Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

25 April 2026

5-minute read

Are fizzy cooldrinks and energy drinks really as good or as bad as they’re made out to be? Clinical dietician Ayesha Madaran, specialising between psychology and nutrition, noted that while most people are either for fizzy drinks or against them, she is one the few people who takes the middle stance.

The nutrition label on cooldrinks and energy drinks denotes their energy, sugar, carbohydrate and caffeine content, as well as micronutrients present in them like sodium, potassium, vitamins and minerals. Many of these drinks have a high concentration of sugar and caffeine. Ayesha says that sugar in large amounts, as is found in most soft drinks and energy drinks, can be especially harmful for those struggling with certain illnesses or those who consume large amounts of it, while caffeine in small doses as is found in tea and coffee assists in blunting fatigue. The point is to be aware of how much sugar and caffeine you are getting from your drink of choice.

On the other hand, when a person is working long hours and consumes an energy drink that has about 30 to 50 grams of sugar, or a can of cooldrink that contains approximately 27g of sugar, he will benefit from the boost it gives him. However, consuming more than one can in a short space of time means that he has a problem and might be relying on the sugary beverage because he is exhausted, skipping a meal, or he might even be addicted to it.

The time of day wherein you consume energy or high-sugar content drinks also plays an important role in their benefit. Although these drinks are not advisable in the afternoon when a person’s energy levels naturally dissipate, if you have a lot of mental work or physical labour that you must get through, then Ayesha says “it’s perfectly okay to have about a cup” of your chosen beverage. She advises having it with a meal containing more complex carbohydrates, fibre and protein, so that it digests slowly as part of a bigger meal and gives the benefits that it is supposed to. Consumed on their own, these drinks deliver sugar directly to the system and will cause a crash after a short while after.

Realistically, there are times of the day when everybody feels tired, especially after working for a long period without a rest. Ayesha mentions that when a person is short on time but needs a quick pick-me-up, he should rather go for a fruit, coffee or a drinking yoghurt instead of a fizzy drink.

Many teens and young adults consume energy drinks daily after staying awake for most of the night, with the excuse that they need a boost to eliminate the exhaustion they are feeling. Teens need to be aware of the potential long-term harms of these beverages. Teach your children how to make good nutrition choices. Large amounts of caffeine and sugar over an extensive period, skipping meals, and depriving your body of the required sleep can cause a crash and may also lead to chronic diseases later in life. Safer alternatives are the sugar-free versions of some of these products, especially if high amounts of energy and fizzy drinks are being consumed.

While caffeine blunts fatigue and prevents tiredness, it uses up the energy stores in the body and does not necessarily give you energy the way foods like carbohydrates would. Caffeine also has a mild diuretic effect, so when consumed in large amounts, it could lead to water loss and mild dehydration. Ayesha suggests following up a cup of coffee with a glass of water to avoid this effect of caffeine. Your last high caffeine-containing drink should be about 6-8 hours before bedtime, so generally around lunchtime. If you really do need a caffeine boost later in the day, stick to tea or coffee that does not contain as much caffeine as other beverages.

So, before you reach for that energy drink, ask yourself why you’re drinking it. If your answer is that you don’t like water, there are alternatives that are more beneficial than harmful, like herbal teas, coffee or tea with sugar, or local cooldrinks that have a lower sugar and caffeine content. If your answer is that you’re replacing a meal with a high-energy drink, try to get in some food first before you reach for that can. And remember, everything in moderation!

Listen to the full discussion with Ml Ibrahim Daya and Ayesha Madaran here.