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Caffeinated Water 101
How does caffeinated water compare to energy drinks in terms of ingredients and safety? What does the latest research say about caffeine and hydration? As a food scientist who’s studied the science behind energy drinks since 2003, I believe caffeinated waters can be a great alternative to the stereotypical energy drink, but there’s a lot more to consider before deciding whether caffeinated waters…
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Get Up and Go with Avitae® Caffeinated Water This Summer
Get Up and Go with Avitae® Caffeinated Water This Summer
Nothing beats a refreshing beverage on a hot summer day. Except maybe a beverage that’s designed to put a little pep in your step. Read on, because you’re going to want to know about Avitae.
Get Up and Go with Avitae® Caffeinated Water
Are you looking for a pick me up during a long day at work? Maybe you need to kick-start your energy before or during your workout? Either way, grab some…
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Expo West is one of my favorite shows because there’s always a plethora of new caffeinated products and health beverages to sample. Enjoy the highlight reel below, and stay tuned to GreenEyedGuide as we review these products in further detail in the coming months.
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Review the entire ENERGY DRINK OF THE MONTH SERIES
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”
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Explore the CAFFEINE INFORMER database
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All the Energy at Expo West 2017 – a recap in pictures Expo West is one of my favorite shows because there's always a plethora of new caffeinated products and health beverages to sample.
GreenEyedGuide Caffeine Challenge Day 9/10
FATIGUE LEVEL 2 and the benefits of GREEN TEA vs benefits of CAFFEINE.
For the 2nd-to-last day of the GreenEyedGuide Caffeine Challenge, we talk about FATIGUE LEVEL 2 and the benefits of GREEN TEA vs benefits of CAFFEINE. Fatigue Level 2 is one of my favorite levels because there are so many great, healthy options – there are so many caffeinated beverages that don’t even seem like energy drinks because…
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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.
“Energy Kick” with 45 mg caffeine
“Energy Boost” with 90 mg caffeine
“Energy Blast” with 125 mg caffeine
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
Energy Drink of the Month -- April 2014 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.
GreenEyedGuide Flies Through Natural Product Expo West 2016
GreenEyedGuide Flies Through Natural Product Expo West 2016
One day. I had one dayto explore Natural Products Expo West 2016, and that one day was Sunday — the day when the show is open to the public, and all the kleptomaniacs turn up in droves to try to snag free samples and any unattended products. (Yes, I witnessed this first-hand) Some vendors don’t mind the “grabi-grabbies”, and other vendors try to give out as many samples as possible to lighten the…
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You know that scene in Wall-E where he tries to put the spork in the right pile? (Fork? Not quite. Spoon? Not quite. Okay then just set it in the middle.) Wall-E’s struggle in this scene is actually a very real problem for the makers and consumers of caffeinated beverages.
NFL = National Food Lab
If health writers want to know if products like Mio and Crystal Lite stick packs have increased water consumption, what should count as “water”? When does water stop being water? When parents want to know if minors are drinking fewer energy drinks, do we include the caffeinated waters? It’s not really an energy drink, is it?
At GreenEyedGuide.com, we’ve been highlighting “energy drinks in disguise” for a long time. When Beverage World came out with their list of Beverage Disruptors, I was very happy to see a few familiar faces. These “disruptors” are not just causing classification problems, they’re creating sporks?
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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A DISRUPTOR?
In the fitness world, we say, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t CHANGE you!” Beverage World’s list of beverage disruptors features “people driving the enormous degree of change that’s reshaping the beverage business.” These people are driving change and breaking stereotypes. If I had GreenEyedGuide jackets to distribute, these people would be in my club for sure.
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MEET THE SPORKS
1—Avitae (Norman Snyder)
Food Dive predicted a trend in 2016 of a DECREASE in sugar-sweetened beverages and the INCREASE in tea and water. Food Dive also reported that caffeinated water will impact not just soda consumption, but energy drink consumption as well! Avitae is the ace up one’s sleeve in any “energy drinks are toxic” debate because this product is water and caffeine. It’s certainly closer to water than anything else, but it serves to both hydrate and energize. Oh sure, we can use the incredibly vague term “Functional Beverage” to categorize products like this. But if the function is to provide energy, it is an energy drink. [Avitae was the Energy Drink of the Month for April 2014 and April 2015]
Avitae Caffeinated Water was Energy Drink of the Month April 2014 AND April 2015
2 – Bai (Ben Weiss)
Take the press’ love for the word “superfruit” and the public’s love for coffee, then sprinkle in the food scientists’ concern for reducing food waste and VOILA! Behold, the coffee fruit, or “coffeeberry” as it’s also known.
