G Fuel is an energy drink marketed towards gamers and eSports athletes. With its bright packaging and promises of enhanced focus and energy, G Fuel positions itself as a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks.
One of the main selling points of G Fuel is that it contains 0 calories. Printed clearly on the tub, G Fuel declares “0 CALORIES” in large lettering. This leads many to believe that G Fuel has no calories whatsoever.
But is this claim really true? Does G Fuel truly contain 0 calories? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients and nutrition facts.
G Fuel Ingredients
First, let’s examine what is actually in G Fuel. According to the supplement facts label, G Fuel contains the following main ingredients:
- Vitamins (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12)
- Proprietary Energy and Focus Blend (Caffeine Anhydrous, Velvet Bean Extract, Ginseng Extract, Guarana Seed Extract)
- Antioxidant Blend (Apple Fruit Powder, Acai Fruit Extract, Goji Berry Extract, Carrot Juice Powder, Kale Leaf Powder, Broccoli Powder, Spinach Leaf Powder, Tomato Powder)
- Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Sucralose
- Silicon Dioxide
- Acesulfame Potassium
So at first glance, the ingredients list does not contain any typical sources of calories like protein, fat, or carbohydrates. But when we look closer, some questions emerge:
Caffeine
Caffeine is known to provide a mild metabolic boost and increase calorie burning to some degree. However, the amount of caffeine in G Fuel is unlikely to contribute any significant amount of calories.
Fruit and Vegetable Powders
While fruits and vegetables are nutritious, they do also naturally contain calories. The fruit and veggie antioxidant blend in G Fuel provides vitamins and minerals, but it’s not clear if it contributes zero calories. Very small amounts may provide negligible calories.
Natural Flavors
The “Natural Flavors” in G Fuel are not defined or detailed, so it’s unknown if these impart any calories. Natural flavors can come from fruit or vegetable juices which would contain calories. However, the flavors are likely added in small quantities.
Sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that contains no calories. This suggests that the product overall does not contain sugars that would add calories.
G Fuel Nutrition Facts
Next, let’s analyze the nutrition facts label on a tub of G Fuel powder:
| Nutrition Facts | Per 1 scoop (7g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 15 |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Sodium 35mg | 1% |
| Potassium 25mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4g | 1% |
| Sugars 0g | – |
| Protein 0g | – |
Looking at the nutritional breakdown, a single 7g scoop of G Fuel powder contains 15 calories. It also contains 4g of total carbohydrates.
This means that despite the “0 CALORIES” claim on the tub, G Fuel does in fact contain a small amount of calories per serving. The 15 calories come from the carbohydrates that are present in the powder.
Why Does G Fuel Say 0 Calories?
With the nutrition facts showing 15 calories per scoop, why does G Fuel advertise that it has 0 calories? There are a few potential reasons:
FDA Labeling Regulations
According to FDA guidelines, if a single serving contains fewer than 5 calories, the manufacturer can claim “0 calories” on the label. As G Fuel contains 15 calories per 7g scoop, it meets the criteria to round down to 0 calories for labeling purposes.
Negligible Calories
At just 15 calories per serving, the amount of calories in G Fuel powder is very negligible. It’s likely that the company doesn’t consider 15 calories per scoop significant enough to warrant counting.
Marketing
“0 CALORIES” is great for marketing and helps position G Fuel as a healthier alternative to soda, energy drinks, and other sugary beverages. Even though it’s not completely accurate, it helps attract calorie-conscious consumers.
Does Mixing G Fuel Change the Calories?
Another question that arises is whether mixing G Fuel powder with water or milk changes the calorie content. Here is how the calories may change when you make a complete G Fuel drink:
With Water
When mixing G Fuel with the recommended 8-12 oz of water, the powder itself will still only contribute 15 calories. However, the total volume of the beverage is now greater than one scoop. Depending on the exact amount of water used, the calorie count for the full G Fuel drink made with water may be slightly higher than 15 calories, but still very low overall.
