Clean Drink vs NOCCO: Two Swedish BCAA Drinks Compared
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Clean Drink and NOCCO are both Swedish-style BCAA drinks sold in 330 ml carbonated cans, both zero sugar, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free. NOCCO carries more amino acid — 3000 mg of BCAA per can against Clean Drink's 2500 mg — and a stated 180 mg of caffeine. Clean Drink contains no taurine and its caffeine depends on the variant. NOCCO is the training can; Clean Drink is the calmer everyday one.
Clean Drink vs NOCCO at a glance
The two cans look similar on a shelf, but the labels differ in three places that matter: amino acid content, taurine and caffeine.
| Attribute | Clean Drink | NOCCO |
|---|---|---|
| BCAA per can | 2500 mg | 3000 mg (leucine, isoleucine, valine) |
| Taurine | None | Not stated — the formula leads on BCAA and B vitamins |
| Caffeine | Varies by variant — check the can | 180 mg per can; some variants are caffeine-free |
| Added vitamins | Vitamins and minerals | B vitamins; the FOCUS line adds green tea extract |
| Sugar | Zero sugar | Zero sugar |
| Volume and container | 330 ml can, carbonated | 330 ml can, carbonated |
| Dietary | Vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free | Vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free |
| What it is for | Everyday drinking, a soft-drink replacement with amino acids | Pre-workout and through-the-day energy |
What is the difference between Clean Drink and NOCCO?
The short answer is that NOCCO is the stronger, more stimulant-led can and Clean Drink is the plainer one.
Both are built on the same idea: a fizzy, sugar-free drink with branched-chain amino acids added, aimed at people who would otherwise reach for a soft drink. NOCCO takes that idea further in the direction of an energy drink. It puts 3000 mg of BCAA and a set of B vitamins in every can, states 180 mg of caffeine, and runs a separate FOCUS line with green tea extract on top. Clean Drink stops earlier: 2500 mg of BCAA plus vitamins and minerals, no taurine at all, and no single caffeine figure as the headline of the range. For the full breakdown of what branched-chain amino acids are, see what BCAA is and why it is in NOCCO.
Which has more BCAA, Clean Drink or NOCCO?
NOCCO, by 500 mg per can.
NOCCO lists 3000 mg of BCAA per 330 ml can, specified as leucine, isoleucine and valine. Clean Drink lists 2500 mg. Keep that in proportion: neither can is a protein shake, and both sit well below a scoop of powder or a proper post-training meal. The gap matters most if you drink several cans a week, or if you are stocking a fridge where customers compare the two labels side by side. If amino acids are the whole reason you are buying, NOCCO wins on the number; if they are a bonus on a drink you enjoy, 500 mg decides nothing.
Does Clean Drink contain taurine?
No — Clean Drink contains no taurine, and says so plainly.
That is a genuine point of difference in this category rather than a marketing detail. Taurine is standard in the classic energy drink formula: Red Bull carries 1000 mg per 250 ml can, Powerking about 950 mg, and Celsius lists taurine among its active ingredients. NOCCO's stated formula is built around BCAA and B vitamins instead, with green tea extract in the FOCUS line. So if taurine is something you organise your shopping around — for dietary reasons, for a customer who asks, or because you prefer a shorter ingredient list — Clean Drink gives the clearest answer of the two.
How much caffeine is in Clean Drink and NOCCO?
NOCCO states 180 mg per 330 ml can; Clean Drink's caffeine content varies by variant, so read the can in front of you.
NOCCO's 180 mg puts it near the top of the functional drink shelf, well above a 250 ml Red Bull at 80 mg and a little under a 330 ml Celsius at 200 mg. Some NOCCO variants are caffeine-free, so check the can if that is what you want. For Clean Drink the figure is not the same across the line, so the label is the only reliable source.
There is a useful shortcut here. Under EU Regulation 1169/2011, any drink with more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre has to carry the statement "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women". NOCCO sits above that threshold and carries the warning. If a Clean Drink variant carries it, that variant is above 150 mg per litre too; if it does not, it is below. That one line on the back of the can tells you more than any blog post can.
Which has the better flavour range?
NOCCO has the broader and more experimental range; Clean Drink's is smaller and leans sweeter and more classically Swedish.
