In This Post:
- What is an “energy drink”?
- When is green tea an energy drink?
- Is green tea better than energy drinks?
- Can I drink Marquis every day?

Hi there. I'm Caffeine Scientist, Author, and Speaker GreenEyedGuide. I use caffeine science to help people beat burnout.
What is an Energy Drink?
An Energy Drink is a beverage with
- More than one ingredient known to increase energy
- A clear and obvious intent to increase energy*
*”Energy” here meaning perceived energy, such as a boost in mental focus, not metabolic, Caloric energy

When is Green Tea an Energy Drink?

With a blend of yerba mate, green tea, and green coffee bean extract, Marquis is an energy drink. But that doesn't make it bad for you. Let's look closer at the ingredients.
Is Green Tea Better Than Energy Drinks?
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- As a reminder, healthy adults should not have more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. Above this amount, side-effects and health issues outweigh the benefits of caffeine for the majority of the population.
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Green Tea vs Energy Drink with Green Tea Blend
An energy drink made with green tea should give you the same benefits as green tea. After all, it’s the same ingredient, delivered in a can instead of a teacup. This is of course assuming the dosage is big enough. Energy drinks with a “pixie dust” of beneficial ingredients don’t count. In other words, if the ingredient is at the bottom of the Ingredients List, there’s probably not enough.
One advantage with pure green tea is you you know exactly what you’re drinking. You know the dose of green tea is high enough, because that’s all it is. On the other hand, one advantage of an energy drink like Marquis is you’re getting more than just tea. You’re getting the benefits of tea, as well as the benefits of the other ingredients.
Additionally, another advantage of Marquis versus plain tea is the caffeine content. A standard cup of tea has 45 mg of caffeine and Marquis has 100 mg of caffeine. Tea doesn’t normally give you energy because the caffeine is so low. But Marquis’ caffeine content is the same as a “standard” cup of coffee. This caffeine content is another reason you could consider this green tea an energy drink.


Marquis vs Red Bull
Red Bull is the top-selling energy drink, and has been for a decade. In fact, Red Bull’s success is the reason people picture Red Bull when they hear the words “energy drink”. In contrast, Marquis breaks that energy drink stereotype. Let’s compare the two!
Red Bull
- Red Bull Energy Drink contains 11 g of sugars per 100 ml. This is the same amount of sugar as in 100 ml of orange or apple juice. [source: Red Bull Facts & Figures]
- Key ingredients include caffeine, B-vitamins, and taurine (an amino acid)
DOWNSIDE – The original Red Bull has almost 30 grams of sugar (250 ml = 8.46 fl oz can). Also, the sugar-free Red Bull uses artificial sweeteners. These are safe, but some people choose to avoid them.
Marquis
- Marquis contains 0 grams of sugar. Instead, the drink is sweetened with natural sweetener Stevia and a natural sugar alcohol, erythritol.
- Key ingredients include B-vitamins, green tea, yerba mate, and green coffee bean.
- Marquis has 100 mg of caffeine, total, from yerba mate, green tea, and green coffee bean
DOWNSIDE – Some people get a strong aftertaste with Stevia.
Bottom Line - "Energy Drink" or not, can I drink Marquis every day?
You can consider green tea an energy drink when
- the caffeine content is higher than a standard cup of tea
- there’s more than just tea in every serving
- marketing language makes it clear the goal is to give you some sort of mental boost
You can drink Marquis every day because the caffeine content is not alarmingly high. The amount of caffeine is the same as a standard cup of coffee, 100 mg per serving.
Since Marquis is made with green tea and other ingredients, you get the benefits of tea plus all those other benefits from the other ingredients.
Marquis does not fit the energy drink stereotype. In fact it’s a lot more like green tea than an energy drink. Consequently, Marquis is a great, natural alternative for the stereotypical energy drink.
Related Reading: Are Energy Drinks Bad For You [YouTube Series]