Tag: Fatigue Level 3

Science Behind Red Bull Total Zero Cherry and Orange

Science Behind Red Bull Total Zero Cherry and Orange

greeneyedguide

It’s an energy drink so powerful, just looking at it will get you pumped.

I always get excited when I come across a new energy drink, but when it’s by a company I have never heard of, that excitement is interwoven with suspicion and hesitancy. Though I am cautiously optimistic by nature, I am a scientist; I am trained to ask several questions before I form an opinion. All that hesitancy flies out the door when it comes to new flavors from a brand I know and trust. In this case, I didn’t even have to open the can to feel hyper.

The Energy Drink of the Month for March 2015 is a tie between Red Bull Total Zero Cherry and Orange Editions.

THREE REASONS TO GIVE RED BULL ANOTHER LOOK

ONE—Red Bull is Number One

One of the major reasons Red Bull deserves to be the energy drink of the month is that March is Caffeine Awareness Month. Did you know that Red Bull is the number one selling brand of energy drinks? Did you know that its caffeine content is less than the second and third top-selling brands? Compare Red Bull’s 80 milligrams per 8.4 ounce can with Monster’s 140-160mg/16oz and Rockstar’s 160-240mg/16oz. Two huge benefits Red Bull has over these other two brands are its smaller size and lower caffeine content. Together, these two details make Red Bull better options for those looking to keep their caffeine content in check. Though Monster’s zero sugar versions feature about 70mg per serving, the standard size features two servings per can. This packaging decision can make many consumers feel obligated to consume the whole thing, which can lead to caffeine over-consumption.

http://www.caffeineinformer.com/the-15-top-energy-drink-brands
http://www.caffeineinformer.com/the-15-top-energy-drink-brands

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TWO—Bull, meet Elephant (in the Room)

What do Red Bull and March have in common? They both involve heavy consumption of alcohol. Another reason Red Bull deserves to be Energy Drink of THIS particular month is that St. Patrick’s Day is associated with copious amounts of alcohol. The same can be said for Red Bull.

It’s hard to deny that drinks like Vodka Red Bull are partially responsible for Red Bull’s amazing sales figures. An excerpt from Caffeine Informer’s article “Alcohol and Energy Drinks: The Dangers of Mixing” summarizes why this combination is such a bad idea:

A study out of Wake Forest Medical Center has been looking into this energy drink mixed with alcohol fad in order to see what negative effects it has created. The study revealed the following;

  • Students who drank the mix were likely to become more intoxicated and become intoxicated twice as often.
  • Students were twice as likely to be injured on this concoction.
  • They were twice as likely to ride with a drunken driver.
  • They were also twice as likely to be taken advantage of sexually or take advantage of someone else.

The researchers believe that the high doses of caffeine mask your body’s natural ways of letting you know you’ve consumed too much alcohol, therefore, people tend to drink way more than they should.

Every good bartender knows giving caffeine to a drunk just makes them a wide-awake drunk, not any less impaired (or annoying). Your body has a built-in safety mechanism: when you’ve had too much to drink, you pass out. This is the body’s way of saying, “You’ve had ENOUGH!” When you throw caffeine in the mix, you bypass this safety mechanism and can literally drink yourself to death. Part of Caffeine Awareness Month is knowing when NOT to have caffeine.

For some, the strongest disincentive to combine alcohol and caffeine is that it impairs the reflexes as much as non-caffeinated alcohol would, but the caffeine masks the fun parts of being tipsy– the dizziness, the giggle-fits, the false sense of confidence, etc. In other words, combining caffeine and alcohol is a waste of alcohol (and caffeine!).

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THREE—Inspiration from Rags to Riches and Wi-ings

Though there are plenty of great stories behind other energy drink brands, the story behind Red Bull’s creator is one I relish. Chaleo Yoovidhya was born into poverty but died in March 2012 as the third-richest man in Thailand. As the co-creator of Red Bull, his rise to success brings new meaning to the slogan “Red Bull gives you wings”. As we approach “Bonus Season” and “Tax-Refund Season”, some people start thinking about their financial situation and how to change it. This month of financial re-calibration is a great time to think about the man who co-created Red Bull, and his escape from poverty.

