Does Propel Have Caffeine? All You Want To Know

Let’s talk about the subject of whether propel contains caffeine.

There is no caffeine in Propel. The website of Propel’s manufacturer, PepsiCo, clearly states that caffeine is not present in the product.

Find out more by reading on.

Table of Contents

How Much Caffeine Is In Propel Zero Powder?

The caffeine content of Propel Zero Powder is CAFFEINE FREE. About 0.0 mg of caffeine per 100 ml is present in Propel Zero Powder Caffeine.

Caffeine Amount: 0 mg
Caffeine strength: CAFFEINE FREE
Calories: 0 kcal
Serving size: 16 fl oz bottle

What Constitutes Propel Water’s Ingredients?

Let’s begin by examining what Propel actually consists of. Propel has a few different product lines, including an “Immune Support” line. However, the majority of the ingredients are similar.

So let’s look at the standard Propel Electrolyte Water, as of August 2021:

Propel Berry Electrolyte Water Ingredients: Citrate, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Vitamin E Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Sorbate

Here’s what I notice about these ingredients:

Acesulfame potassium and sucralose are used to sweeten Propel. Although these artificial sweeteners have no calories, some research links them to other health problems. The evidence will be covered in more detail below.
Electrolytes can be found in propel. Compared to tap water, propel contains significantly more sodium and potassium. If you are perspiring due to exercise or exposure to the sun, this may be advantageous. But is it too much sodium? More on that below.
Propel has many added vitamins. Vitamins C, E, B3, B5, and B6. Vitamins added to fortified foods probably don’t help as much as vitamins found in whole fruits and vegetables. But I would still consider them to be somewhat neutral or positive.
There are no synthetic colors in propel. Artificial colors are used in many zero-calorie sports drinks. I’d say it’s a good thing that Propel doesn’t have any of these since they’re a contentious safety issue.
Propel has several preservatives: Calcium disodium EDTA, potassium sorbate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and citric acid. Preservatives are a concern for some people, but they are FDA approved, and these ones don’t seem particularly dangerous.

Overall, the artificial sweeteners in Propel are the main cause for worry. Let’s talk about those in more detail now.

What Sweeteners Are In Propel?

Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are used to sweeten Propel. Despite some alarming research results for both, these artificial sweeteners are generally acknowledged as safe (GRAS). Neither aspartame nor sugar are present in propel.

Although the FDA has approved both of the sweeteners used in Propel, there is still some debate regarding their long-term health effects.

Sucralose will be discussed initially. Splenda is a popular brand name for sucralose. Is it safe? Well, I have a separate post all about sucralose—but here are some key points:

Sucralose seems to be a migraine trigger for some people. (source, source)
Sucralose may increase insulin resistance through multiple mechanisms. (More on that below.)
Based on calories, sucralose appears to result in a smaller loss of weight than anticipated. Therefore, it might not support your efforts to lose weight as much as drinks without added sugar. (More on that below.)

Now, how about potassium acesulfame? This sweetener is often referred to as “acesulfame K” or “Ace-K.” You may see it sold as “Sweet One” or “Sunett.” Here are some concerns people have with it:

Studies in the 1970s suggested that acesulfame K may cause cancer—but the studies were of low quality. (source)
A breakdown product of acesulfame potassium, acetoacetamide, may cause damage to the thyroid. (source)
The artificial sweetener that was found to enter breast milk the most frequently in a study of lactating women was acesulfame K. (source)

Overall, the long-term health concerns with artificial sweeteners are just that—concerns. They wouldn’t receive FDA approval if it were determined that they were acutely unsafe.

In other words, if you consume Propel or another beverage with no calories, like Powerade Zero, you are taking a risk. However, if you use moderation, you might be fine.

The healthiest zero-calorie sweeteners, in our opinion, are erythritol, monk fruit extract, and stevia. The body’s long-term response to any of these compounds, however, is still unknown. (Here is a video that goes over the science behind artificial sweeteners in more detail.) See more about Drinking Coffee After Drinking Alcohol

Does Propel Contain Carbs Or Sugar?

Neither sugar nor carbohydrates are present in propel. Both total carbohydrates and total sugars are zero grams on the nutrition label for Propel Electrolyte Water. Propel is therefore suitable for low-carb diets like the ketogenic diet.

Propel is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium, two artificial sweeteners, rather than sugar or corn syrup.

Does Propel Have Caffeine All You Want To Know — Does Propel Have Caffeine? All You Want To Know

Can Propel Cause Blood Sugar To Rise?

On the question of whether Propel water increases blood sugar, I couldn’t find any direct studies. However, Propel has sucralose, which has been shown to affect insulin resistance.

Sucralose ends up in the large intestine because it is not absorbed in the small intestine like regular sugar. Your tolerance to carbohydrates is reportedly affected by changes to the gut bacteria there.

So theoretically, drinking a lot of Propel water mayworsen your blood sugar control. But to my knowledge, this hasn’t been directly tested.

