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Is Rockstar Energy Drink Gluten-Free? (The Truth)

Each 16 fl. oz can, we get 160mg of caffeine, 24g sugar, and 122 calories. With this much caffeine and sugar, the drink can lift you up by providing a brilliant boost of energy.

But is Rockstar energy drink gluten-free?

The short answer is; Rockstar energy drink is gluten-free. The drink doesn’t have any traces of gluten products.

If this interests you, keep reading as I walk through everything about Rockstar energy drink.

Let’s get started.

What Are The Nutrients Of Rockstar Energy Drink?

First off, let’s start with the nutrients that go in a single can of Rockstar. Check out the table below.

Nutrients UsedAmount Per Serving
Total Fat0g
Total Carbohydrate26g
Sugars24g
Protein2g
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)16mg
Vitamin B61.4mg
Vitamin B122.5 ug
Salt0.82g
Energy122 calories
Caffeine160mg
The nutrition value of a single can of Rockstar.
Nutrition facts of Rockstar.

Ingredients Used In Rockstar

Now that we’ve got the nutrients out of the way. Let’s see which ingredients are used in a can of Rockstar.

  • Carbonated Water
  • Sugar (Sucrose)
  • Acid (Citric Acid)
  • Flavour Enhancer (Erythritol)
  • Taurine (0.4%)
  • Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate)
  • Flavors
  • Artificial Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame K)
  • Glucuronolactone
  • Colors (Caramel E150c, Riboflavin E101)
  • Guarana Extract (0.01%)
  • Ginseng Extract (0.01%)
  • Inositol
  • B Vitamins (Niacin, B6, B12)
  • Caffeine (0.04%)

Taurine

Taurine is an essential amino acid that’s only found in our bodies. The body produces it, but it’s also found in our brain, heart, retina, blood cells, etc.

Taurine helps in boosting our physical and mental performance. Each can of Rockstar has 0.04% of taurine. This helps in the enhancement of our performance, but in the regulation of electrolytes too.

Check out this detailed video about taurine and its uses.

Guarana Extract

Guarana is a plant that comes mainly from Brazil. The tribes in Amazon use the plant for medical and therapeutic purposes.

Guarana extract is prosperous with a lot of antioxidants, this is why it’s used in many energy drinks.

It helps in improving your mental performance and reduces any fatigue or crashes. According to this study, Guarana can help in weight loss too.

Ginseng Root Extract

Ginseng is a plant native to China. The ginseng root extract is extracted from ginseng. Ginseng is also used for medical or herbal purposes.

Like guarana, ginseng is also rich in antioxidants, which is why it has certain benefits like:

  • Reduces inflammation
  • May play a role in the brain function
  • Reduces erectile dysfunction
  • Boosts your immune system

What Are The Vitamins And Macro-Nutrients In Rockstar?

B-vitamins are beneficial for your health.

Rockstar primarily has 3 B vitamins in its drink. Namely, Vitamin B3, B6, and B12. Now on-screen it may not look like much, but you will be surprised to know what it can do.

Check the table below for a brief description:

Vitamins EmployedPropertiesAmount Present in 16 fl. oz CanTolerable Intake
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)Helps in lowering LDL cholesterol, prevents heart diseases, and improves your skin.16mg35mg
Vitamin B6May play a role in reducing the risks of depression. Helps with mood and memory.1.4mg100mg
Vitamin B12
Helps in the formation of Red Blood Cells (RBC), may also help improve your mood.2.5 ug
Unlimited
The vitamins used in Rockstar and their benefits.

How Much Caffeine Does Rockstar Contain?

A single 16 fl. oz can of Rockstar has 160mg caffeine.

Caffeine improves cognitive performance.
Caffeine improves cognitive performance.

Rockstar doesn’t have sky-rocketing caffeine content. Unlike some brands like Bang or Reign energy with 300mg caffeine.

If you don’t have high caffeine tolerance, 160mg caffeine might be a little overwhelming for you. Everyone has different tolerance and body reaction towards caffeine.