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BOTTOM LINE

While Red Bull does not have the cleanest, most natural ingredient line like some of the other Energy Drink of the Month picks, Red Bull is the best pick for Caffeine Awareness Month. Its size and caffeine content make it a better option than some of the other popular energy drinks, as long as it is never, ever, EVER combined with alcohol.

— GreenEyedGuide

Related Reading and Other Links

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For more caffeine and energy drink information, don’t forget to find your copy of

ARE YOU A MONSTER OR A ROCK STAR? A Guide to Energy Drinks – How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely

Energy drinks explained: ingredients, safety tips, and consumption tricks. 

Science Behind Runa Clean Energy

Science Behind Runa Clean Energy

greeneyedguide

When it comes to food, I’m not a fan of the term “clean energy”. I get what this term is trying to convey, but as a food scientist, the term makes me laugh inside. Same thing with the concept of a “zero-calorie energy drink” (because a calorie is a measurement of energy). “Food Science v Marketing” rant over, let me tell you about a new source of “clean energy”.

The Energy Drink for the Month of February is Runa Clean Energy.

Energy Drink of the Month GreenEyedGuide Runa
Energy Drink of the Month — February 2015

The Berry flavor is my favorite (shocker, if you’ve been following my other monthly picks). I prefer not to drink my calories, but I much prefer the sweetness of the Berry flavor than the zero-calorie version. I tried the “Original Zero with a hint of lime” and, my word, it has an interesting flavor profile. It starts with a carbonated zing akin to citric acid, then the hint of lime shows up, followed by some earthly botanical notes that are reminiscent of iced tea but slightly different, and not unpleasant. The berry flavor is much more my style – short, sweet, and subtly strong.

5 Reasons to Recharge with Runa Clean Energy

ONE — Alternative Energy

Ever heard of guayusa? Pronounced “gwhy-you-sa”, this plant is the Amazonian cousin of yerba mate. While the leaves of guayusa are brewed like tea leaves, the lack of tannins means less of the bitter, astringent taste that’s characteristic of green, black and white teas.

This new source of caffeine has two benefits: First of all, yerba mate and guarana have developed negative connotations due to their use in energy drinks (and the controversy surrounding them). If you want to avoid the bitter taste of tea and the “save-your-liver” lectures from those who believe all energy drinks are bad for you, this new source of caffeine is your answer. The second benefit to guayusa is that because it’s novel, there are less people trying to source it and thus, more of it to go around. When demand of ginkgo biloba started to skyrocket, so did the cases of economic adulteration. Not enough supply to meet demand? Someone’s going to start providing knock-offs to reap those unmet sales requests. Finding new sources of America’s favorite drug (caffeine), means there’s less chance of depleting natural resources.

TWO — Caffeine with a Cause

I love energy drinks with a good story. There are some energy drinks that donate proceeds of each sale to charity, and then there are those who give back in other ways. Runa is fair-trade certified, and supports the small farmers and local communities to build a sustainable supply chain. To learn more about the Runa Foundation, see below.

Runa Foundation
http://www.fundacionruna.org/our-work.html

THREE — Guayusa Your Way

A big part of consuming caffeine safely is about slowing your rate of consumption. In the Energy Drink Guide, Mr. Swift and Mr. Thrift demonstrate that nursing your caffeine instead of chugging it makes the effects of caffeine last longer, and helps mitigate an energy crash. While Runa Clean Energy comes in an 8.4 ounce can, there’s also a bottled version. If you’re trying to wean your caffeine intake, you can take a sip, reseal the bottle, and try to make one serving last a whole day (or two). Note – the glass bottles show a bit of particulate at the bottom so if you’re a “no-pulp” person like me, the cans might be a better option. You could also get fancy with your brewing and try the pyramid infusers or looseleaf tins, or just go the traditional route and get a box of tea bags.

Runa Clean Energy and Other Guayusa Produts
The Runa Family – http://runa.org/products/#Products

FOUR — Polyphenols (antioxidants), Amino Acids, and Liquid Courage

While isolated antioxidants have failed to show the same health benefits in the human body as they do in a test tube, there’s plenty of credible evidence on the health benefits of drinking green tea. Guayusa contains twice the antioxidants of green tea, according to the Runa website. The “super-leaf” also contains essential amino acids (though the energy drink itself contains zero grams of protein). If none of that encourages you to try Runa Clean Energy, perhaps this will: traditional use of guayusa includes consumption before nighttime hunting trips, as the guayusa gave the hunters mental strength, courage and focus. Who doesn’t want more of that?

