Are Bloom Energy Drinks Good For You? A Dietitian’s Review

Are Bloom Energy Drinks good for you? If you’ve been seeing this new drink all over your social media feed, you may be wondering if you should try it. 

As a registered dietitian, I’m going to break down what it is, the health claims it makes, and whether Bloom energy drinks are good for you or not.

What Are Bloom Energy Drinks?

Bloom Energy Drinks are a sparkling energy drink made by the company Bloom Nutrition. You may recognize this company for their popular greens & Superfoods powder.

The Bloom energy drinks are a new addition to their product line. On Bloom’s website, Mari Llewellyn, the co-founder of Bloom Nutrition, states “I started Bloom to help everyone bloom into their best selves. That’s why I made a better-for-you energy drink so that you can enjoy the benefits without the sugar crash.”

The website also states that these energy drinks are “made with zero sugar, natural caffeine, and good-for-you ingredients like prebiotics and lychee, each 10-calorie can increase energy, boosts metabolism, and promotes mental focus – without the crash.”

You can purchase Bloom energy drinks at several major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Kroger. There’s several flavors of Bloom energy drinks that you can choose from such as juicy orange, raspberry lemon, cherry lime, strawberry watermelon, and their peach mango flavor. 

Let’s talk about what’s actually in these drinks and whether they’re healthy. 

What Is In Bloom Energy Drinks? 

Alright, let’s get down to what’s actually in these Bloom energy drinks. Each can contains 10 calories, 2 grams of total carbohydrates, and 1 gram of fiber. 

Among the ingredients list, there’s several ingredients added into these energy drinks such as B vitamins, green tea extract, apple cider vinegar, lychee fruit extract, green coffee bean extract, and L-theanine.

Let’s talk about some of the notable ingredients in these drinks and what the science actually says about them. 

Galactomannan Prebiotic Fiber

This is a type of dietary fiber found in certain plant sources, particularly in seeds and beans. Galactomannan is considered a prebiotic fiber, which is particularly beneficial for digestive health. To keep it brief, prebiotics are the food source for our gut’s good bacteria. Onions, garlic, bananas, oats, and Jerusalem artichokes are some other food sources of prebiotic fibers. 

Based on the nutrition label, there’s probably about 1 gram of galactomannan prebiotic fiber in each Bloom energy drink. To put this in perspective, The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults eat 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories of food. That typically equates to a daily fiber goal of 25 grams of fiber per day for women and 38 grams of fiber for men. 

While the 1 gram of prebiotic fiber in these drinks is a nice added bonus to this drink, I would never say that it would improve your gut health on its own without other health promoting behaviors in place. 

Download a list of high fiber foods here: High Fiber Foods Chart (Downloadable PDF).

Taurine

This is a popular addition to most energy drinks. In fact, if you look at the ingredients lists of most energy drinks, you’ll find taurine. 

Taurine is a type of amino acid that our bodies can make on its own. It’s added to most energy drinks to improve focus and sometimes to balance out the caffeine effects. It’s believed to help prevent negative effects of caffeine such as jitters. 

The amount of taurine that’s found in energy drinks isn’t usually enough to provide adequate standalone benefits, but it can work synergistically with other ingredients in the drink. The amount of taurine that’s usually found in energy drinks is usually safe for most people. 

L-Theanine

This is another amino acid that is naturally found in green tea, black tea, and some mushrooms. It’s known to support the nervous system and promotes calmness, sleep, and relaxation.

Additionally, L-theanine may help: 

• Reduce stress and anxiety 
• Lower cortisol levels
• Improve mental alertness and focus
• Increase immunity
• Lower inflammation

The L-theanine dosage used in research studies was typically 200 to 400 mg daily. Unfortunately, Bloom energy drinks doesn’t disclose the amount of L-theanine that’s in their drinks so it’s tough to say if this ingredient would even be effective. 

Natural Caffeine (Green Coffee Bean Extract)

Bloom highlights that it uses a natural caffeine source in its sparkling energy drinks. The natural caffeine source is green coffee bean extract. Green coffee is unroasted coffee beans that’s higher in chlorogenic acid. This acid is believed to be the reason behind the health benefits.

Green coffee bean extract does contain caffeine, although typically in lower doses than traditional coffee. This ingredient could be responsible for a natural energy boost since caffeine can stimulate the central nervous system and make us feel more awake and energized.

Asian Ginseng

Asian ginseng is one of several different types of ginseng. It’s commonly used to improve fatigue and energy levels. Some people report that it may also improve your body’s stress response. The research to support these claims is inconclusive though.

For short term use, Asian ginseng appears to be safe to take orally for up to 6 months. Long term safety isn’t established yet though. Many professionals advise against the use of Asian ginseng for children, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding (1). 

