafood, mixed whitefish fillet, mussel, lemon,fish paella from the oven
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After all, after that energy peak, a trough soon follows, and the best way to solve that is… right, another can. Over time, the caffeine has less and less effect. So you need more and more Red Bull for the same effect, so you will feel the disadvantages more and more.
Stop drinking Red Bull
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Stopping using Red Bull can therefore be very difficult. After all, you really have to kick the habit, with all the side effects that come with it! Almost everyone who stops drinking Red Bull gets headaches that can last for a few days. Grumpiness is also a frequently mentioned side effect.
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15 minMain dishgreen tagliatelle, garlic, Red pepper, olive oil, tomato cubes, cocktail shrimp, mixed salad, vinaigrette,spicy tagliatelle with shrimps -
50 minMain dishsomething crumbly potatoes, sauerkraut natural, tomato paste, sambal oelek, bacon, semi-skimmed milk, unsalted butter, Gelderse smoked sausage,Sauerkraut with smoked sausage -
20 minBreakfastrucola lettuce, bunch onion, roasted red peppers in pot, traditional olive oil, medium sized egg, fresh cream, grated mature cheese, butter,creamy cheese omelet with arugula -
25 minMain dishceleriac, floury potatoes, olive oil, beef finches, onion, Apple juice, gravy natural, dairy spread,beeffinch with sweet apple gravy
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You will also feel more tired than usual for a while, and may be unable to concentrate. Fortunately, after about a week, those withdrawal symptoms will start to subside. You will feel more energetic again â € “without having to use dangerous doses of stimulants.
Alternatives to Red Bull
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The best way to make sure you have enough energy all day long is to get enough sleep. That sounds very logical, but too many people are still looking for a way to replace a good night's sleep. That's just not possible, period! So get eight hours of good sleep a night to stay as fresh as possible.
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Do you sometimes use Red Bull as a pre-workout? Then you can just have a cup of coffee instead. The caffeine also produces better results and less muscle soreness - but without the taurine and sugar. That way, the risk of unhealthy side effects is immediately a lot less!