FIVE — 5 Levels of Fatigue = Level 3.99

Knowing your Level of Fatigue will help you find the right energy drink for your situation. Always reaching for the same caffeine concoction is a good way to build a tolerance or habitual craving. Furthermore, you can mitigate caffeine over-consumption by NOT reaching for caffeine when you are tired due to dehydration, or when you’re so tired that only sleep will save you. This is the 5 Levels of Fatigue system, and each level matches a specific set of recommendations.

Caffeine Informer Runa Clean Energy
If this is too much caffeine for you, the bottled versions have less caffeine and can be re-sealed and saved for later.

Runa Clean Energy provides more caffeine than the most popular energy drink of this size. If 80 milligrams of caffeine isn’t enough for you, or if you want something that tastes a little more like tea and less like over-sweetened juice, Runa Clean Energy is a good option. However, it is on the very cusp of Level 3. Caffeine contents greater than 120 milligrams per serving are considered Level 4, but the lack of carbonation is the reason Runa Clean Energy is still on the high end of Level 3. Carbonation irritates the stomach lining slightly, allowing caffeine to get absorbed that much quicker. You’ll want to save those Level 4 drinks for energy emergencies like all-nighters, swing shifts, and long road trips.

Bottom Line

Runa Clean Energy is not the energy drink you should reach for when you are bored or dehydrated. With 120 milligrams of caffeine per serving, it is best saved for those Monday mornings when you would give up $100 if it meant sleeping one more hour. It’s no coincidence Runa means “fully alive”. Runa Clean Energy is an energy drink you can feel good about drinking, not just because it’s rich in antioxidants, but because the makers of Runa are actively supporting the guayusa farmers to ensure fair-trade and sustainable growth. Finally, when someone inquires about that beverage you’re drinking with the healthy looking leaf on the can, you’ll get encouraging nods (or blank stares) instead of concerned frowns when you respond, “It’s ‘gwhy-you-sa’ “.

— Green-Eyed Guide

References and Related Reading:

Caffeine Informer on Runa Clean Energy

National Geographic: “Ecuador’s ‘Superleaf’ Tea: Could it Replace Your Afternoon Coffee?”

Runa Main Site and Runa Facebook Page

Caffeine Safe Limits: Determine Your Safe Daily Dose

5 Most Shocking Risk Assessments (***including ginkgo biloba***)

Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks — How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely

Science Behind Rockstar Roasted Energy

Science Behind Rockstar Roasted Energy

greeneyedguide

Food Scientists, Quality professionals and those in marketing (“Marketeers”) don’t always see eye to eye. As the Green-Eyed Guide, my goal is to challenge myself and others to expand perspectives, to try to see a situation from another’s eyes. Thus, for this month’s energy drink pick, I wanted to provide my interpretation of how three different professionals in the food industry would see the same product.

The Energy Drink of the Month for October 2014 is Rockstar Roasted with Almond Milk

Ever since my first exposure to energy drinks (back in 2003), I wanted others to see what I saw, wanted them to know the tips and tricks I know when it comes to reading labels and deciphering the contents of an energy drink. In place of my usual written review for the Energy Drink of the Month, I present this review:

Three-Point Perspective on Rockstar Roasted Energy Drinks with Almond Milk

Perspective Energy Drink Rockstar Roasted GreenEyedGuide

Caffeine in Rockstar Roasted – Caffeine Informer
Rockstar Energy Drink – main site

Five Levels of Fatigue –booklet on Ebay; excerpt from Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks — How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely

Energy Drink Guide FACEBOOK PAGE — Help push it to 100 Likes!!!

Science Behind Neuro Sonic

greeneyedguide

You know you’re in trouble when you wake up tired. You might’ve slept 6 hours but your alarm goes off and you feel exhausted. This is Fatigue Level 3, and June’s Energy Drink of the Month is dedicated to situations like these.

The Energy Drink of the Month for June 2014 is neuro® SONIC™.

energy drink of the month neuro
Energy Drink of the Month – June 2014

It’s one of those mornings that you hit snooze three times before you finally got up. You’ve been awake (technically) for an hour but you still feel like you’re dragging. At this level, a cup of tea isn’t going to do it. You’re not about to run a marathon or pull an all-nighter or work a vampire shift behind the bar, but you do have a full day ahead of you and you need to gear up for it.