Lychee Fruit Extract & Green Tea Leaf Extract

Bloom energy drinks contain a patented combo of lychee fruit extract and green tea leaf extract. Remember how this drink claims that it can boost your metabolism? According to Bloom, these ingredients are the reason why. 

Green tea leaf extract comes from green tea, a well known healthy beverage choice. It’s rich in a compound called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a polyphenol and catechin. EGCG plays an important role as an antioxidant and may help to boost metabolism.

Research has found that green tea extract supplements can improve fat metabolism and lead to weight loss (2). Since Bloom energy drinks don’t disclose the amount of green tea extract in its drinks, it’s unknown whether the dose is effective to actually promote weight loss or a metabolism boost. 

Green tea extract also typically contains caffeine – so you could expect that this ingredient is also contributing towards some of the caffeine content in these energy drinks.

Lychee fruit has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of reasons such as digestive aid, pain relief, and improving reproductive health. Preliminary research may support that lychee can help improve metabolic pathways by lowering blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, which may help weight loss (3, 4). 

The research on lychee fruit extract is largely inconclusive though and more human studies are needed before definitive conclusions can be made. Additionally, similar to the green tea extract, Bloom doesn’t disclose how much lychee extract is in their patented ingredient…so we don’t know if it’s enough to actually even be effective or not. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is certainly having a moment over the past few years. Research has proven that apple cider vinegar can be helpful for improving metabolic health, such as lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It also lowers glucose levels, insulin levels, and aids in weight loss.

The recommended amount of apple cider vinegar to take daily to see these benefits though is 1 tablespoon. Considering how far down apple cider vinegar is on the ingredients list, and tasting this energy drink firsthand, there’s definitely not a full tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in Bloom energy drinks. 

It’s highly questionable if there’s enough apple cider vinegar in Bloom energy drinks to make a difference in your health at all. My assumption is no.  

B Vitamins

The last notable ingredient we’ll touch on is B vitamins. Since B vitamins are known for their ability to boost energy levels, it’s no surprise that they’re usually added to energy drinks, including Bloom energy drinks.

Bloom sparkling energy drink contains these B vitamins: 

• Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
• Pyridoxine HCl (vitamin B6) 
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
• Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12)

B vitamins are involved in a lot of different functions in our bodies but they don’t necessarily boost energy levels directly though. They help to extract and convert carbs, protein, and fat from our food into usable energy. 

B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins and more isn’t necessarily better. If you’re deficient in any of these vitamins, a dietary supplement could help. However, if you get adequate amounts of these vitamins through your diet or other dietary supplements, your body will just excrete the extra B vitamins out that it doesn’t need (aka it’s flushed out in your urine). 

How Much Caffeine Is In Bloom Energy Drinks?

While we’re here talking about what’s in Bloom energy drinks, how much caffeine is actually in these drinks? 

Each can of Bloom sparkling energy contains 180 milligrams of caffeine. Ok, what exactly does that mean? 

For comparison, one 8-oz cup of your average brewed coffee contains about 95 milligrams of caffeine. An 8-oz cup of cold brew coffee typically contains anywhere between 150 to 200 milligrams of caffeine. 

If you’re adding caffeinated energy drinks on top of other caffeinated beverages, it can quickly add up. Too much caffeine can lead to anxiety, jitteriness, sleep disturbances, digestive issues, and heart palpitations.

Are Bloom Energy Drinks Good For You? 

Like most popular drinks with good marketing, there’s a lot of health claims being made on behalf of Bloom sparkling energy drinks…but are they too good to be true? Or are they real? 

The biggest health claims made by Bloom are that these drinks give you natural energy, boost metabolism, and improve focus and mood. Let’s break down each of these claims in comparison to the drink’s ingredients and what the science says. 

Do Bloom Energy Drinks Give You Natural Energy?

You’ll likely experience a boost in energy levels after drinking a can of Bloom sparkling energy. This drink contains ingredients such as green coffee bean extract and green tea extract, which both contain caffeine. In fact, one can of Bloom contains 180 mg of natural caffeine, which is a similar amount to two cups of brewed coffee. 

Do Bloom Energy Drinks Boost Metabolism? 

Bloom energy drinks contain certain ingredients that do have some research to back up its claim. Green tea extract and lychee fruit extract may improve your metabolism. 

With that said, it’s unclear how much of each of these ingredients is in this drink since it’s not disclosed on the label. Whether or not you experience positive effects may depend on you individually and the consistency in which you consume this beverage.

Do Bloom Energy Drinks Improve Mental Focus + Mood?

