In recent years the controversy over energy drinks and food bars has become quite prominent. there are many claims of health risks as well as many who swear by them. You will find some energy drinks that have either been regulated or banned all together. You will find a lot of different supplements in the form of bars, drinks and other foods that offer some healthy alternatives while others aren't so great for you. Here are a few facts regarding those that are safe and healthy for you to consume.

Energy drinks that come with alcohol are being scrutinized by the FDA in the U.S., and guidelines are being developed to ban them or keep them under control. It's typically an awful idea to blend alcohol along with stimulants - for example, caffeine. This includes not only energy drinks that contain alcohol but going into a bar and ordering a mixed drink that contains both. The explanation for this is that alcohol is a downer and caffeine is an upper and mixing the two can be destructive to your body. What's more, caffeine can your weaken your alertness of being intoxicated by alcohol, while not making it any safer to drive or participate in other activities that require you to be mentally alert. So it's smart to sidestep the combination of energy drinks with alcohol.

A lot of people who are dieting will choose an energy or food bar in place of a regular meal in hopes that they will lose weight. While a food bar has fewer calories than most meals, these are not always healthy calories, as many of these bars have sugar and artificial ingredients. Of course this means that you aren't getting essential fibers and those healthy fats if you're eating so many of these bars rather than meals in general. These should not be considered a complete meal but rather a snack to tide you over or as part of a nutrition plan. If you're looking at food bars to replace real food, you have to be especially careful that you're not just eating candy bars with healthier sounding names!

When going through the energy drinks section at the supermarket, you may have noticed, or tried something called fruit infused water or a beverage with a similar name. They aren't really energy drinks rather they are water with a hint of fruit flavoring. These are actually healthier than energy drinks with added sugar and caffeine. You can, however, easily make these yourself by putting fresh fruit, such as lemon, orange, lime, mango or any fruit into a glass, pint or gallon of water to give it some flavor and a little extra nutrition. If you are in a hurry however they are a great energy boost alternative since they are all natural and have no side effects. In conclusion, whether energy drinks and food bars are healthy, hype or outright dangerous depends on the particular item and the way you consume it. There's a difference between drinking one Red Bull, for example, and five. You need to be conscious of the effects and use them with caution if you use them at all. Use this information as a guide to think it through and weigh the pros and cons while using your common sense.