10 Best Pre-Workouts Without Artificial Colors of 2026

A blue pre-workout drink can use spirulina rather than Blue 1. Removing synthetic food dyes still leaves caffeine, sweeteners and scoop sizes to compare. These ten picks cover unsweetened, caffeine-free and flavored formulas without listed artificial colors.

Written by Tom Miller, CSCS. Updated: October 2026.

How We Chose

We checked complete ingredient lists for the exact flavors and excluded synthetic food dyes, including FD&C colors. We kept formulas using beet, fruit or vegetable juice, spirulina and beta-carotene, while retaining their added-color and sweetener distinctions. This list does not require organic ingredients, natural flavoring or the absence of sucralose. We compared caffeine, active ingredient forms, scoop sizes, full portions per container and relevant warnings. Scores favor clear portions and a useful buying purpose instead of maximum stimulant content. A brand name alone cannot establish eligibility because flavors and formula generations differ. The selected recipes range from no caffeine to 350mg per full portion. None of the rankings promises a pump, a particular focus response or a strength gain.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Transparent Labs BULK Blue Raspberry

Transparent Labs BULK Blue Raspberry 30 Servings

Best Overall

★★★★★ 4.5/5

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A Blue Raspberry formula with 200mg caffeine, 8g citrulline malate and 4g beta-alanine per scoop, without listed artificial colors.

Pros

• 200mg caffeine per scoop
• 8g citrulline malate 2:1
• Thirty one-scoop servings

Cons

• 4g beta-alanine can cause tingling
• Contains stevia and a long formula

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BULK’s selected Blue Raspberry panel lists 200mg caffeine, 8g citrulline malate 2:1, 4g beta-alanine and 2.5g betaine per scoop. That is a substantial ingredient portion without Legion’s 350mg caffeine commitment. The 8g includes malate; it is not 8g pure L-citrulline.

The other ingredients include natural flavors, stevia, calcium silicate and silicon dioxide. Skip this if you avoid stevia or beta-alanine tingling, or prefer a short formula. Kaged Sport lowers caffeine to 188mg and beta-alanine to 1.6g, while Naked Energy removes flavoring and sweeteners. BULK supplies thirty one-scoop portions; its name does not make it a mass gainer or guarantee muscle growth.

Best Higher-Caffeine Option: Legion Pulse Fruit Punch

Legion Pulse Fruit Punch 20 Full Servings

Best Higher-Caffeine Option

★★★★☆ 4.3/5

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A Fruit Punch formula colored with fruit and vegetable juice, supplying 350mg caffeine and 8g citrulline malate at two scoops.

Pros

• 8g citrulline malate per full portion
• 3.6g beta-alanine
• Fruit and vegetable juice for color

Cons

• 350mg caffeine at two scoops
• Contains erythritol and stevia

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Pulse combines 350mg caffeine with 350mg theanine at its full two-scoop portion. The selected panel also lists 8g citrulline malate, 3.6g beta-alanine and 2.5g betaine. Fruit and vegetable juice supplies color, while erythritol and stevia supply sweetness.

Its twenty full portions are a different purchase from BULK’s thirty. Half the labeled two-scoop portion also halves the active ingredients; do not keep quoting 8g citrulline malate for one scoop. Skip this if you are caffeine-sensitive, use substantial caffeine elsewhere or avoid sugar alcohols. Theanine does not cancel caffeine or protect sleep. BULK is the less stimulant-heavy comparison, and Pumpsurge removes caffeine.

Best Lower-Caffeine Single Scoop: Kaged Sport Fruit Punch

Kaged Sport Fruit Punch 20 Servings

Best Lower-Caffeine Single Scoop

★★★★☆ 4.4/5

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A twenty-serving Fruit Punch formula with 188mg caffeine, 3.5g L-citrulline and 1.6g beta-alanine per scoop, using beet root for color.

Pros

• 188mg caffeine per scoop
• 3.5g pure L-citrulline
• Beet root for color

Cons

• Only twenty portions per tub
• Contains coconut water powder, stevia and sucralose

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Kaged Sport lists 188mg caffeine, 3.5g L-citrulline, 1.6g beta-alanine and 1.25g betaine per scoop. Its caffeine amount is below the 200mg choices here, though it remains a meaningful stimulant portion. The recipe includes coconut water powder and uses beet root for color.

Kaged combines stevia with sucralose, so the absence of artificial colors does not also remove artificial sweeteners. Skip this if coconut ingredients or either sweetener do not fit your diet, or if you want a thirty-portion tub. Alani gives you thirty portions and 200mg caffeine, but its 6g citrulline quantity includes malate. Kaged’s 3.5g is the pure amino acid.

