Tag: energy drink review
Trying Caffeinated Water? Start Here
Caffeinated water can be a great alternative to the stereotypical energy drink, but if you’ve never heard of caffeinated water, where do you start? How do you know if it’s right for you? This is the third of a three-part series on caffeinated water. In the last two posts in this series, we’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions about caffeinated water. But now we ask one final question:
- Where do I start?
In This Series:
- PART ONE: Caffeinated Waters 101 – Safety and Science
- PART TWO: Caffeine and Hydration – What does research tell us?
- PART THREE: (YOU ARE HERE) My Favorite Caffeinated Waters
Science Behind Xyience Energy Drink
The world of energy drinks is vast, and there isn’t enough time to give every drink the full “Energy Drink of the Month” deep dive review. In my attempt to guide my fans through this world of energy drinks, I like to share the science behind the various caffeinated beverages I come across in my travels.
On a request from one of my fans via Instagram, here is the Science Behind Xyience!
Caffeine
Caffeine comes from plain caffeine and from guarana seed extract. There’s 176 mg caffeine per can (88 mg per serving and 2 servings per container). According to Caffeine Informer, Xyience used to be 200 mg per can. Either way, it’s Fatigue Level 3.
Key Ingredients
This drink contains B-vitamins, and some stereotypical energy drink ingredients including guarana, glucuronolactone, taurine, ginseng root extract, and inositol.
- Glucuronolactone might feed one reaction that helps the body generate energy, but glucuronolactone has to go through some small transformations first, and this reaction (the Pentose Phosphate Pathway) isn’t a major reaction, energy wise
- Taurine is a taxi cab that helps shuttle water-hating fat molecules to the place they need to be metabolized
- Ginseng is supposed to help with stress but a systematic review of almost 500 studies involving Panax Ginseng found the only benefit was for glucose metabolism in animal models
- Inositol helps with insomnia…(kind of ironic, right?)
- B-Vitamins include 100% of niacin (my favorite vitamin), 250% of B6, 80% of B12, and 500% (why?) of Pantothenic Acid
- Niacin is part of over 200 reactions in the body, most of them involving the production of ENERGY.
- B6 helps our bodies make those non-essential amino acids and also helps us maintain optimal blood sugar levels.
- B12 helps our bodies make healthy red blood cells
- B5 helps with the metabolism of carbs, fat, and protein, but there’s so much of it in every food group no one needs a B5 supplement (in my opinion)
Other Notes
Preservatives in this drink include potassium sorbate, potassium benzoate, and sodium citrate.
- Potassium sorbate – this anti-microbial preservative prevents yeast and mold growth in sodas and other foods. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) rates this as safe. If the CSPI, who has a reputation for fear-mongering and chemophobia, rates this safe, you should definitely feel at ease. [See Panera KNOW-No Project Part IV]
- Sodium Benzoate – Did you know that benzoate salts like this one prevent the growth of microorganisms like yeast and mold? Benzoate salts are often used with other preservatives especially at low pH (acidic food). People can ingest up to 5mg per kg of body weight of benzoic acid and its salts according to European Commission – Scientific Committee on Food.
- Sodium Citrate and Citric Acid – both are abundant naturally in citrus fruits and are used in beverages to help control the pH.
Fruit and vegetable juice is used for color, but this drink has artificial sweeteners Ace-K and Sucralose. But there are only 2 grams of carbs (from the juice, most likely) and zero Calories, zero grams of sugar.
What drink should I review next?
You can find more about the science behind energy drink ingredients here at GreenEyedGuide.com and within my book, “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks- How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely” on Amazon (and now on Audible!!!).
- Get your copy of MY BOOK: “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks — How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely”
- Love what I do? SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
Let’s connect!
- Science of Energy Drinks: Facebook.com/energydrinkguide
- Fitness + Caffeine: Facebook.com/greeneyedguide
- Energy Drinks + Fitness/Bodybuilding: Instagram
- 10 Second Label Reviews (and a few nerdy food scientist rants): Twitter
Energy Drink of the Month – Nov 2017: Hydrive Energy Water
The challenge with Energy Waters is two-fold. First of all, water, by itself, is a boring beverage. But it’s important to drink water, so we start adding things to it to make it more enticing: lemons, cucumbers, flavoring… The second challenge becomes trying to define when something is no longer a “water” because of all the additions.
If you’ve tried other energy waters and wanted more flavor, more sweetness, maybe a little more color, then I’ve got a beverage for you. This month’s pick is a little more than an Energy Water, but it’s still a healthier alternative than the stereotypical energy drink. We’ll review how to tell if this drink is for you, what the key ingredients do, and how the caffeine compares to other energy drinks.
Read more
Energy Drink of the Month – Oct 2017: Clean Energy Organics
Following your passion requires vision, commitment, persistence, and long hours. October challenges your vision and commitment because it brings shorter days, midterms, the distractions of a looming Holiday Season, and the time crunch to meet End of the Year company objectives. This month, we review an energy drink-in-disguise designed to “complement your work hard/play hard lifestyle” with green coffee beans, monk fruit, erythritol, and coconut water. Read more