Watermelon Strawberry Energy Drink - 12 fl oz

Yerbaé Watermelon Strawberry Sparkling Water Energy Drink brings together the cooling punch of ripe watermelon and the bright tartness of fresh strawberry in a 16 fl oz, zero-calorie, zero-sugar can that actually tastes like the fruit — not a lab approximation of it.

What sets Yerbaé apart from the mainstream energy drink aisle is the energy source. Where conventional brands like Monster, Celsius, and Red Bull rely on synthetic caffeine anhydrous (a pharmaceutical-grade isolate), Yerbaé uses yerba mate — a South American holly-family plant whose caffeine is naturally bound to theobromine and theophylline, alkaloids associated with a smoother, longer-lasting lift than synthetic caffeine spikes. The result is energy that builds steadily and doesn't end with a hard crash.

The formula is also strikingly clean for the energy drink category: no artificial sweeteners (no aspartame, sucralose, or acesulfame potassium), no artificial colors, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no synthetic preservatives. That's a rare combination on a shelf where even "clean" energy drinks often sneak in sucralose or ace-K to hit zero sugar. Yerbaé hits zero calories and zero sugar with no sweetener compromise.

Yerbaé Watermelon Strawberry fits keto, paleo, and sugar-free lifestyles. Store at room temperature; refrigerate before serving for best experience.

⚠️ INGREDIENTS UNVERIFIED — confirm before approving: Carbonated Water, Yerba Mate Extract, Natural Flavors (Watermelon, Strawberry), Citric Acid, Stevia Leaf Extract

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Common Questions

How does yerba mate caffeine actually differ from the synthetic caffeine in most energy drinks?
Synthetic caffeine anhydrous is a pharmaceutical-grade isolate — a single molecule with no co-occurring compounds, so it hits the bloodstream fast and clears fast, which is what produces the familiar spike-and-crash pattern. Yerba mate delivers caffeine alongside two related alkaloids: theobromine, a milder, longer-acting stimulant also found in dark chocolate, and theophylline, historically used in medicine for its smooth-muscle-relaxing properties. These three compounds arrive together as a matrix, and research on co-ingestion suggests the combined effect is more gradual in onset and more sustained in duration than isolated caffeine at the same dose. A typical serving of yerba mate extract in a commercial drink lands in the 80–120 mg caffeine range, which is comparable to a standard Red Bull (80 mg) or Celsius (200 mg) but arrives through a different physiological pathway.

If there is zero sugar and zero calories, what makes this drink taste sweet?
The listed ingredient is stevia leaf extract, derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. The primary sweet compounds in stevia are steviol glycosides — specifically rebaudioside A (Reb-A) and related variants — which bind to sweet taste receptors at roughly 200–350 times the intensity of sucrose by weight, so only trace quantities are needed. Critically, steviol glycosides are not metabolized into glucose; they pass through the digestive tract largely intact, which is why they contribute zero calories and have a glycemic index of zero. This distinguishes stevia from sucralose and acesulfame potassium, which are synthetic chlorinated compounds or potassium salts with ongoing debate around gut microbiome effects. Some people perceive a mild bitter or licorice-like aftertaste from high-concentration stevia; beverage formulators typically offset this with citric acid and fruit-forward flavors, which aligns with the watermelon-strawberry profile here.

Is this drink actually compatible with a keto or low-carb diet, or are there hidden carbs to watch for?
Based on the stated formulation — zero sugar, zero calories, no high-fructose corn syrup, and stevia as the only sweetener — this drink would contribute zero net carbohydrates, which places it cleanly within ketogenic macro limits (typically under 20–50 g net carbs per day). Yerba mate extract, citric acid, and natural flavors in the concentrations used in carbonated beverages do not meaningfully contribute digestible carbohydrates. Stevia glycosides are sometimes listed on labels as a trace carbohydrate (often 0–1 g), but because they are non-glycemic, they do not raise blood glucose or insulin and are generally counted as zero net carbs under standard keto accounting. Paleo compatibility is also reasonable since stevia is a plant-derived extract and the ingredient list avoids synthetic additives; strict paleo practitioners who object to all processed sweeteners, even plant-based ones, may want to note the stevia inclusion.

How does Yerbaé compare to Red Bull, Monster, and Celsius on the ingredient cleanliness question specifically?
Red Bull's sugar-free version uses aspartame and acesulfame potassium; its standard version contains 27 g of sugar per 8.4 oz can. Monster Zero Ultra uses erythritol, sucralose, and ace-K. Celsius uses sucralose in most SKUs alongside synthetic caffeine anhydrous and taurine. Yerbaé's stated formula contains none of those synthetic sweeteners — no aspartame, no sucralose, no ace-K — and uses stevia as its only non-caloric sweetener. On the caffeine sourcing side, Yerbaé's use of whole yerba mate extract rather than caffeine anhydrous is a structural difference: you're getting a botanical extract rather than a synthesized molecule. For consumers specifically avoiding artificial sweeteners due to dietary preference, sensitivity, or protocols like Whole30 (which permits stevia in its more recent guidelines), Yerbaé represents a narrower ingredient list than the three mainstream competitors named.

What is yerba mate, and is there any health research behind it beyond its caffeine content?
Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a holly-family shrub native to subtropical South America, where it has been consumed as a traditional tea for centuries in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. Beyond caffeine and the alkaloids theobromine and theophylline, yerba mate contains chlorogenic acids — polyphenols that have been studied for antioxidant activity and possible roles in glucose metabolism — as well as saponins, which are compounds under investigation for anti-inflammatory properties. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Food Science found Ilex paraguariensis extracts exhibited higher antioxidant capacity than green tea in some assays, though direct human clinical outcomes research is less robust. Separately, some research has explored yerba mate's potential effects on appetite and lipid metabolism, though results are preliminary. It's worth noting that very high, long-term consumption of traditionally prepared hot yerba mate has been associated in epidemiological studies with elevated esophageal cancer risk, attributed more to temperature than to the plant compounds themselves — a factor not relevant to cold canned beverages.

How do I verify that the ingredients listed here are accurate before relying on them for allergy or dietary needs?
The most reliable verification method is to read the physical can label directly, since the FDA requires accurate ingredient and allergen disclosure under 21 CFR Part 101. The ingredients listed in this product description are noted as unverified pending manufacturer confirmation, so they should be treated as provisional. Yerbaé's official website (yerbae.com) publishes product pages with ingredient panels that can serve as a secondary source. For allergen concerns specifically, you can also contact Yerbaé's customer support to request a current allergen statement, which manufacturers are required to maintain. If you're managing a medically significant dietary restriction — celiac disease, a specific food allergy, or a condition like phenylketonuria (relevant to aspartame, which is not listed here) — always confirm against the physical label of the batch you have in hand, since formulations can change between production runs without immediate website update