Gaming is a hobby that can require a large time investment.  So how is a gamer supposed to stay in shape?  With this second entry in our Healthy Gamer series, we explore healthy snacks and beverages for the hardcore gamer.

Energy Drink Alternatives

My own personal favorite alternative to energy drinks is Teas’ Tea Green Jasmine mixed with some truvia as a sweetener.  Fresh out of the fridge, it is very refreshing and wakes you up with its crispness.  Loose tea also works quite well and in the long run costs much less than the bottled stuff…but the bottled stuff obviously requires far less preparation.  Be weary of which brand of bottled green tea you buy, however…many of them are sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup or artificial sweeteners, neither of which are a good thing.

Another tasty energy drink alternative is Orange Juice.  Obviously, because of the high acidity you will want to drink it in moderation, but orange juice is high in natural sugars and works as a great sleep suppressant.  Orange Juice also has the bonus of satisfying your sweet tooth, so you won’t be as quick to grab some candy.

Possibly the best alternative to energy drinks are plain old caffeine pills.  Caffeine not only keeps you awake, but when taken regularly it can help boost your metabolism a bit as well.  When taken in pill form, you don’t get the added calories associated with coffee or the added sugar associated with energy drinks.

Five Hour Energy does its job as advertised, and although it has no sugar and is really low in calories, I’m not sure how ingesting that much vitamin B6 and B12 would effect you.  If you are going to imbibe actual energy drinks (and let’s face it, we all do), try to stick with diet energy drinks or use regular energy drinks in extreme moderation.

Healthy Snacks

Beef Jerky is, without a doubt, the healthiest snack food you can eat.  Loaded with protein, very low in calories, and practically devoid of fat or carbs, beef jerky is a great way to be full without being fat.  Store-bought beef jerky is far more expensive, higher in sodium, and not as tasty as making it yourself, but if you are going to go the pre-packaged route I personally recommend Jack Links. Beef Jerky should be fairly tough to pull apart, use medium to high quality meat, and shouldn’t leave a film on your hands.  I’ve found Jack Links to be one of the only commercial beef jerky products that meet all three of those criteria.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are also a great snack choice, although the water can cause some problems.  Baby carrots are a favorite choice of mine, as are celery stalks and cucumbers.  Bananas are also a good option.  They can be transported easily, fill you up, and are loaded with various healthy stuff.

There are a lot of healthy snack and energy drink alternatives out there for gamers.  Compared to the cost of traditional gamer fare, these healthy alternatives come out to be about the same price, and in some cases far less expensive.  In our next edition of The Healthy Gamer, we are going to take a look at regular beverage alternatives as well as the best cereals for gamers to eat.