If that happens, don’t drink Rockstar, or if you really want to, don’t consume the drink all at once. I personally prefer my energy drinks to contain 50-100mg caffeine, that’s the sweet spot for me.

It’s a good decision to know your caffeine limits. The daily recommended caffeine intake by the FDA is 400mg per day for both males and females.

Excess consumption of caffeine will have side-effects like:

  • Lack of sleep
  • Jitters
  • Anxiety
  • Spike in blood pressure, etc.

If you’re like me who consumes caffeine regularly, do it in moderation.

How Much Sugar Does Rockstar Have?

Each 16 fl. oz can of Rockstar has 24g sugar.

Which is, quite a lot. As for someone who personally drank Rockstar, it’s not that sweet, however, the addition of sugar is still there.

For reference, the AHA recommends 36g and 24g for men and women every day. That’s 9 teaspoons and 6 teaspoons of sugar for males and females.

Consumption of sugar more than the given amount may lead to health problems like:

  • Inflammation
  • Diabetes
  • Weight Gain
  • High Blood Pressure
granulated sugar on a spoon
Consumption of too much added sugar may sometimes lead to a sugar crash, also known as hypoglycemia.

But then again, if 24g sugar in the original Rockstar is bothering you, you can always go for the sugar-free option of Rockstar.

Calorie Content In Rockstar Energy Drink

The original can of Rockstar has 122 calories each serving.

In the case of Rockstar, it doesn’t overboard on caffeine. But the sugar content in Rockstar can be alarming. Especially if you have diabetes.

But we’re not talking sugar here. Rockstar doesn’t have a staggering calorie count. This means you can drink a can of Rockstar without worrying about the drink putting weight on your daily consumed calories.

The daily average calorie recommended is 2,500-2,000 calories a day for adult males and females. Though, keep in mind that number may vary from age, person, body metabolism, physical activity, even gender, etc.

How Many Cans of Rockstar Can You Drink In A Day?

The drink is packed with tons of sugar and has 160mg of caffeine. Considering that, you should stick to drinking 1 can of Rockstar every day.

I don’t agree with consuming energy drinks regularly at all, because no matter how “healthy” an energy drink may come off, consumption of it every day will lead to health problems later.

Nevertheless, with the 160mg caffeine, you can consume up to 3 cans of Rockstar each day but it is strictly advised not to. We don’t want to end up with a caffeine crash at the end of the day.

Minus the sugar content, there are many beneficial ingredients like taurine, ginseng root extract, B vitamins, etc. But you really shouldn’t drink more than one can of Rockstar, regularly.

Can celiacs drink Rockstar Energy Drink?

Celiacs can drink Rockstar Energy Drink. Individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should avoid consuming products that contain gluten, as it can cause adverse health effects. According to the official Rockstar Energy Drink website, their energy drinks are gluten-free.

However, the website also notes that some Rockstar Energy Drinks contain modified food starch, which may be sourced from wheat.
Therefore, individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should exercise caution and read the ingredient list carefully before consuming any Rockstar Energy Drink.

Is Rockstar Energy Drink suitable for vegans?

Rockstar is not suitable for vegans. Rockstar Energy Drink contains taurine and glycerol ester of wood rosin, which are ingredients that may be derived from animals. Therefore, the drink is not considered to be vegan. Some ingredients are not disclosed on the label, so take this into consideration as well.

If you’re a vegan looking for an energy drink, you may want to consider other options that are specifically marketed as vegan. There are now many brands of vegan energy drinks available, which use plant-based ingredients like guarana, ginseng, and green tea for their energy-boosting properties.

Benefits Of Rockstar

Even with this much added sugar, Rockstar has quite a lot of benefits, if you don’t go overboard with your consumption.

  • Increase of focus and concentration.
  • Enhanced energy levels
  • Will make you feel refreshed
  • Keeps you awake

So, whether it’s a 30-minute cardio session or an all-nighter before mid-terms, Rockstar has your back.

Side-Effects Of Rockstar

As much as the benefits the brand is offering, there will be significant side effects if you are reckless with your consumption.