NOCCO runs a long list — Caribbean, Apple, Mango, Blood Orange, Blue Raspberry, Berruba, Arancia, Päron, Juicy Breeze, Limón del Sol, San Citro, Peachango, Passionite, Guavo, Cherry Berry and Sunny Soda — plus the FOCUS line in Cola, Grand Sour, Ramonade, Raspberry Blast and Stellar Blend. The citrus-led ones have a sharper bite and a drier finish; the berry ones are rounder and sweeter. In our own order data over the past twelve months, NOCCO FOCUS Cola sits in the top quarter of lines by number of orders — the cola note reads as a treat rather than a supplement. Our picks are set out in best NOCCO flavours ranked.
Clean Drink keeps it to Fresh Soda, Pear, Pineapple, Passion, Wild Berries, Wild Strawberry, Summer Peach, Strawberry Sunset, Exotic Summer and Farmors Lemonad. Fresh Soda and Farmors Lemonad are the two we restock most often, and they explain the range's character: soft carbonation, a sweeter profile, less of the sour-candy edge that runs through parts of the NOCCO line. If NOCCO's sharper flavours tire you after two cans, Clean Drink is the easier one to drink repeatedly.
Are both suitable for vegans, coeliacs and lactose intolerance?
Both are vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free.
That makes the pair easy to stock for a mixed customer base, and it is one reason BCAA cans have taken shelf space from protein drinks in Swedish gym fridges. Neither contains milk. The caveat is the caffeine rather than the allergens: at 180 mg a can, NOCCO is not a drink for a child or for anyone avoiding stimulants, and the EU warning on the label says as much.
Best for…
- Pre-workout: NOCCO. The 180 mg of caffeine and 3000 mg of BCAA are the reason it sits in so many gym fridges.
- An afternoon at a desk: Clean Drink. Lighter on stimulants, sweeter, and easier to finish without the mid-afternoon jitter.
- Replacing a daily soft drink: Clean Drink. Zero sugar, no taurine, and a flavour profile close to ordinary fizzy drinks.
- Resale in a gym or studio: NOCCO as the volume line, with Clean Drink alongside for members who want the amino acids without the caffeine load.
- Avoiding taurine: Clean Drink, without qualification.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clean Drink an energy drink?
Clean Drink is a BCAA drink rather than a classic energy drink. It supplies 2500 mg of branched-chain amino acids plus vitamins and minerals in a 330 ml carbonated can, with no taurine and no single headline caffeine figure across the line. Some variants contain caffeine and some do not, so the can is the place to check before you drink it.
Which is stronger, Clean Drink or NOCCO?
NOCCO is the stronger can on both counts that people usually mean. It carries 3000 mg of BCAA against Clean Drink's 2500 mg, and it states 180 mg of caffeine per 330 ml can, while Clean Drink's caffeine varies by variant. A few NOCCO variants are caffeine-free, so check the label if you want the amino acids without the stimulant.
Does NOCCO contain sugar?
No. NOCCO is a zero-sugar range, as is Clean Drink. Both use sweeteners instead of sugar, which is why they are drunk as soft-drink replacements as much as training drinks. Both are also vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free, so they suit most dietary requirements apart from the obvious one of avoiding caffeine.
Can you drink Clean Drink or NOCCO every day?
Many people do, and both are zero sugar, but caffeine is the limit worth watching rather than the amino acids. A 330 ml NOCCO carries 180 mg of caffeine, so two cans is already a substantial daily intake alongside coffee. Anyone who is pregnant, breast-feeding, under 18 or sensitive to stimulants should follow the EU warning on the label.
Why does NOCCO carry a high caffeine warning and some drinks do not?
Under EU Regulation 1169/2011, any drink with more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre must state "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women". NOCCO's 180 mg per 330 ml can is well above that threshold, so the statement is mandatory. Caffeine-free variants and low-caffeine drinks do not need it.
Which one should a gym stock?
Most gyms we supply lead with NOCCO and keep Clean Drink as the second line. NOCCO moves faster among members training hard, helped by the broad flavour range and the FOCUS line. Clean Drink covers members who want the amino acids and the zero sugar without a heavy caffeine load, and it suits afternoon and evening sales.
Buying Clean Drink and NOCCO from Nordic Refreshment
Both ranges are available from Nordic Refreshment by the can, by the tray and by the pallet, with delivery across Europe and B2B pricing on request. Browse NOCCO and Clean Drink, or the wider energy drink range if you are building a mixed fridge. Tell us the split you want and we will quote it.
Buying for a shop, gym or office?
Nordic Refreshment ships by the tray or the pallet across Europe. Tell us the mix and we will quote.
