Does root beer have caffeine naturally? And, which popular brands of root beer are caffeine free? The answers to these two questions will be better known in the course of this article.
Root beer contains an array of ingredients. Traditional root beer has no fewer than 20 different ingredients. And due to technological improvement, present-day root beer sold contains ingredients not present in olden days root.
One such ingredient in present-day's root beer is high fructose corn syrup. This ingredient contains sugar, thereby giving root beer an artificial flavor.
Furthermore, present-day root beer sold in the market contains ingredients such as carbonated water, natural flavors, safrole-free sassafras extract, caramel coloring, artificial flavor, and alcohol.
Some of the primary ingredients in traditionally brewed root beers were from sarsaparilla root, sassafras tree, birch bark, dog grass, spicewood, prickly ash bark, vanilla beans, molasses, and ginger, among others.
Why People Love Root Beer?
A good number of healthy adults drink root beer, as it is not a high caffeine beverage compared to diet coke or other coca cola caffeinated beverages. In the real sense, many popular brands of root beer are caffeine free. Therefore, Americans who like low caffeine content soda drinks can opt for root beer.
Caffeine has been agreed to have myriads of health benefits when you do not go beyond your body's threshold level. And you can shift towards energy bars to make you lively such as Eat Your Coffee. Eat Your Coffee Caffeinated Energy Bars contain caffeine, which will help you avoid sleep slumps at work.
One other thing to consider in making root beer a choice healthy drink is the presence of alcohol. Findings reveal that traditionally produced root beer belongs to the class of alcoholic drinks.
According to MedicineNe.com, at least 2% alcohol is present in traditionally processed root beer. This means that alcohol occurs naturally in traditional root beer.
Some people do not like root beer, not just because most root beers are caffeine free. They do not take root beer, as it contains high fructose corn syrup ingredients, which can damage the teeth when taken in excess.
Root Beer Healthy Properties
Does root beer have caffeine, and is it healthy? Out of the many brands of root beer, only regular Barq's root beer belongs to the streets of caffeinated soda drinks.
On the health benefits of taking most brands of root beer, findings have it that the presence of licorice root in root beer makes it a healthy drink. Licorice root is said to fight digestive discomfort, as well as prevent ulcers.
In addition, compared to other soda brands, root beer has fewer citric acid ingredients. Citric acid helps to keep the skin glowing. However, excess consumption could lead to a fast heartbeat and sometimes fatigue.
According to beverage universe.com, Virgil's zero sugar root beer is the healthiest of all brands of root beer, as it has a unique taste and contains zero calories.
Caffeine in Root Beer
There are over 100 brands of root beer. And you'll be consuming zero caffeine when you drink most brands of root beer, except Barq's root beer.
A few popular brands, such as Barq's diet root beer (diet version), mug root beer, A & W root beer, and Virgil's zero sugar root beer, are caffeine free.
For lovers of caffeinated beverages such as energy drinks and coffee, root beer will not be an ideal substitute and their first choice as a high caffeine beverage.
However, healthy adults who consume snacks that contain caffeine need not worry if they won't get the exact amount of daily caffeine they need from root beer. They can go for Eat Your Coffee Caffeinated Energy Bars. These bars contain caffeine that acts as fuel during hiking, workouts, and other physical activities.
Root Beer, a Member of Soft Drinks
Soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and other sodas such as Pepsi have similar ingredient labels. Barq's root beer, mug root beer, A&W root beer, as well as other popular brands are also in the class of soft drinks.
Most carbonated beverages contain artificial and natural flavors, sugar, carbonated water, and a mild dose of kola nut.
Root beer brands do not have kola nuts as an ingredient, as their caffeine content is zero. On the flip side, there are arguments for and against whether most coca cola soft drink products, such as diet coke and Coca-Cola classic, contain kola nuts, as both are not caffeine free.
Root Beer Flavors and Brands
When brewing root beer, the types of ingredients added by the manufacturer will determine the flavor.
