Designed to help us focus and concentrate better, to exercise harder for longer — or simply power through a busy day, energy drinks have become a popular choice: in the UK we drink £1.2 billion worth of them every year. Energy drinks have a reputation for being packed with sugar and harmful additives, but there are now a number of ‘healthier’ versions, typically sugar free, and often laced with ‘good’ ingredients including vitamins and even beneficial bacteria. But are they really any better — and will they provide the energy boost you’re seeking? Mandy Francis asked Sophie Medlin, chair of the British Dietetic Association for London and founder of CityDietitians to assess a selection, which we then rated.