How KSI and Logan Paul’s flavoured juice compares to Red Bull, Monster and Gatorade

It’s a vitamin-packed, no-added-sugar drink that kids across the UK are obsessed with.

But is viral flavoured juice Prime actually a healthy sports drink swap?

Prime Hydration, created by Youtubers KSI and Logan Paul, has been flying off shelves up and down the country, selling out within hours of new stock going on sale.

The vast majority of each 500ml bottle is filtered water, mixed with 10 per cent coconut water. It also includes a range of vitamins and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) – which support muscle growth.

But some nutritionists say they would not recommend the drink for children and think its benefits could be overhyped.

Chef Gordon Ramsay has even compared drinking it to ‘swallowing perfume’ because of the artificial sweeteners it contains. 

Daniel Herman, CEO of sports nutrition company Bio-synergy, said he would not advocate the drink for children, including his own, for the same reason. 

And Duane Mellor, one of the UK’s leading dietitians, told MailOnline that while BCAAs have been deemed to improve exercise performance, recovery and building muscle, ‘none of these claims have been accepted by regulators and should not be used when marketing products like this’.

Branding around Prime boasts it contains no added sugar and zero caffeine — so it’s not really an energy drink.

It contains coconut water and is a good source of minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium — which are important components in heart, skeletal and muscle health. 

Cans of energy drinks, and in particular their consumption by young people, have been controversial as some can contain more than 50g of sugar and have as much caffeine as three cups of coffee. 

Adults shouldn’t have more than 30g of free sugars (ones which don’t exist naturally) each day, while children aged between seven and 10 shouldn’t have more than 24g.

But a 500ml can of Monster Energy contains 55g of sugar, while a bottle of Lucozade Sport has 44g. 

In comparison, Prime only has 2g of sugar per bottle — about 7 per cent of an adult’s recommended intake.

It instead gets its sweetness from artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame K — which health authorities have deemed safe, despite research suggesting they raise the risk of cancer.

The drink, by YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul, returned to Aldi branches nationwide today. Pictured: A shopper in Ancoats 

Some studies have suggested sweeteners can stimulate appetite or alter the gut microbiome, therefore increasing the risk of weight gain and obesity.

Mr Herman added: ‘Children and adolescents have different nutritional needs compared to adults, and excessive consumption of any flavoured drink, including Prime could contribute to an unhealthy intake of artificial sweeteners, notably acesulfame K. 

‘I think that for adults seeking an alternative, Prime can be a low-calorie option, but for children, including my own, I would advocate water or milk.’

Prime also contains 113 per cent of the daily recommended intake of Vitamin A, 125 per cent of Vitamin E, 243 per cent of Vitamin B6 and 192 per cent of Vitamin B12.

While these vitamins form part of a healthy and balanced diet, too much of them can actually be harmful. 

However, the quantities in Prime, while above the daily requirements, shouldn’t be high enough to cause problems.