Several brands produce root beer in the United States. The exact amount of sassafras root, caramel color, sarsaparilla root, root tea, and other ingredients will be slightly different from brand A to brand B root beer products.
Some examples of root beer soda drinks include regular Barq's root beer, Barq's diet root beer (diet version), hard root beer, A&W root beer, original Barq's root beer, mug root beer, and father's root beer.
Alcoholic Drinks
As earlier mentioned, root beer is caffeine free, with the exemption of Barq's root beer. Apart from that, the caffeine content in a root beer is zero mg per 8 ounces; root beer soda could contain or not contain alcohol.
Manufacturers of root beer could decide to add alcohol to the naturally occurring 2% alcohol in brewed root beer or remove the alcohol completely.
Root beer contains lower alcohol compared to regular beer, which has between 4-5% alcoholic content.
How much Caffeine and Alcohol are in Modern Root Beer?
The only modern root beer which is not caffeine free is Barq's root beer. You have other options if you do not like caffeine intake.
Modern root beer soda drinks have brands that are caffeine free, with a small percentage of alcohol.
If you want to drink root beer for the first time and you are thinking of moderate caffeine consumption, you should take Barq's root beer. On the other hand, if you want caffeine-free root beers, you can drink A&W root beer or mug root beer.
Root Beer Vs. Energy Drinks
Root beer contains no caffeine. Energy drinks, however, are a huge source of caffeine.
Energy drinks have kola nut, among other vital ingredients, hence their caffeinated characteristics.
There is no added caffeine in carbonated drinks such as sprite, 7-Up, and Sundrop orange, just as root beer contains no added caffeine.
Checking your Caffeine Consumption
You need to know how much caffeine, and the optimal mg of added caffeine, is healthy for you. You will do yourself much good as you know about the caffeine amount your body system would tolerate.
In addition, you ought to study your body's metabolism to know the exact amount of caffeine that will raise your blood pressure or increase your heartbeat.
Conversely, if you have high caffeine sensitivity and fear drinking caffeinated beverages, there are hundreds of root beer caffeine-free drinks that you can try.
FDA Banned Caffeinated Drinks Ingredients
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laid an embargo on safrole chemically removed from sassafras for being a cancer-causing agent. Based on scientific research, particular health conditions such as liver cancer was found to have popped up following intake of safrole oil.
On root beer healthy tips, Medicalnewstoday.com revealed that diet sodas such as diet root beer have insulin sensitivity.
The website stated further that drinking diet sodas "causes blood sugar levels to spike."
FAQs
How many root beer flavors are caffeine free?
Almost all root beer flavors are caffeine free. The only known root beer with at least 20 mg of caffeine in 12 ounces is Barq's root beer.
Will I be consuming less caffeine when I drink root beer compared to coffee?
Depending on coffee flavors, you could consume as low as 3-4 mg of caffeine if you drink decaffeinated brewed coffee. Or as high as 65-100 mg of caffeine if you take instant coffee. You will consume caffeine only from Barq's root beer, which is the only root beer with 23 mg of caffeine.
Does Barq's root beer have more caffeine than other soft drinks?
Barq's root beer has more caffeine than some soft drinks such as Canada Dry Diet Cola, Sprite, 7-Up, and Sierra Mist. However, Barq's root beer has caffeine less in content compared to other soft drinks such as Coca-Cola classic, Diet Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper, diet coke, and Canada Dry Cola.
Can I add root beer to ice cream?
You can add root beer to ice cream, especially caffeine-free root beers. You will have a great combination to cool yourself and shake off a hot day.
Which healthy chocolate snacks contain a healthy and moderate amount of caffeinated coffee?
Eat Your Coffee is a healthy and tasty snack that boosts your work productivity. Eat Your Coffee has varieties such as 'Fudgy Mocha Latte' and 'Peanut Butter Mocha' that you can munch on.