Dietitian Reviews Kim Kardashian's New Energy Drink "KIMADE" launched in collaboration with Alani Nu
Kim Kardashian has released a pink lemonade energy drink (Kimade) in collaboration with Alani Nu. We all know Kim is a health and fitness fanatic, but rumours are already swirling about whether Kimade is even up to her health standards.
In this article, I'll give my dietitian opinion on this new energy drink and whether the queen herself would drink it!
If you would prefer to watch rather than read, you can watch my YouTube video on this topic below.
Kim Kardashian does not need an introduction. From her beginnings as a reality star, she is now one SERIOUS businesswoman. Following the success of KSI and Logan Paul's Prime Energy drinks, it's no surprise that she is jumping on this energy drink opportunity too. It's already a huge success, with the drinks selling out the second they went live on the company's website.
The new drink, fittingly called Kimade, is a twist on pink lemonade. Each can features a blend of lemons and strawberries. Described as "tart" and "sweet," the vegan drinks promise an energy boost with natural ingredients. But is it as healthy as it sounds? And will it give you energy?
First, here's the nutrition breakdown of a 12-ounce can of Alani Nu's Kimade:
10 calories
0 grams of total fat
180 milligrams of sodium
4 grams of carbohydrates
0 grams of total sugar
0 grams of protein
and a whopping 200 milligrams of caffeine
It's also vegan and gluten-free.
ENERGY CONTENT
First up, it has ten calories. So, it's being sold as an energy drink, but technically, it's low in energy because it's low in calories. However, this is fitting because I'm confident Kim Kardashian would prefer not to drink something with 2-300 calories, which many other energy drinks on the market have. AND I do think this is a positive. Beverages are typically a top source of added sugar in people's diets. This beverage provides a sweet alternative to the usual sugar-sweetened energy drinks on the market, so this part gets a thumbs up from me.
CAFFEINE
So, when they refer to energy here, they are really referring to caffeine. This energy drink has 200 milligrams of caffeine, which is half of the maximum recommended dose from the FDA and EFSA of 400 milligrams per day. To put that in perspective, it has a similar caffeine content to two-and-a-half espressos (espressos), which have 80 mg of caffeine. So, I would limit myself to a maximum of 1 or 2 of these a day. If you don't feel like a cup of coffee but still want a caffeine boost, these are an option.
However, because they provide caffeine without any real energy from carbs or protein, you might get an initial energy boost and then crash after an hour or so because nothing in the drink gives you real fuel to sustain you. So, if you are looking to keep your energy up, I'd recommend pairing it with a balanced snack so you don't get the afternoon slump.
It is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or nursing mothers.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS:
As I mentioned, it's low in energy and not a sugar-filled energy drink. But to get that sweet taste, it has to have something, right? So, it does use the artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, also known as ace-K.
I like this. I'm glad it's another drink option that isn't all added sugar; as we know, added sugar in excess can harm our dental health and increase the risk of obesity and other health issues.
Artificial sweeteners taste sweet but don't provide energy in the same way as sugar. However, they are controversial. I personally don't mind them if consumed in moderate amounts, and I have a sweet tooth, so I find them useful.
While studies have shown, and the FDA and EFSA say, that these are safe to consume, some research suggests a negative consequence of a high sweetener intake, particularly around how they modify the gut microbiome. We know that the gut microbiome has a huge role to play in our health, but we still have a lot more to learn in this area. The WHO recently advised against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. My take on this is that it comes down to the individual and their health/situation: What is their intake of sugar/sweeteners already like? Do they have a sweet tooth? Are sweeteners actually going to help with controlling overall energy intake, if that is your goal?
And the way I look at it is - there are lots of flavoured diet drinks on the market, and most will contain artificial sweeteners - so I can't use this against Kimade, and I do think it's better than added sugar.
B VITAMINS:
It also has quite a few B vitamins, which are also commonly added to energy drinks. I like that it doesn't go overboard; a lot of other drinks do, so this is good. Some energy drinks here will have nearly 300% of your RDA, which is unnecessary.
However, we know that these nutrients are abundant in many foods that most people consume in their diets, so having an additional supply through Kimade is unlikely to be of benefit. Food also provides a much wider range of naturally found nutrients without processed ingredients.
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
They have used vegetable juice here as a more natural colouring agent. The drinks also have many ingredients that are commonly added to energy drinks, such as L-theanine, ginseng, taurine, L-carnitine, and glucuronolactone. These are frequently added to increase alertness. For example, L-theanine is commonly added to give alertness without the jitter feeling that you get from caffeine, so it is likely added to offset that.
BOTTOM LINE:
I think Kim would probably drink them; they're not that bad. I would have one, but only early in the day due to the caffeine.
For some people, carbonated beverages and artificial sweeteners can leave you bloated, so maybe she might not drink them for that reason, or before a photo shoot, she might opt for something else.
Maria is a Registered Dietitian in Ireland (services online and in Cork, Kerry, and Dublin)