– Excerpt from Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks.

 

Sometimes I need an energy drink that’s going to take me from I-have-to-look-at-videos-of-baby-huskies-to-get-me-through-the-day to I-want-to-drive-85mph-on-the-freeway-singing-“We’ve-all-got-the-spark”.

So why pick Neuro? 

3 Levels and 3 Reasons

1-Closure, Carbonation and Caffeine

When you wake up tired, it’s not easy to tell the difference between I’m-just-not-awake-yet, and I’m-so-tired-my-whole-body-hurts. If you always reach for the strongest source of caffeine, there’s a chance you’ll overcompensate and overconsume caffeine. You should always save the big doses and high-powered energy kicks for the most desperate energy deficiencies.

encouraging road signsSONIC’s uniquely shaped bottle features a twist-off cap, which makes it extraordinarily easy to moderate your intake. Take a sip here and there and you may find you don’t need the whole bottle to get you back on your feet. Feeling the fizz of the carbonation often helps the Placebo Effect, plus carbonation slightly irritates the stomach lining and makes it easier for caffeine molecules to be absorbed.

caffeine informer neuro
Caffeine Informer Database

Finally, the amount of caffeine in SONIC is perfect for those tough mornings. With 100 milligrams of caffeine, carbonation, and no fruit juice (except for color purposes), this is suitable for Fatigue Level 3. This drink is stronger than an 8oz can of Red Bull but doesn’t give you as much caffeine as a 16oz Monster or Rockstar — save those higher levels of caffeine for Fatigue Level 4!

2-Special Ingredients

In my line of work I’ve had the chance to review a plethora of special ingredients; ingredients that are added to a product because of a specific benefit linked to the consumption. Two such ingredients that stand out on the neuro® label are L-TeaActive and choline.
I first discovered the brain-boosting benefits of choline thanks to another energy drink. I’m not entirely sold on the science of choline (because it’s tricky to prove brain health and attribute it to one specific thing), but I enjoy seeing it on labels because it makes me feel good about the product. Very scientific justification, I know. In this case, choline, like glucosamine, is going to do nothing or it’s going to do something positive for your health, so it’s a no-lose situation.
Theanine promotes relaxation and focus, according to numerous studies on the benefits of green tea. It’s not surprising to see it in an energy drink because it’s the manufacturer’s way of making sure you get energized without being jittery. In this case, the theanine is coming from Blue California, who went through the trouble of applying for GRAS status for their brand, L-TeaActive. You can see the GRAS confirmation here: http://www.bluecal-ingredients.com/whatsnew/pr_20101111.php but I also recommend reading more about the implications (and costs!) of applying for GRAS status in this article by Justin J. Prochnow.

3-Another Energy Drink in Disguise

With the variety of energy drinks on the market, it’s always appealing to find one that doesn’t look like an energy drink. As I’ve indicated in several of this year’s Energy Drink of the Month picks, I like to find sources of caffeine without finding myself at the receiving end of disapproving stares or a lecture about how I’m ruining my heart (see Pop Quiz). Yes, I try to get my energy boost from water and tea whenever possible, but sometimes I need something stronger. Since our company mantra is about helping people live healthier lives, I can’t exactly carry a Monster-wannabe around the office. SONIC provides that caffeine boost without the temperature-dependent limitations of coffee or the negative public perceptions of the typical energy drink.

neruo SONIC
I love it when energy drinks have lids!

Bottom Line

If you suffer from restless nights of dreaming about your job, give this energy drink a try. It’s perfect for those days when tea or juiced energy drinks (Level 2) aren’t going to give you the boost you need. Challenge yourself to make the bottle last a whole day — it’s got a twisty cap for easy caffeine moderation! ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Resources and Additional Reading

Caffeine Informer – neuro drink review

Caffeine Informer – Caffeine Content of neuro SONIC

neruo SONIC official page

Get your copy of Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: a guide to energy drinks HERE, here or at your local bookstore with the ISBN codes found here.

“Like” the Energy Drink Guide on Facebook to spread the message of caffeine safety

Ask questions 1:1 with Google Helpout: My Listing

Science Behind Avitae Caffeinated Water

greeneyedguide

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.

For more, see:

Redefining “Energy Drink” — 5 Qs with Avitae