Best Unflavored: Naked Energy

Naked Energy Unflavored 50 Servings

Best Unflavored

★★★★☆ 4.3/5

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An unflavored formula without added sweeteners or colors, with 200mg caffeine, 2g beta-alanine and 1g creatine per two-small-scoop portion.

Pros

• No added color, flavor or sweetener
• 200mg caffeine per labeled portion
• Fifty full portions

Cons

• Only 1g creatine monohydrate
• 40mg niacin can cause flushing

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Naked Energy’s 4.8g serving uses about two small scoops. That portion contains 200mg caffeine, 2g beta-alanine, 1g creatine monohydrate and 1g L-arginine. It lists no other ingredients, so it answers a stricter preference than simply removing synthetic dyes.

The small creatine amount is a limitation beside Pre JYM Plus’s 5g, and the label includes 40mg niacin as nicotinic acid. Flushing from niacin is separate from beta-alanine tingling. Skip this if you want a flavored drink or substantial citrulline; Naked has no citrulline ingredient. Unflavored does not mean tasteless. Promix adds fruit ingredients and monk fruit while retaining a 200mg caffeine portion.

Best Caffeine-Free: Jacked Factory Pumpsurge Cherry Limeade

Jacked Factory Pumpsurge Cherry Limeade 30 Scoops

Best Caffeine-Free

★★★★☆ 4.3/5

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A caffeine-free Cherry Limeade formula colored with beet root, with 4g L-citrulline per scoop and fifteen full two-scoop portions per tub.

Pros

• No caffeine
• 4g L-citrulline per scoop
• Beet root powder for color

Cons

• Thirty scoops equal fifteen two-scoop portions
• Contains sucralose, acesulfame potassium and huperzine A

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Pumpsurge supplies 4g L-citrulline, 1.25g betaine and 1g GlycerSize powder per scoop. Two scoops double those amounts. The 65% glycerol powder is not pure glycerol, so its powder weight should not be quoted as the same quantity of glycerol.

Its thirty-scoop tub contains fifteen two-scoop portions. This is the choice when you want to avoid caffeine rather than merely lower it, but the recipe still includes huperzine A and other active ingredients. Skip this if you want a simple single-ingredient supplement or need to avoid sucralose and acesulfame potassium. Check medication compatibility with a pharmacist. Caffeine-free does not mean suitable for every person or condition.

Best Without Beta-Alanine: PEScience Prolific-1 Orange Cream

PEScience Prolific-1 Orange Cream 25 Servings

Best Without Beta-Alanine

★★★★☆ 4.3/5

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An Orange Cream single-scoop formula with 200mg caffeine and 6g L-citrulline, without beta-alanine, using beet juice concentrate and beta-carotene.

Pros

• 200mg caffeine per single scoop
• 6g pure L-citrulline
• No beta-alanine

Cons

• Contains arginine nitrate and several nootropic ingredients
• Twenty-five portions rather than thirty

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Prolific-1 is the twenty-five-serving formula with 200mg caffeine, 6g L-citrulline and 2.5g betaine per scoop. It differs from older Prolific products with different scoop counts and caffeine amounts. Beet juice concentrate and beta-carotene appear among its other ingredients, alongside sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

It suits buyers who avoid beta-alanine but still want a flavored stimulant formula. The panel also lists 2g arginine nitrate, which does not mean 2g of nitrate alone. Skip this if you need to avoid nitrates or want a short ingredient list. Discuss the full formula with a pharmacist if you take medication. Pumpsurge is the caffeine-free alternative, while Promix includes beta-alanine without citrulline.

Best Fruit-and-Monk-Fruit Recipe: Promix Strawberry Lemon

Promix Pre-Workout Strawberry Lemon 30 Servings

Best Fruit-and-Monk-Fruit Recipe

★★★★☆ 4.3/5

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A Strawberry Lemon formula with 200mg caffeine, 3.2g beta-alanine, 3g tyrosine and 1g taurine per two-scoop portion, with monk fruit.

Pros

• 200mg caffeine per portion
• 3.2g beta-alanine
• Monk fruit rather than sucralose

Cons

• Two scoops per serving
• No creatine or citrulline in this selected formula

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This Strawberry Lemon formula lists 3.2g beta-alanine, 3g tyrosine, 1g taurine and 200mg caffeine per two-scoop portion. Its other ingredients include lemon oil, lemon juice, strawberry extracts, citric and malic acids, monk fruit and beets. The selected bag contains thirty portions.

