Could you pick an energy drink out of a line-up? Every so often, I read a news story that makes me either laugh or grit my teeth because of how energy drinks are portrayed as dangerous concoctions of sugar and caffeine. To me this portrayal seems like saying all water tastes exactly the same. Ocean water, bottled water, carbonated water etc. While some energy drinks do contain extreme amounts of sugar and caffeine, condemning all energy drinks without addressing the specifics is both folly and counter-productive to safe caffeine consumption. To combat this grievous over-generalization, each month I try to highlight an energy drink that breaks the mold and counters the stereotype.
The Energy Drink of the Month for April 2014 is Avitae (“ah-vee-tay”) caffeine+water.
Apr 2014 Energy Drink alternative of the Month
Apr 2014 Energy Drink alternative of the Month
Apr 2014 Energy Drink alternative of the Month
There are currently no flavored versions (and thus ends, temporarily, the pomegranate theme I’ve had going since January’s pick). There are three caffeine levels of this Avitae line available: 45 mg, 90 mg and 125 mg.
As far as energy drinks go, it doesn’t get much cleaner or simpler than this. With the three levels of caffeine available, this product line is suitable for Level 2, 3 and 4 of the 5 Levels of Fatigue. Also note that since it comes in a bottle you can sip it and reseal it, regulating your caffeine intake in ways that aren’t possible with an open can or a hot coffee.
Planning for spring break or for bikini season? Feel sluggish and off-schedule due to Daylight Savings Time? Want a healthy energy boost without the sugar, the long lines at the coffee shop, or the concerned stares of your friends and colleagues?
If so, I’ve got the perfect energy drink for you. Yes, such a thing does exist, but this product is another energy drink in disguise so you don’t have to conceal your can or worry about those “(all) energy drinks are dangerous” lectures. (I’ve had 5 of those incidents thus far this year, anyone else?)
The Energy Drink of the Month for March 2014 is FRS Healthy Energy Citrus Pomegranate.
Visit FRS.com
Other flavors are available, but I don’t like to drink my calories so I prefer the Low Cal option. Furthermore, I’m happy with the coincidental pomegranate theme I’ve got going on right now (see the picks for January and February).
Many people have a love/hate relationship with February. Maybe you’re happy there are so many three-day weekends in February or maybe you feel like it’s harder to meet your monthly deadlines because the month is so short. Perhaps you’re looking forward to receiving something cute and fluffy on Valentine’s Day, or perhaps you’re excited about that pint of Half-Baked ice cream on Singles Awareness Day. Whether you like it or not, love is in the air, and I love this month’s energy drink.
To commemorate all the days I used to spend at Starbucks either studying, surfing POF, or hoping to catch the eyes of someone smart and good looking (see reference [4]), the Energy Drink of the Month for February 2014 is Starbucks Refreshers Raspberry Pomegranate.
There are a few other flavors of Refreshers available, but I rather enjoy pomegranate flavors (as you may note the trend from last month’s pomegranate blueberry flavored pick).
5 Reasons to Admire Starbucks Refreshers
1-Alternative Energy
This is another product that doesn’t quite fit the image of an energy drink. When most people hear “energy drink”, they think of the Big Three, but more and more “alternative energy” products like this one are cropping up. Granted this product has been around for a while, but it’s a great swap for someone who wants an energy drink without the health and safety lectures or condescending stares. (My word, the stories I could tell…do you have one to share?)
2-Green Coffee Bean Caffeine
Not to be confused with green tea, green coffee beans are Arabica coffee beans that are spared from the roasting that turns them brown and delivers the signature coffee flavor profile. It may seem like getting caffeine from green coffee beans is healthier or more natural, but honestly once it’s in your body caffeine is caffeine is caffeine. The only difference is the purity of the caffeine extracted. For instance, green tea and coffee both have high antioxidant contents so unless the caffeine is purified and isolated from its food matrix, you would be getting the subtle benefits of the phytonutrient package. Let me clarify with this picture:
Caffeine is caffeine is caffeine but what package is it delivered in?
3-Sweetened by Fruit
Paracelsus, the Father of Toxicology, said (paraphrasing) the difference between a poison and a cure is the dosage. The dosage makes all the difference; I don’t think sugar is toxic, but too much sugar isn’t good for anyone. This product contains 13 grams of sugar, primarily from fruit juice. There are no added sugars, and the sweetener system involves erythritol (good for the teeth) and stevia (yay, a non-artificial sugar).
4-Widely Available – There’s an app for that
With the Big Three dominating the energy drink market, it can be difficult to find healthy alternatives at your local grocery store or gas station. There are a few potentially-wonderful energy drinks that I’ve read about but have not tried because I didn’t want to commit to buying a whole case off the web. No offense, but I’m jaded from my experience in Quality Assurance – I need to know that the person manufacturing the product I’m about to consume has taken a few courses in food micro, and knows what a critical control point is.
The advantage of energy drinks like Starbucks Refreshers is that you can find them wherever you can find a Starbucks, and there’s an app for that. So many people rely on caffeine during road-trips or long drives so it’s good to know these drinks are showing up in more gas stations and grocery stores. Consuming caffeine safely means being able to choose between a product that delivers a little boost and one that provides a high-powered shove. Which brings me to…
5 Levels of Fatigue – Level 2
Due to the 25% juice content and the 50 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can, this product is a Level 2 in the 5 Levels of Fatigue. This product is perfect for those times when fatigue is not due to boredom or dehydration (Level 1) and when you don’t need to pull an all-nighter or wake up early after a night on the town.
Bottom Line
Starbucks refreshers provide a gentle energy boost without the overloaded vitamin content, added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Finding your soul mate is hard; finding a healthy alternative to the stereotypical energy drink has never been easier.
*To learn more about the complexities of caffeine, the 5 Levels of Fatigue and any of the B-vitamins mentioned above, flip through the caffeine reference guide, Are You a Monster or a Rock Star, available wherever books are sold.
Every January I’m ready to hit the ground running. I’ve got PIGs and POAs, abundant optimism and fresh determination to make the most of the new year. Chances are you do too. To be successful, you need S.M.A.R.T. goals. To sustain that optimism and determination through January and beyond, you might need a V8.
To celebrate the new energy and fresh start of a new year, the Energy Drink of the Month for January 2014 is V8 V-Fusion + Energy.
There are many flavors available, but this month’s pick is pomegranate blueberry flavored, which contains 50% juice.
For the long road ahead, through the ups and downs toward your goal, to help you switch gears when you feel you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere fast, let V8 be your fuel-of-choice.
We all have a love/hate relationship with December. It’s the beautiful lights and the days off work/school. It’s the holiday traffic, the family gatherings that test your patience, the way your chest tightens when you go to swipe that credit card (just one more time), or the panic that sets in when it’s 11:50pm Christmas Eve and you calculate one of your children has more presents than the other. I confess I’m friends with the Monster, and I may or may not party like a Rockstar on New Year’s Eve. But making it through the holiday season requires a special energy drink. How special? Special edition…
The Energy Drink of the Month for December 2013 is a 3-way tie for the Red Bull Editions, Red, Blue and White. These products beat the competition in 5 categories: color, size, content, availability, and inspiration. Due to the time-crunch of the holiday season, this post is short and sweet, like the products themselves.