With Milk
If G Fuel is mixed with milk instead of water, the calories will be higher. An 8 oz glass of 2% milk contains about 120 calories. So mixing one scoop of G Fuel with milk will result in a beverage containing approximately 135 calories.
Other Mix-ins
Adding other ingredients like fruit juice or protein powder will also increase the calorie count significantly compared to mixing with water alone. So the more mix-ins used, the higher the calories will become.
Does Sweetener Content Counteract Calories?
G Fuel contains two artificial sweeteners – Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium. Both of these are non-nutritive sweeteners that provide no calories. Some sources claim that beverages with artificial sweeteners may help counteract the calories consumed from other sources.
However, there is little scientific evidence to support this claim. While artificial sweeteners themselves do not contain calories, they do not appear to enhance calorie burning or have a significant effect on metabolism.
So while the sweeteners make G Fuel taste quite sweet, they likely do not “cancel out” or negate the calories in the beverage to any meaningful degree.
Does G Fuel Result in Fat Loss?
Some G Fuel fans swear it has helped them lose weight and drop fat. This is partly attributed to the “zero calories” claim. However, any potential for fat loss is unlikely to come from the calorie content itself.
Rather, the caffeine and energy-promoting ingredients in G Fuel may provide an extra boost to your metabolism and workout performance. This could enhance your fat-burning results from exercise. But the calorie content itself does not directly cause fat loss.
Comparisons to Other Drinks
Compared to traditional soda, energy drinks, coffee drinks, and other beverages, G Fuel is very low in calories, even when mixed with water or milk.
For example, here is how G Fuel compares calorie-wise to other common drinks (based on 8 oz serving sizes):
| Beverage | Calories |
|---|---|
| G Fuel (with water) | ~15-25 calories |
| G Fuel (with 2% milk) | ~135 calories |
| Coca Cola | 96 calories |
| Red Bull | 110 calories |
| Starbucks Bottled Frappuccino | 200 calories |
| Orange Juice | 112 calories |
As you can see, even mixed with milk, G Fuel is generally much lower in calories compared to other retail beverages. So for anyone looking to cut calories from their diet, G Fuel is likely a better choice.
Should You Rely on G Fuel for Weight Loss?
While G Fuel is low-calorie, solely relying on it for weight loss is not recommended. Simply switching your regular drinks to G Fuel without also addressing your overall diet and exercise habits is unlikely to lead to significant weight reduction.
G Fuel on its own does not contain fiber, protein, or healthy fats to really promote fullness and satisfaction. And its caffeine/stimulant content can only provide a temporary surge in energy – it cannot replace proper nutrition.
For sustained weight loss results, be sure to combine G Fuel with a balanced lower-calorie meal plan, regular exercise regimen, enough rest and recovery, and an overall healthy lifestyle.
The Verdict
So does G Fuel contain 0 calories? The answer is…
No, G Fuel does contain calories, but only 15 calories per serving. While the packaging may claim 0 calories, the nutrition facts reveal that a single scoop powder contains 15 calories from carbohydrates.
However, 15 calories is considered low enough be labeled as 0 calories for certain products. When mixed as directed with water, G Fuel results in a beverage that is very low-calorie overall.
While not completely zero calories, each serving of G Fuel powder only contains about 15-25 calories depending on how it is prepared, which is a negligible amount compared to other drinks.
So for gamers and anyone else looking for an ultra low-calorie beverage, G Fuel is still an excellent option. Just don’t expect it alone to cause weight loss – a healthy lifestyle is still required.
The takeaway:
- G Fuel is not actually 0 calories but contains around 15 calories per scoop.
- The 15 calories come from carbohydrates in the powdered drink mix.
- When mixed as intended with water, G Fuel has very few calories compared to other beverages.
- While not literally 0, each serving of G Fuel can be considered a very low calorie beverage.
- For significant weight loss, an overall healthy lifestyle is still essential.