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Buzz Bites: Chocolate Energy Chews
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The folks at Vroom Foods were kind enough to send a sample of two of their products, Buzz Bites, for review (just a side note, that I don’t bias reviews even if the supplier provides the product). Buzz Bites are caffeinated, chocolaty, candy chews that pack a whopping 100mg of caffeine, some taurine, and some ginseng per piece. Each tin contains 6 chews (only 25 calories a chew for anyone out there watching their figure), and costs around 4.00, or less, depending on how many you buy. This makes each chew average to a little over 50¢ a chew, which is a steal considering the chews contain more caffeine than some energy drinks and as much as a cup of coffee. So while 50¢ may be a lot for a plain old piece of candy, it’s worth paying for 100mg of caffeine instead of paying 2.29 for a less caffeinated Red Bull, or 2.00 for a cup of coffee. Buzz Bites come in two flavors: Chocolate, and Mint Chocolate. The chocolate ones taste like chocolate and have an ever so slight hint of bitterness after you chew it, which is to be expected considering the amount of caffeine in each mint. The mint chocolate ones, in my opinion, are better than the plain chocolate ones. They pack the same kick as the chocolate ones and are the same in every way, except for the flavor. They taste a lot like those Andes Mints, and they don’t have any bitterness, as the mint masks it. While I do prefer the mint ones, I really enjoyed both of these products a lot! The chews melt in your mouth and you feel the kick right away, faster than the kick from a cup of coffee. The chews are individually wrapped and easy to open, making Buzz Bites a great product to keep handy for when you need a quick boost. Finally, Buzz Bites didn’t give me a crash, making this product one of the best I’ve come across. You can get these Buzz Mints here, and they are becoming more available as they increase distribution.
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Sumseeds: Energized Sunflower Seeds
If you’re sick of crashing from all of the sugar in energy drinks, this product may interest you. Introducing Sumseeds, sunflower seeds energized with caffeine, taurine, lysine and ginseng. This is one of the items I just got from Xoxide and I, like Baseball Hall of Fame Legend Tony Gwynn, love these seeds! Sumseeds come in 1.75 oz packages and each package packs 140mg of caffeine, 96mg of taurine, 53mg of lysine and 40mg of ginseng. Not bad at all for less than 2 oz of seeds! In comparison to energy drinks, a 16 oz can of Monster Energy has 160mg of caffeine and 54g of sugar. Sumseeds have less than 3g of sugar and 140mg of caffeine in a package, resulting in an energy boost without a crash. Unlike the energy boost of many drinks, which is a fast, jittery type of energy, Sumseeds give you a constant, steady, powerful feeling energy boost. These energized seeds don’t taste any different than other sunflower seeds, so you don’t have to worry about not liking them. While it does take much longer to consume a pack of Sumseeds than it does an energy drink, the trade off is worth it, because you can do things with Sumseeds that you can’t do with energy drinks like: You can’t pour a can of energy soda into your hand and look cool, You can’t play a guitar and drink energy soda at the same time, and you can’t yell at the other team with a mouthful of energy soda. You can however, do all of the above things with Sumseeds! (No, I didn’t make that up, I took it from the back of the package). This product is really innovative and clever, and I’ll be buying more of these in the near future. I highly recommend them and if you want to buy some for yourself, head over to Xoxideto buy individual packages, or the SumSeeds Official Store to buy in bulk.
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AMP Energy: Elevate
Mountain Dew has a brand of energy drinks called AMP Energy, and one of their varieties, Elevate, gets the spotlight today. AMP Energy Elevate promises to help you keep focused, connected and alert, in addition to make your reflexes more sharp. When I first opened Elevate, a familiar aroma over came me. AMP Energy Elevate smells just like Mountain Dew Revolution! So for those of you upset by the fact that Revolution is only going to last a short time, you can just get AMP Elevate. While AMP Elevate does taste a lot like Mountain Dew Revolution, it seems to taste a little more artificial, there seems to be a hint of a chemical taste (possibly the L-Theanine?), not bad, but noticeable. There’s not much of an after taste either, so you can only get the flavor while drinking AMP. This drink is a dark purple in color, the color being very similar to SuperNova. AMP Elevate has a nice kick though, 160mg of caffeine per bottle (10 mg caffeine per fl oz.) so it’s the average amount found in most energy drinks. AMP Elevate also contains Guarana, Taurine, Ginseng and, in addition, L-Theanine (has been shown to help boost T-Cells in immune system) in it. Overall, AMP Elevate delivers the benefits it promises, but the taste is mediocre, so it doesn’t stand out. As only one flavor in the entire AMP lineup, I can’t make any assumptions about the other AMP varieties yet, but I do look forward to the rest of them.