Additionally, it has been speculated that artificial sweeteners might trigger an insulin response by means of a different mechanism. Meaning, even in the absence of actual sugar in the bloodstream, the sweetness of artificial sweeteners may cause an insulin response.

Be careful moving forward, then. If maintaining blood sugar control is important to you, I suggest using a glucometer, such as this one, to determine whether Propel has any effect on you.

Does Propel Water Help You Lose Weight?

Avoiding extra calories is one of the reasons people choose Propel (rather than Gatorade) and other zero-calorie beverages. However, the data indicates that consuming artificial sweeteners has a surprisingly low weight loss effectiveness.

You’d expect that switching from sugar to zero-calorie sweeteners would cause significant weight-loss… but in most studies, they cause little to no weight loss.

Here’s one explanation: Artificial sweeteners keep you accustomed to sweet drinks and food. As a result, you continue to have cravings for sweets and eat more calories elsewhere.

Propel thus might not be the best option for weight loss. However, it also doesn’t appear that Propel’s sweeteners contribute to weight gain. So Propel likely won’t make you gain or lose weight by itself.

The key to weight loss is your overall diet and calorie balance. Your diet is not dependent on a single food. Therefore, if losing weight is your goal, you might want to track your calories as I do in this post, or you might want to try some of these 18 tips for losing weight without counting calories.

Your weight loss journey won’t be successful or unsuccessful solely based on whether you drink Propel water.

Exist Electrolytes In Propel Water?

In a 12-ounce serving of Propel Electrolyte Water, there are 160 mg of sodium and 40 mg of potassium. This roughly equals the quantity of electrolytes in Gatorade.

This means that while you can obtain the same amount of electrolytes as Gatorade, you can do so without the sugar. But in Propel, you get artificial sweeteners, which some people think are just as bad as (or worse than) that for the reasons mentioned above.

Now, let’s cover another question about the electrolytes in Propel…

How Much Sodium Is In Propel Water?

One serving of 12 fl oz (360 mL) of Propel Electrolyte Water contains 160 mg of sodium. A handful of salted nuts has about the same amount of sodium as this. The ideal daily sodium intake of 1,500 mg would require more than 9 servings of Propel.

A lot of people don’t realize that the “electrolytes” in sports drinks include basic table salt. This is advantageous because sweating allows your body to rehydrate by replacing lost salts.

The official advice from the American Heart Association is to keep your daily sodium intake under 2,300 mg. However, they are “moving toward an ideal limit” of 1,500 mg per day. (A limit of 1,500 mg is also set for at-risk populations.)

Propel has a relatively low sodium content when compared to foods like canned soup or frozen TV dinners. It only contains a small amount, but if you consume it continuously throughout the day, it could add up.

Is Propel Water Caffeine-free?

No caffeine is present in propel water. It is a sports drink, but it is not an energy beverage. There is no caffeine advertised in it, and none of the ingredients naturally contain caffeine. Water shouldn’t keep you up at night.

Is Water Healthier For You Than Propel?

Propel might be preferable to water if you urgently need to rehydrate and replenish your electrolytes. Propel would probably be healthier to drink in most other circumstances, however, than plain water.

This is a compelling query. It’s important to remember that Propel is primarily composed of water. Propel contains water plus other ingredients. Some of those ingredients are beneficial; others not so much.

The electrolytes and vitamins in Propel come with possible health benefits… However, there are potential long-term risks associated with artificial sweeteners (discussed above).

If you need to rehydrate due to prolongedexercise or heat exposure, the benefits of The benefits of Propel might outweigh the disadvantages. In those circumstances, consuming too much plain water without electrolytes can actually lead to salt depletion and heat exhaustion.

In these circumstances, you can also rehydrate naturally with foods high in electrolytes like sea salt, coconut water, and others. Yet a practical alternative is Propel and other sports drinks.

The best beverage for the majority of your fluid needs in everyday life is water. It doesn’t contain any of the extra, synthetic ingredients found in electrolyte drinks like Propel.

Is Propel Water Better Than Gatorade?

Without the sugar or artificial colors, propel water has the same electrolytes as Gatorade. Because of this, some people believe Propel to be healthier than Gatorade. However, Propel contains artificial sweeteners, which may pose additional risks. As a result, it is dependent upon your priorities and concerns.

As far as health is concerned, I personally prefer Propel to Gatorade. The sugar in Gatorade is just way too much for me personally. I try to prevent significant blood sugar swings because they can make my acne worse.

But I wouldn’t want to regularly consume a lot of Propel either. As mentioned above, it might impair my insulin sensitivity and eventually result in other issues.

Neither Propel nor Gatorade are actually natural, healthy beverages. Generally speaking, drinking tap water, coconut water, or unsweetened tea is healthier.

Can Propel Keep You Up At Night?

Propel doesn’t contain any stimulants like caffeine or other substances that can keep you up at night. It’s not an energizing beverage. Propel shouldn’t interfere with sleep, so people shouldn’t worry about it.

Conclusion

No caffeine is present in Propel. There are vitamins and electrolytes added to the flavored water.

Let me know if you have any inquiries.

We appreciate you reading.