Is Celsius Healthy or “Healthy?”
It invades every social media platform from TikTok to Instagram, and it even makes an appearance on Pinterest! Celsius seems to have become a quick sensation this past year; you can’t go anywhere without seeing the drink in someone’s hand. Out of curiosity, I posted a poll to my Instagram story, asking my followers if they drink Celsius or not. One hundred and twenty-four people voted, thirty-four percent saying they drink Celsius, and sixty-six percent responding that they don't. I was baffled by the results—expecting a much higher percentage from those who drink Celsius. I noticed that those who voted yes were young or very direct on social media about their passion for health and fitness. I never paid much attention to the way Celsius markets the brand. Still, after vaguely researching the drink, I can see why fitness gurus are so smitten—it literally says “healthy energy” on the label. As for the young people, it’s no surprise why they gravitate towards the drink; after all, it does overflow social media, which is why many people decide to try it in the first place. Evidently, Celsius is incredibly popular, especially among younger individuals. But is it healthy for so many people to be consuming this drink?
We’ve seen various energy drinks through time, Red Bull, Monster, Bang, and 5 Hour Energy being some of the most popular. The question that comes to mind for me, a non-energy drink consumer, is, what’s the big deal? What sets Celsius apart from all of the other big named energy brands? “It’s a healthier alternative” is the typical and basic response. Other big-name energy drinks have never been a social media sensation like Celsius. As previously mentioned, the front cover of the drink states, “healthy energy.” In addition, the label also says that it “accelerates metabolism” and “burns body fat.” I find this too good to be true, considering all of the negative information that has come out about energy drinks in general.
Image Courtesy: Forbes
Yet to be proven, there has been speculation that caffeine itself has something to do with liver damage. For instance, two different TikToks have come across my page about Celsius… sending people to the hospital. I’m puzzled to see that a drink, especially a quote-on-quote, healthy drink like Celsius, could make someone so ill to the point of hospitalization. Emily Poncin, one of the TikTokers hospitalized, posted a short clip on February 6th, 2022, sharing her experience. In the video, she writes that she drank Celsius every morning, thinking it was better than coffee, not knowing it would land her in the emergency room. Viewers asked what exactly happened in the comments, and Poncin responded, saying that it made her liver swell. Poncin is not alone; Nick Errante posted that he drank a Celsius before every workout for two years, again, not knowing he would end up in the Hospital. Errante never posted precisely what happened, but we can assume it may have been similar to what caused Poncin’s incident. An article stated, “consumption of excess energy drinks has been linked to several instances of clinically apparent acute liver injury which can be severe and result in fatal or urgent liver transplantation.” Over the years, we’ve seen many studies showing that young people are much more vulnerable to any form of addiction, drugs, alcohol, and even caffeine. Seeing something like this happening to two youthful individuals like Poncin and Errante stresses the urgency of energy drinks affecting the younger community. I know after hearing this, it’s going to take a lot more than a social media frenzy to get me to try Celsius.
Nonetheless, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, all energy drinks contain a large amount of caffeine associated with anxiety and sleep problems. The NCCIH also stated that “large amounts of caffeine may cause serious heart and blood vessel problems such as heart rhythm disturbances and increases in heart rate and blood pressure.” You can infer that even though the can claims “Healthy Energy,” the large amounts of caffeine (200 milligrams to be exact) don’t make it that healthy after all. Between Red Bull, Monster, and Celsius, Red Bull has 9.46 milligrams per fluid ounce, and Monster only has 10.00 milligrams per fluid ounce. Yet, most people still argue that Celsius is a healthier alternative, so I furthered my energy drink investigation.
Image Courtesy: Caffeine Informer
A regular can of Celsius contains only ten calories and no sugar! Nine people have personally told me that the taste is part of what has them hooked. The addictive taste is created through a mixture of artificial sweeteners such as Stevia and Sucralose. Although caffeine is the main contributing factor to making energy drinks unhealthy, unnecessary excess sugar also adds to the destructiveness of these drinks—which is dangerous for people of all ages, not just the youth. Since there is no added sugar, Celsius seems to be great in that aspect. Celsius also contains nutritious ingredients such as Green Tea, Guarana Seed Extract, Taurine, Vitamin B, and Ginger Root Extract. According to Celsius, some of these ingredients have been proven to help boost your metabolic rate, which is probably another reason so many wellness fanatics are obsessed.
Like anything, there are advantages and disadvantages to the drink. After all the reading I’ve done about Celsius, I can conclude it will not make me any healthier than I already am, and maybe it is overhyped. I will give the brand credit for including various nutritional ingredients, but at the same time, the amount of caffeine in the drink somewhat takes away from that feature. Energy drinks, in general, can be a great thing for some people if not abused. This is directed at young people: drink your energy drinks responsibly, and you won’t end up in the hospital. Do research before trying something just because TikTok tells you to. As for me, I know how jittery and anxious a small cup of coffee makes me, so for now, no Celsius for me.
Strike Out,
Lili Jahromi
Boca Raton
Lili Jahromi is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine FAU. She spends an unnecessary amount of her time idolizing Lady Gaga, sharing intimate moments with her friends, and beachin’ it with her b*tches. You can reach her at jahromilrose@yahoo.com