These are some of the side effects you might face if you consume Rockstar too much:

  • Constant Headaches
  • Nausea
  • Rapid Heart Rate
  • Restlessness
  • Lack of focus and concentration ‘
  • Feeling drained

This is why I mentioned multiple times before to consume the drink within limits.

Is Rockstar Keto-friendly?

Unfortunately, Rockstar is not keto-friendly.

The keto diet is great for weight loss.

If you took a glance at the nutrients earlier, you may have noticed Rockstar being a high carbohydrate beverage. Not just that, the drink has a lot of sugar in it, too.

Due to these ingredients, Rockstar is not keto-friendly. The main motto of keto is to cut down on carbohydrates and sugar. So that your body has a reset on carbs and sugar.

If you are on the keto diet, well it’s a bummer for you. But don’t be disheartened, check out my article on best energy drinks for keto, where I listed 10 keto-friendly energy drinks.

Is Rockstar Energy Drink Really Gluten-free?

The final verdict. Is Rockstar really gluten-free?

Gluten may play a role in increasing weight.

Although, there’s no official verification by the company itself. There’s no evidence of wheat, barley, rye, etc. Overall, any gluten-friendly products on Rockstar.

According to nogluten, it clearly states that the drink is gluten-free. But if you have doubts, you can always contact the manufacturer directly.

Is Rockstar Energy Drink Worth It?

Considering what Rockstar is offering, I would say it’s worth it.

The drink has 160mg caffeine along with 24g sugar and 122 calories per can. Now the sugar content might be an issue for those who are trying to cut down sugar or just don’t like added sugar in general. But other than that, the drink is pretty solid.

With the 160mg caffeine, Rockstar will definitely help you stay awake. And both the sugar and caffeine content will help you in getting an excellent boost of energy.

Check out this video by a YouTuber reviewing different flavors of Rockstar.

What Are The Flavors Of Rockstar?

Rockstar is available all over the world with over 20 flavors and is shipped across 30 countries. Rockstar has 2 versions available, Original Rockstar and Sugar-free Rockstar. Here are some of the flavors of Rockstar, hand-picked for you:

  • Rockstar Original
  • Rockstar Sugar-Free
  • Punched
  • Pure Zero Silver Ice
  • Pure Zero Punched
  • Pure Zero Lemonad
  • Pure Zero Watermelon
  • Pure Zero Mango-Orange-Passionfruit
  • Lime Freeze
  • Recovery Lemonade
  • Pina Colada
  • Rockstar Boom! Whipped and Blended Strawberry
  • Rockstar Boom! Whipped and Blended Orange
  • Juiced Passionfruit
  • Organic
The many flavors of Rockstar.

How safe is Rockstar Energy Drink?

Rockstar Energy Drink, like many other energy drinks, contains caffeine and other ingredients that can provide an energy boost. The safety of Rockstar Energy Drink depends on several factors, including your individual health, caffeine sensitivity, and how much you consume.

Rockstar Energy Drink is generally safe for most people when consumed in moderation. However, it’s important to be mindful of its caffeine content, which can vary from about 160 mg to 240 mg per 16-ounce can. Excessive caffeine consumption can lead to negative side effects.

Why is Rockstar the best energy drink?

Rockstar Energy is often regarded as a popular energy drink choice due to its appealing taste and variety of flavors. It also contains caffeine and a mix of other ingredients that can provide a quick energy boost, making it attractive to those seeking a pick-me-up during the day.

While some individuals may find Rockstar Energy to be effective for their energy needs, it’s important to note that the term “best” is subjective and can vary based on personal preferences and needs. What might work well for one person might not be the same for another

Alternatives To Rockstar

Rockstar is a great choice of energy drink, but if it’s not the right fit for you, there are always options:

The Bottom Line

Rockstar energy did a good job with their energy drinks. But they can tone down the sugar content a bit, but that’s just my personal opinion.

But with 160mg of caffeine, 24g sugar, and 122 calories, you really can’t complain. The drink is not the healthiest option but it also is not the unhealthiest energy drink either.

And the drink being gluten-free is a game-changer for Rockstar as it will attract a lot of health-conscious customers. Overall, it’s a great energy drink.

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