Choose this recipe when you want fruit ingredients and monk fruit instead of sucralose or stevia. It does not include the citrulline in BULK or the creatine in Naked Energy. Skip this if those ingredients are priorities or you avoid beta-alanine. Promix sells other formula types; do not transfer the ingredient list of its Performance or caffeine-free version to this bag.

Best 200mg Malate Formula: Alani Nu Hawaiian Shaved Ice

Alani Nu Hawaiian Shaved Ice Pre-Workout 30 Servings

Best 200mg Malate Formula

★★★★☆ 4.2/5

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A Hawaiian Shaved Ice formula with 200mg caffeine, 6g citrulline malate and 1.6g beta-alanine per scoop, colored with beet root powder.

Pros

• 200mg caffeine per scoop
• 6g citrulline malate 2:1
• Beet root powder for color

Cons

• Contains sucralose and acesulfame potassium
• 1.6g beta-alanine per portion

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Alani’s selected Hawaiian Shaved Ice label lists 200mg caffeine, 6g citrulline malate 2:1, 1.6g beta-alanine and 200mg theanine. Beet root powder supplies color. Natural and artificial flavors, sucralose and acesulfame potassium remain in the recipe.

The thirty one-scoop portions are straightforward to compare with BULK. You get less citrulline malate and beta-alanine at the same caffeine amount. Skip this if you avoid artificial flavoring or sweeteners as well as dyes. Prolific-1 uses pure L-citrulline and omits beta-alanine; Naked Energy removes flavoring and sweeteners. Theanine does not make any of these caffeinated formulas sleep-friendly.

Best 2g Beta-Alanine Scoop: Bucked Up Freedom Pop

Bucked Up Pre-Workout Freedom Pop 30 Servings

Best 2g Beta-Alanine Scoop

★★★★☆ 4.2/5

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A Freedom Pop formula with 200mg caffeine, 6g citrulline malate and 2g beta-alanine per scoop, using blue spirulina for color.

Pros

• 200mg caffeine per scoop
• 6g citrulline malate 2:1
• Blue spirulina for color

Cons

• Contains sucralose and artificial flavors
• No creatine ingredient

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Freedom Pop demonstrates why the color of the finished drink cannot identify its dye source. Its other ingredients list blue spirulina, not an FD&C blue dye. The selected formula supplies 200mg caffeine, 6g citrulline malate 2:1 and 2g beta-alanine per scoop.

Compared with Alani, you get the same caffeine and citrulline-malate amounts with a larger beta-alanine portion. It still includes sucralose and natural and artificial flavors. Skip this if you want an unflavored formula, avoid those ingredients or need creatine included. Check the current exact product and certification details if you compete under drug-testing rules; a logo or facility claim cannot replace that check.

Best With Creatine Included: Pre JYM Plus Fruit Punch Blast

Pre JYM Plus Fruit Punch Blast 30 Servings

Best With Creatine Included

★★★★☆ 4.2/5

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A thirty-serving Fruit Punch Blast formula with 5g creatine monohydrate, 300mg caffeine and 3.2g beta-alanine, colored with vegetable juice powder.

Pros

• 5g creatine monohydrate
• 3.2g beta-alanine
• Vegetable juice powder for color

Cons

• 300mg caffeine
• Complex formula includes nitrate and huperzine A

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Pre JYM Plus puts 5g creatine monohydrate into one labeled portion, compared with Naked Energy’s 1g. It also contains 300mg caffeine, 6g citrulline malate and 3.2g beta-alanine. This is the Plus formula, not the older Pre JYM recipe with creatine HCl.

The brand’s Fruit Punch Blast ingredient information lists vegetable juice powder for color, plus sucralose and acesulfame potassium. Skip this if you want to adjust creatine separately from caffeine or need a simpler formula. Nitrate and huperzine A add medication considerations. Do not increase servings to raise creatine intake; a separate creatine product gives independent control without adding another stimulant portion.

Comparison Table

Buying Guide

Read the Color Ingredient, Not the Tub Color

The FDA distinguishes certified colors from certification-exempt color additives. Beet, fruit or vegetable juice, spirulina and beta-carotene can color a drink without a listed synthetic food dye. They are still added colors. Naked Energy has no added color, flavor or sweetener.

Check the exact flavor on delivery. Bucked Up Freedom Pop uses blue spirulina; that does not establish the recipe of another Bucked Up flavor. An ingredient list that says natural and artificial flavors can still qualify here, because flavoring and coloring are separate questions. No-artificial-colors also does not mean organic, unsweetened or free of allergens.