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Joker Mad Energy
Wow. Déjà Vu. Today we have Joker Mad Energy, an energy drink that only cost me 99 cents. I’m having a Déjà Vu moment because it seems like I’ve had this before. Oh, I know why - it tastes EXACTLY like Monster Energy, only sweeter. This stuff isn’t bad, although it seems really carbonated, although I can handle discomfort if I only have to pay 99 cents. It’s hard to describe the taste, it almost seems to have a hint of a vitamin (like the Finstones chewable ones) taste, but it’s not strong and it doesn’t taste bad. The kick is great too; it has an Energy Blend of Glucose, Caffeine, Guarana, Inositol, Glucuronlactone and Maltodextin. That’s the same energy blend as Monster! This is too weird. It tastes like Monster, has the same energy blend, has the same warning label in the back, both drinks say ‘Ball’ on the back (the canning/packaging company I think) and they look the same too. A quick Google search revealed my suspicions: if you go to Beverage World you’ll read “Joker Mad Energy, a beverage born out of its [Circle K] partnership with Hansen Beverage Co”. Hansen Beverage Co is the company that owns Monster Beverage, meaning that Monster and Joker Energy are both owned by the same company. Okay then, Joker Energy is a lot cheaper and tastes the same, so why would any one buy Monster anymore? I’m also a little confused and disappointed that Hansen can’t come up with more than one flavor for it’s energy drinks, but that’s beside the point. Joker Energy is pretty good and delivers that kick that energy drinks should, its also cheap too! I’d recommend trying this, especially if you’re a Monster fan that doesn’t feel like paying as much, because it’s basically the same.
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Red Panax Ginseng Extract
I’ve had this case of Red Panax Ginseng for a while (back to when I got the Chinese RedBull and the Korean Ginseng Drink), and it’s about time I get around to writing a review of it. Ginseng is a common ingredient in many energy drinks due to belief that ginseng may help increase alertness, longevity, and overall health (some studies have shown it to help reduce risk of cancer and act as an anti-biotic). Regardless to whether or not this is completely true, ginseng is found in almost every energy drink on the market. While ginseng is a fruit bearing plant (little berries, not fruit like pineapples) the extract comes from the roots, and can be bought in liquid form, or the root as a whole. This ginseng isn’t nearly as bad as the last stuff I tried, and can be taken several ways.
1) Pure Extract: The case comes with a bunch of little straws, so you can just drink the ginseng straight from the bottles. If you use the straw, it only takes a second to finish a bottle. If you don’t use the straw, and pour it into your mouth, you’ll get the taste while you’re drinking it and it’s pretty strong and bitter. In my opinion, it’s better to get the aftertaste after you drink it, not while you’re drinking it.
2) Ginseng Tea: The sales person told me that the most popular way to drink ginseng was in tea form. You just heat a cup of water and pour the ginseng in the cup; it’s as simple of that. The tea has somewhat of a bitter, root-like, taste to it, but it actually was pretty good. The dilution gets rid of the strong taste and makes it milder, and at the same time more enjoyable.
3) In Coffee: If you don’t want to drink it plain, and don’t feel like boiling a pot of water, why not just add it to your coffee. The taste of coffee is able to mask most of the ginseng’s taste, so the coffee only tastes a little different. This works well as you get the caffeine and the ginseng (like in energy drinks) without having to shell out money for an energy drink.