Similar to the above statement about boosting energy, Bloom energy drinks do contain some ingredients that have been shown to improve mental focus and mood. Research does support that L-theanine can help promote focus and has calming properties to it. And although research is inconclusive, many people use Asian ginseng for its calming effects. 

We just don’t know how much of each of these ingredients are actually in the drink and if it’s enough to make a difference.

The Bottom Line: Are these drinks good for you? 

There is not one specific drink that makes you healthy nor is there one drink that makes you unhealthy. 

A lot of the health claims made by Bloom about these sparkling energy drinks do have a bit of research to justify the use of some of the ingredients. The big problem, though, is that we don’t know how much of these ingredients are in there. 

So while I wouldn’t necessarily say they’re good for you in the same way that I’d say an avocado or berries are good for you, the next question: are Bloom energy drinks bad for you? 

Are Bloom Energy Drinks Bad For You?

For most healthy adults, there’s probably little risk to drinking Bloom energy drinks in moderation. You should be aware that it does contain 180 milligrams of caffeine, which is the equivalent of about 2 cups of brewed coffee. 

On each can, you’ll find an advisory that pregnant women and breastfeeding women should not consume this drink. Additionally, if you have any sort of medical condition or are sensitive to caffeine, I’d probably steer clear and talk to your medical provider. 

Bloom Energy Drinks FAQs

What are the benefits of drinking Bloom? 

Bloom energy drinks can provide you with a boost of energy because of the caffeine content. The effects are similar to a couple cups of coffee. There are some ingredients that do have some research to support that they can promote calmness, increased focus, and a metabolism boost – however, we don’t know if there’s actually enough of these ingredients to get the benefits. 

Do Bloom Energy Drinks have fake sugar? 

Bloom energy drinks contain zero grams of sugar, however, it does rely on sucralose to sweeten this drink. Sucralose is a common artificial sweetener, or “fake sugar”, used to sweeten several foods and drinks. 

Sucralose is a non-calorie, non-sugar sweetener that does not impact blood sugar levels. It can be a good alternative for some people, especially those who are trying to be conscious of their calorie or carb intake. 

There is some preliminary research to suggest that sucralose may impact the gut microbiome – meaning that it negatively changes your gut bacteria. Most of the research studies that have found this were done in animals, so human research studies are needed before any definitive conclusions can be made. 

How much caffeine is in Bloom energy drinks? 

Each can of Bloom energy has 180 mg of caffeine in it. This is the equivalent of approximately 2 cups of traditional brewed coffee. 

Do Bloom energy drinks taste good?

You know that I couldn’t do a review of this energy drink without giving it an honest taste test. I’m not an avid energy drink customer, but I picked up the raspberry lemon flavor at my local Target to give it a go.

The first sip was surprisingly good to me. It tasted like a fizzy raspberry lemonade and had a summertime feel to it. As far as artificial sweeteners go, I prefer the taste of sucralose to others. It provides more of a sugar-like taste rather than a bitter or metallic aftertaste that some others give. 

As far as energy drinks go, I think this one has a great taste. 

How Much Do Bloom Energy Drinks Cost? 

At my local Walmart, one can of Bloom costs $2.48. You can buy a 6 pack for about $12, so each can would end up costing you about $2. They’re slightly more expensive at Target.

If you were to drink one can of Bloom energy each day, it would end up costing you about $730 for the year. If you’re trying to keep your grocery budget down, I can think of several other ways to support your health for significantly less. 

To actually give your metabolism a boost with real foods, check out this 3 week meal plan: The Insulin Resistance Meal Plan.

The Bottom Line

Bloom energy drinks contain a mix of various ingredients that claim to boost your energy levels naturally, boost your metabolism, and support your mental focus and mood.

This drink includes notable ingredients like prebiotic fiber, taurine, L-theanine, green coffee bean extract, Asian ginseng, lychee fruit extract, green tea leaf extract, apple cider vinegar, and B vitamins. 

While there is some research to support some of the ingredients used, most of the amounts aren’t disclosed so it’s impossible to tell if there’s actually enough of any of these ingredients to make a difference in your health. 

If you’re looking for a quick boost of energy, Bloom energy drinks contain about 180 milligrams of caffeine which can help with that. For the other health claims made by Bloom, you may or may not see any of these benefits.

For most healthy adults, these drinks are likely safe if consumed in moderation. Children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not consume these drinks. If you have any sort of medical condition, especially a heart condition, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor before trying these.

Ultimately though, Bloom energy drinks are not a magic bullet that will drastically improve your health on their own. Nor do they replace the need for a healthy diet and lifestyle to support your overall health. 

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Disclaimer: this is not intended to substitute for or replace professional medical advice. Always speak to your healthcare provider for personalized medical and health recommendations.