Bai poses problems for juice and water categories as well. It’s only a tiny faction (<10%) juice, but it’s more,…well…exciting than water. Guess we’ll call this one another “Functional Beverage”, but what, exactly, is the function? Hydration? Not quite. Delivery of antioxidants. Kinda. Energy. With 78 mg of caffeine per bottle, this is another energy drink in disguise! [Bai was the Energy Drink of the Month for February 2016]
Source: CaffeineInformer.com’s phenomenal, massive caffeine database. Bai was the Energy Drink of the Month for Feb 2016
3 — Runa (Tyler Gage and Dan MacCombie)
In a world where cell phone carriers constantly slander their competition to improve sales, Runa sells their primary ingredient to their competition! Runa’s mission is to “lift the living standards of the Ecuadorian farmers who harvest the company’s supply of guayusa leaves” (Beverage World Jan 2016). Therefore, the more people who buy the leaves, the better. So even when you buy Runa’s competitors, Runa wins. [Runa was the Energy Drink of the Month for February 2015]
Runa uses guayusa leaves as the source of caffeine. Runa was the Energy Drink of the Month for Feb 2015.
4 – Steaz (Eric Schnell)
Steaz co-founder Eric Schnell is on the Beverage World disruptor’s list for his current entrepreneurial efforts, but it’s worth noting that he first made the Beverage Disruptors list with the production of Steaz. Steaz is soda and tea, hence the clever name. It’s “green-tea soda”, and it’s organic-certified.
Organic green-tea soda. Did you ever think those words together would make sense (or cents)? [Steaz was Energy Drink of the Month for January 2015]
Steaz Organic Blueberry Pomegranate Iced Tea was Energy Drink of the Month for January 2015
5 – Elite Ops Energy Strips (Ray Welch)
These caffeinated versions of those convenient Listerine dissolvable strips aren’t beverages, so they could not make the Beverage World disruptors list. However I would be amiss if I didn’t include these game-changers in my own list. I haven’t seen anything like these strips, but they are absolutely essential for long drives, sequential flights, and boring lectures. These are what you use when you want the caffeine boost without opening that tell-tale PSST of an energy drink, the long wait for gross-yet-pricy convention center coffee, or the concentrated caffeine delivery of an energy shot. [Elite Ops Energy Strips were Energy Drink (alternative) for September 2015]
BOTTOM LINE
I was just starting college when Monster Energy came along. Back then I had two part time jobs and the determination to get my Biochemistry degree in four years. Nowadays, my energy needs have evolved, just like the needs of so many other energy drink consumers. The modern energy drink consumer is looking for energy drinks with added functionality such as hydration and extra protein, says Mintel research (Beverage World Jan 2016), Fortunately, for caffeine lovers everywhere, the energy drink market is evolving to meet our needs. My challenge to you is to consider these disruptors next time someone implies that (all) energy drinks are the same.
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Get 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”
The Sporks of the Beverage World – Why Caffeine Lovers Should Root for Disruption You know that scene in Wall-E where he tries to put the spork in the right pile?
Though some media outlets continue to paint all energy drinks with the same brush, the number of “energy drinks in disguise” is growing. Unless you’re at an airport, it’s getting easier to find an energy drink with less-than-extreme amounts of caffeine, no sugar, and no artificial colors or ingredients. You might even know someone who’s tried to sell you an energy drink that can only be found online [buyer beware].
With the number of energy options increasing, it’s growing more important to learn what distinguishes one energy drink from another. Through every Energy Drink of the Month post, we review the tools you need to consume caffeine safely, and discuss how to tell if an energy drink is right for you — as in YOUR lifestyle and diet goals, and YOUR current energy needs or “Level of Fatigue”.
Energy Drink of the Month — A Year’s Reflection
HiBall Coffee
SF coming SOON!!!
Wt Loss or Energy Drink?
Avitae Caffeinated Water
SF Red Bull Editions
Runa and Guayusa
Steaz Organic Blueberry Pomegranate Iced Tea Energy Drink of the Month
Mio Energy – control your caffeine dose
THE “NO” Edition
Quality/Food Sci/Marketing POV on Rockstar Roasted
Jamba energy
What is HORCHATA?
[July 2015] – Hiball Coffee
[June 2015] – Spider Energy Mimic
[May 2015] – Celsius Energy
[April 2015] – Avitae Caffeinated Water (now flavored!)
[March 2015] – Red Bull Total Zero Editions
[February 2015] – Runa Clean Energy
[January 2015] – Steaz Iced Green Tea
[December 2014] – Mio Energy
[November 2014] – The “NO!” Edition
[October 2014] – A Quality Assurance/Food Safety, Food Scientist, and Marketing POV on Rockstar Roasted with Almond Milk
[September 2014] – Jamba Energy
[August 2014] – Arriba Horchata
For Energy Drink of the Month picks July 2013 through July 2014, see previous post.
Remember, knowledge is power, and the dosage makes the difference between a poison and a cure. Thanks for the support, the comments and all the shares! ~ Green-Eyed Guide
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Year’s Reflection on Energy Drink of the Month — August 2015 Though some media outlets continue to paint all energy drinks with the same brush, the number of "energy drinks in disguise" is growing.