Overall, this stuff isn’t half bad, and makes a pretty good tea. Also, the case (total of 300 mL of ginseng) only cost a few dollars, so it’s not pricey at all. I know it’s not caffeine, but it’s so common in energy drinks, and shares some properties of caffeine that it would seem almost wrong not to review Red Panax Ginseng!
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AriZona Rx Energy Herbal Tonic [Updated]
I love AriZona Beverage Co and everything they make, and their Rx Energy beverage is no exception. AriZona’s Rx Energy isn’t like other energy drinks though, because the Herbal Tonic doesn’t contain carbonated water (or any carbonation for that matter) or artificial ingredients. This drink is made of: Green Tea, Mango (which gives this drink an amazing flavor), Pear and Lemon Juice, and Honey, so there’s no nasty aftertaste or weird chemical tastes in it like those low end, generic, energy drinks have. After drinking this stuff, I felt the effects of it right away. I became more alert, and was no longer tired. I became disappointed when I ran out of it, because the mango taste is absolutely amazing, and the fact that I cannot drink anymore of this until I go buy more upsets me. What makes this drink so great and interesting is the fact that it contains AriZona’s premium brewed green tea, which is found in their other products, giving Rx Energy a very distinct taste. Rx Energy comes in a 24 oz can, or in a 20 oz glass bottle (picture here) for .99 or 1.99, respectively. Buying the can is a much better deal, but the bottle is great if you are out and need to put it aside for a bit, which I would never do because I can’t not (hooray for double negatives) drink it. Herbal Tonic also contains Caffeine, Panax Ginseng and Siberian Ginseng, and Guarana, giving it the properties of an energy drink, which is why it’s labeled as a Tea and Energy Drink. I don’t know how much caffeine is in this, but I emailed AriZona earlier asking for the answer, so I’ll update this when they reply. A 24oz can of AriZona Rx Energy Herbal Tonic contains 90mg of caffeine (30mg per 8oz), which isn’t as much as some drinks, so it’s perfect for people that can’t handle too much caffeine that still want an energy boost. Arizona Rx Energy Herbal Tonic is absolutely amazing, it’s cheap, great tasting, natural, and delivers a good kick. This drink is something that everyone should try.
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Citrus CRUNK!!!
I’m probably going to pass out any moment here from the heat, but before my internal organs fry and my body shuts down, let me tell you about Citrus CRUNK!!! As I said earlier, its pretty hot here, so I picked up Citrus CRUNK!!! because it claims to contain real lemon lime. Hopefully, this will taste like lemonade and cool me off. After buying this drink at the local BP, I noticed something odd about the top half of the can. It reads “Energize - Replenish - Stimulate - Refresh - Invigorate - Arouse”. Yes. You read that correctly, Citrus CRUNK!!! has Epimedium in it, which allegedly has the properties of a mild aphrodisiac. Strange. The bottom of the can lists some of the ingredients, including “Ashwaganda - Horny Goat Weed - Ginseng - Guarana - Skull Cap - White Willow”. Now, is it just me, or do “Skull Cap” and “White Willow” sound like street names for drugs? (don’t worry, they’re not drugs, just plants) Nevertheless, I am going to drink this. Pop the top and it smells just like Gatorade Lemonade, and it keeps its promise with its twist of lemon lime. It’s a little on the sour side, but it tastes fantastic! It’s also great for you because there are no artificial colors or preservatives. The can states that the energy blend consists of 97mg of caffeine, but doesn’t state is it’s per serving or can. There’s two serving per can, so I’m guessing that there is 194mg of caffeine in the entire can. So far, Citrus CRUNK!!! is doing quite well in my opinion. The taste, smell, and kick are everything I could ask for. As for the aphrodisiac, I doubt there’s enough Horny Goat Weed in this to do anything (if it actually does anything at all) as last I checked, Pfizer has yet to acquire CRUNK!!! Energy. Either way, Citrus CRUNK!!! really hits the spot, especially on a hot day!
