A standard 12-ounce can of Celsius contains 10 calories. Some varieties list 5 calories, and a few flavors hit 15, but the vast majority of Celsius products land right at 10 calories per can. The drink contains zero sugar, with its slight calorie content coming from the small amounts of active ingredients in its proprietary blend.
Calories Across the Celsius Product Lines
Celsius sells several distinct product lines, and the calorie counts stay consistently low across all of them. The original Celsius and Celsius Vibe cans are 12 ounces and typically contain 10 calories. Celsius Essentials comes in a larger 16-ounce can, and those also clock in at around 10 calories despite the bigger size. The Celsius On-the-Go powder sticks, which you mix into water, are similarly minimal in calories.
Across every flavor and format, you won’t find a Celsius product that breaks 15 calories. For comparison, a 12-ounce can of regular Coca-Cola has 140 calories, and a typical 16-ounce energy drink like Monster contains around 210. Celsius positions itself as a fitness-oriented alternative, and the near-zero calorie count is a core part of that identity.
Where Those 10 Calories Come From
Since Celsius uses no sugar, you might wonder what accounts for those 10 calories. The answer is the blend of active ingredients the company calls its MetaPlus formula. This includes green tea extract (specifically a compound called EGCG), guarana seed extract, ginger root, and a handful of B vitamins. These ingredients carry trace amounts of energy. Sucralose or stevia handles the sweetness without adding calories, depending on the product line.
The drink also contains no high-fructose corn syrup, no aspartame, and no artificial colors. If you’re tracking macros, Celsius registers as essentially zero across protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Caffeine Content by Product Line
While the calorie differences between Celsius products are negligible, the caffeine differences are not. The original Celsius and Celsius Vibe contain 200 mg of caffeine per can. Celsius Essentials bumps that up to 270 mg per can. For context, the FDA cites 400 mg per day as the amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults. So a single can of original Celsius accounts for half that daily limit, while an Essentials can covers about two-thirds of it.
If you drink two cans of original Celsius in a day, you’re right at the FDA threshold. Two Essentials cans would put you well over it. That’s worth keeping in mind if you also drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated products throughout the day.
The “Calorie Burning” Claim
Celsius markets itself as a drink that helps burn calories, not just one that’s low in calories. The idea behind this claim is thermogenesis, the process of your body generating heat and burning energy. The two key ingredients driving this are caffeine and EGCG from green tea extract.
Caffeine stimulates your nervous system in a way that increases the release of adrenaline, which in turn signals your body to break down stored fat and use it for energy. EGCG appears to work through a different pathway, potentially reducing how your body synthesizes new fat while increasing fat oxidation in the liver. Together, these ingredients can modestly raise your metabolic rate for a few hours after consumption.
How much extra calorie burn are we talking about? Studies on thermogenic drinks with similar ingredient profiles show a real but small effect. You might burn an extra 50 to 100 calories over several hours, depending on your body size, activity level, and caffeine tolerance. That’s roughly equivalent to walking for 10 to 15 minutes. It’s a real effect, but not one that will meaningfully change your body composition on its own. The near-zero calorie count of the drink itself is probably more relevant to most people’s goals than the thermogenic boost.
How Celsius Compares to Other Energy Drinks
- Celsius (12 oz): 10 calories, 200 mg caffeine, zero sugar
- Red Bull (8.4 oz): 110 calories, 80 mg caffeine, 27 g sugar
- Monster Original (16 oz): 210 calories, 160 mg caffeine, 54 g sugar
- Bang Energy (16 oz): 0 calories, 300 mg caffeine, zero sugar
- Red Bull Sugar Free (8.4 oz): 5 calories, 80 mg caffeine, zero sugar
Among sugar-free energy drinks, Celsius falls in the middle for caffeine and at the low end for calories. Bang has zero calories but packs 300 mg of caffeine into a larger can. Sugar-free Red Bull is lower in both calories and caffeine. Your choice depends on whether you prioritize minimal stimulant intake or maximum energy with minimal calories.