Choose Caffeine Before Comparing Amino Acids

Pumpsurge contains no caffeine. Kaged Sport lists 188mg, several picks list 200mg, Pre JYM Plus lists 300mg and Legion’s full portion reaches 350mg. The FDA cites 400mg daily as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, with individual variation. It is not a target or a guarantee. Count coffee, energy drinks and other supplements.

The ISSN caffeine position stand describes performance benefits and side effects, including sleep and anxiety considerations. Select the lowest suitable amount rather than treating a stronger stimulant portion as a better product. Our low-caffeine pre-workout guide and stimulant-free options narrow those separate choices.

Compare Forms, Scoops and Full Portions

BULK’s 8g citrulline malate includes malate. Prolific-1’s 6g is pure L-citrulline. Naked’s 1g creatine is not the same amount as JYM Plus’s 5g, even though both include monohydrate. Do not take additional stimulant powder to match another ingredient’s headline amount.

Legion and Promix use two scoops for their labeled portions; Naked uses two much smaller scoops. Pumpsurge lists thirty single scoops or fifteen double portions. As a calculation example, a $30 tub costs $1 per single scoop or $2 per double portion. Those are examples, not current prices. Divide delivered price by the portions you intend to use.

Keep the Safety Questions Separate From Dye Avoidance

Removing a dye does not cancel caffeine, nitrates, huperzine A or a medication interaction. Avoid these formulas if you are under eighteen, pregnant or breastfeeding. Discuss medical conditions and all medications with a clinician or pharmacist before use. Follow the exact label, mix with water, do not dry-scoop and do not combine stimulant products.

Beta-alanine tingling also has nothing to do with artificial colors. The ISSN beta-alanine position stand discusses repeated intake over weeks and divided amounts. Do not double a caffeinated pre-workout to reproduce a research protocol. Our beta-alanine-free guide addresses that separate preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does No Artificial Color Mean No Added Color?

No. Several picks use beet root, vegetable juice or spirulina to color the drink. These meet this ingredient filter while still containing added color. Naked Energy’s selected unflavored recipe lists no other ingredients and no added color. Choose by the complete recipe rather than assuming a red drink must contain Red 40 or a blue drink must contain Blue 1.

Are These Pre-Workouts Free of Artificial Sweeteners?

Some are; others are not. BULK uses stevia, Legion uses erythritol and stevia, Promix uses monk fruit and Naked has no added sweetener. Alani, Bucked Up, Pumpsurge, Kaged and other picks include sucralose or acesulfame potassium. Our pre-workouts without stevia guide addresses another ingredient preference. Neither filter ranks the replacements as healthier.

Which Pick Makes Sense for Evening Training?

Pumpsurge is the caffeine-free choice in this list. It still contains active ingredients, so review its complete formula and warnings. A lower caffeine number does not guarantee normal sleep, and theanine does not neutralize caffeine. If a pre-workout is unnecessary for your session, you can train without one rather than replacing it with another stimulant product.

Will Avoiding Artificial Colors Improve My Workout?

This exclusion alone does not establish a performance benefit. The more useful comparisons are the disclosed caffeine amount, ingredient forms, portion sizes and whether the product suits your health and training routine. Dye avoidance can be a personal preference or part of individual medical advice; it should not become a reason to ignore a high stimulant portion or complex formula.

Can I Use the Same Recipe Information for Another Flavor?

No. Manufacturers can change colors, sweeteners and even active quantities between flavors or generations. Promix Classic differs from Performance; Prolific-1 differs from older Prolific; Pre JYM Plus differs from Pre JYM. Match the exact product, flavor and serving panel when you order, then check the delivered package. A familiar brand name is not enough.

Bottom Line

Transparent Labs BULK Blue Raspberry is our overall pick because it combines a disclosed 200mg caffeine portion with thirty one-scoop servings and clear active quantities. Naked Energy suits the stricter no-added-flavor-or-sweetener preference; Pumpsurge removes caffeine. Compare the full recipe before chasing a larger citrulline or creatine number. Natural color sources can still appear in these formulas, and dye avoidance does not replace label warnings, sensible stimulant limits or medical advice.

Sources

• FDA: Color Additives in Foods; FDA: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?
• ISSN Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance; ISSN Position Stand: Beta-Alanine; NIH: Niacin
• Transparent Labs BULK; Legion Pulse; Kaged Sport; Naked Energy
• Jacked Factory Pumpsurge; PEScience Prolific-1; Promix Pre-Workout
• Alani Hawaiian Shaved Ice; Bucked Up Pre-Workout; Pre JYM Plus Fruit Punch Blast