MNN - Mother Nature Network

Scheckter’s sent me samples of a new OrganicEnergy, what the company calls the “world’s first 100 percent natural, organic and vegetarian-approved energy drink to the U.S. market.” They sent both their original and light versions.

 

First, I need to make it known that I don’t drink energy drinks, and I don’t encourage my children to, either. My 10-year-old has never had one before. My 13-year-old has had a few, but he’s not a regular drinker of them. I don’t trust the ingredients in conventional energy drinks, but I thought I’d give OrganicEnergy a try because it’s made with organic ingredients.

 

The original OrganicEnergy contains sparkling filtered water, organic raw cane sugar, organic lemon juice, organic pomegranate juice, organic elderberry juice, organic ginseng, and what seems to be their own formula of organic guarana, green tea and raw green coffee beans for a 135-milligram jolt of caffeine.

 

The "lite" version contains the same ingredients except it replaces the organic cane sugar with organic agave nectar so that the drink contains a third less calories. It’s not as sweet as the original.

 

These USDA organic-certified drinks claim to enhance mental performance, boost metabolism, improve physical endurance and improve reaction speed.

 

I must say that after drinking one of the original OrganicEnergy drinks, I felt a little pick-me-up. My usual mid-morning drowsiness seemed to go away, and I did feel more energetic, both mentally and physically. Since I’ve never had any other energy drink before, I don’t know if this is how others would affect me. I didn’t really expect to feel any different after the energy drink, but I did.

 

My 13-year-old drank a full can, and he said that the drink gave him more energy, too. He liked the fact that there were no artificial dyes or flavors in it, but he wasn’t particularly thrilled with the aftertaste. My 10-year-old did not like the taste at all. He didn’t want more than a sip. Even though I used my boys to taste test the drink, a warning on the can says it's not recommended for children (and pregnant women) because of the amount of caffeine.

 

I’ve had sips of other energy drinks before when my husband has bought them, and I’ve never liked the taste of them. I did like the taste of OrganicEnergy more than the others I’ve tasted, but I wouldn’t call it delicious. Like my oldest son, I wasn’t thrilled with the aftertaste, but it wasn’t terrible. I liked the taste of the original OrganicEnergy more than the taste of the lite.

 

My final thoughts? If you’re going to drink an energy drink, OrganicEnergy is the better bet because of its natural and organic ingredients. It’s free of pesticides, artificial colors, artificial flavors and artificial sweeteners – all ingredients that most of the mainstream energy drinks contain. If my boys are going to be choosing energy drinks in their teen years, I’d rather it be one like this.

 

Have you tried OrganicEnergy yet? What’s your opinion?