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Mountain Dew: Revolution
Looks like this is the last review on the new Mountain Dew products. The final of the thee new varieties is called Revolution. Mountain Dew: Revolution has a light, almost clear tint to it and has a smooth taste. According to the packaging it’s flavor is Wild Berry and Fruit. This is by far the most vague flavor of the three new limited edition Dews. Which wild berries are used? and which fruit(s) accompany them? This is indeed a mystery I will have to get to someday. Moving on now. The flavor is tasty and original like the other two candidates and the caffeine content, like every other Mountain Dew as well, is 36mg/8oz and 91mg/20oz and it has a shot of ginseng for an added kick. Obviously, this isn’t marketed as an energy drink, but it’s good none the less. Unfortunately it doesn’t have enough of a mystery-wild-berry-fruit flavor to make it my top pick. WHile it’s great and I would gladly buy it, I do prefer the other two, as they are a bit stronger tasting, which I liked. Now that I’ve tried all three new flavors, I can finally make my decision as to which I will vote for.
Here’s a brief overview of the three flavors:
SuperNova: Strong, fantastic, Melon flavor. I couldn’t put it down.
Voltage: Also a strong taste, Blue Raspberry flavor, put a little below SuperNova in my opinion.
Revolution: A smooth Wild Berry and Fruit flavor (still don’t know which berries and fruits) but not as stong as its too opponents.
I’m going to have to go with SuperNova on this one. I’m heading over to DEWmocracy right now to vote on it (unfortunately, Voltage is still winning) and I’d recommend that you vote for your pick too.
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Mountain Dew: Voltage
Today we’ll cover the second of the three new limited edition flavors introduced to Mountain Dew. This second variety is called Voltage. Voltage, like SuperNova, also contains ginseng and the normal amount of caffeine in the other Mountain Dew beverages (36mg/8oz or 91mg/20oz). Voltage is tinted with a dark blue hue and is Raspberry and Citrus flavored (why are products always blue when they are flavored raspberry? Raspberries are RED not blue) and upon opening the bottle, I could already tell by the scent that I would like it. Unlike some sodas, whose scent and taste are on the weak side, Voltage has a powerful taste (almost as much as SuperNovas) and it tastes just like a Blue Raspberry ICEE (which don’t have caffeine by the way). If you don’t know what that tastes like, you need to go buy one, because there’s no better way to explain Mountain Dew Voltage. Being the lover of Blue Raspberry ICEEs that I am, I like Mountain Dew Voltage very much, and because it has caffeine It’s superior to ICEEs in every way. I would go and vote on this flavor (remember, you can vote to decide which of the 3 flavors gets permanently added to the lineup), but I still have one more flavor to try which, according to DEWmocracy, is the underdog in this race.
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Monster Heavy Metal
Earlier this year, Monster released Heavy Metal to their already expanding lineup of products. Heavy Metal is a limited edition drink and may already be out of production. Luckily, I stocked up on the stuff when it came out, and have had several experiences with their new product. Now mind you, this is not one of those weak, low caffeine, energy drinks that are marketed mainly toward young children that carry energy drinks with their cell phones and Hannah Montana merchandise in an attempt to look cool. So those of you that fall under this category should step back and let the true fans of caffeine have a go at this stuff. This hardcore drink has a toxic, bright green color and a very strong taste (rumors have it the drink is just bottled byproducts of oil refineries). The first sips might have you rethink your purchase, as it’s somewhat metallic and industrial tasting. If your throat hasn’t dissolved after the first few sips, you’re good to go and can enjoy the rest. Now, as for the kick this gives, look out! The first time I finished the 32oz Heavy Metal - same size as the Monster BFC (I’ll let you figure out what BFC stands for, but here’s a hint: B is for Big and C is for Can) - I got fairly wired. A quart of liquid and 320mg of caffeine (remember, caffeine’s a diuretic) didn’t exactly add to my comfort level either. According to my peers, I resembled a monkey with ADD during this incident, but some of my twitching was bladder related, not from the caffeine - I was on the highway and I had to wait quite a bit for the next rest stop, give me a break! I have had Heavy Metal since, and find it very helpful when I need a big kick anytime during the day. If you like energy drinks for the kick, and not just to look trendy, Monster Heavy Metal will not disappoint you, and if it does, who knows? Maybe it will double as a paint stripper too!
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