Energy Drinks and Energy Shots: By-products of the Postmodern Age

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The dizzying sophistication of technology in the second decade of the new millennium has not made life easier or less demanding for those working in today's society. On the contrary, it has intensified pressures on everybody, who has to keep up with demands 24/7. Demands to keep unconventional hours have expanded beyond occupations traditionally associated with this practice, such as the medical and allied professions, law enforcement and security. With 24-hour convenience stores and jobs like business process outsourcing, and the ever-growing stress of contemporary life,  the human body is taxed to the utmost, for more and more of the workforce and society.

To cope with these pressing requirements, one product that has grown in popularity is energy drinks. And it has been shown that much of population, especially young people, takes these products. In the United States, "Surveys have found that 30% to 50% of adolescents and young adults consume energy drinks." - [Source]

This translates to income. "According to market researcher Packaged Facts, the US energy

drink/shot market was worth $12.5 billion in 2012 and is predicted to be worth $21.5 billion by 2017.1". - [Source]

This enormous share is reflected in the country. "In a recent market research here in the Philippines, Asia Brewery Inc. retained its leadership position within sports and energy drinks in 2011 in off-trade value terms. The company’s off-trade sales totaled Php 7.9 billion, translating into a 51% share." - [Source]

What do they contain? And how do they work?

First, let's define terms. "Energy drinks are flavored beverages containing varying amounts of caffeine and, typically, other additives, such as vitamins, taurine, theanine, carnitine, herbal supplements, creatine, sugars, and guarana, a plant product that naturally contains concentrated caffeine." On the other hand, "Energy shots, compared with energy drinks, contain more concentrated sources of caffeine, have fewer ingredients and fewer calories, and generally are sold in small 50-mL containers." - [Source]

"Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, and kidneys." It "is present in ground coffee in amounts ranging between 0.75 and 1.5 percent by weight." - ["caffeine." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.  Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.]

"Consumer Reports measured the amount of caffeine in 27 top-selling energy drinks and shots, and the organization found caffeine ranged from about 6 mg to 242 mg per serving, with some containers providing more than one serving.26 To put that into perspective, according to Starbucks’ website, a venti (20 oz) caffé Americano has 300 mg of caffeine and a venti Pike Place roast has 415 mg of caffeine, more than any energy drink currently on the market." - [Source]

"Although the FDA considers guarana as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) up to a specific amount, it’s unclear exactly how much guarana energy drinks contain and how much would be considered safe when added to a product that already is highly caffeinated.

"Taurine is an amino acid normally present in foods and produced by the human body. While the FDA hasn’t conducted a formal assessment of taurine or approved it as a food additive for use in conventional foods, it’s considered GRAS for flavor use by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturer’s Association.10 The European Commission assessed the use of taurine in energy drinks but, thanks to limited information, couldn’t reach a conclusion regarding its safety.

"Taurine is known to influence various physiological functions, including blood pressure, growth hormone production, and hypothalamus stimulation. Based on the European Commission’s review, the average daily intake of taurine from omnivore diets ranged from 40 to 400 mg/day." - [Source]

Sugar-free energy drinks and shots

As with other products we have tackled, we would given thie enormous demand for them and the  large, growing number of diabetics, we would expect sugar-free versions of these products. And they are in fact present.

The most ubiquitous energy drink, present in supermarkets, drugstores and convenience stores, is Bacchus Energy Drink, which, aside from the usual ingredients of energy drinks, boasts of having Korean ginseng, extract, royal jelly and "multi-vitamin B complex". The sweeteners of Bacchus are sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

A leading energy drink, both in the country and in the world, Thailand-based Red Bull, has a sugar-free version, but the author has not seen it for some time. Stores carry the non-sugar free products, so this might be due to low demand. This should be a signal to diabetics and dieters to support sugar-free products. Manufacturers have done their part by putting out sugar-free versions of their popular products. By patronizing them, companies would not only be encouraged to release sugar-free versions of their products, but price them similar to sugared versions, again benefiting the sector. To underscore this point, another well-known energy drink, which dominated the market before the advent of Red Bull and still other energy drinks, and, at that time, was practically synonymous with energy drinks, does NOT have a sugar-free version, even if it has another specialized version targeted at women. Other new energy drinks in the market, also do not have sugar-free versions. In any case, the sugar-free product of Red Bull is sweetened by sucralose.

On a positive note, an American-produced energy drink, which is available in several sugared flavors, now has a sugar-free version - Monster Energy. One of the leading brands in the US, it claims in its label that "People have been blowin' up our inbox for years, asking for a zero calorie Monster. We got it, but this ain't soda pop, dude!" Needless to say, this again brings us to the inevitable relationship of patronage by dieters and diabetics, and manufacturers producing, or continuing, sugar-free products. Monster has, aside from the usual energy drink ingredients, ginseng root extract and guarana seed extract. Its sugar substitutes are sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

For its part, an equally widely available, energy shot suitable for diabetics and dieters is is Booster C Energy Shot, which comes in 60-milliliter plastic bottles. It comes in two versions, regular and mango berry. Unlike other products, energy shots or otherwise, Booster C, remarkably, does not have a sugared version. On the other hand, it does not claim to be sugar-free. But its label notes that it is "low calorie" and "virtually sugar-free". Given its very small size, and its low-calorie nature, it would therefore be good as sugar-free, and certainly suitable for our sector. Apart  from the usual energy drink or energy shot ingredients, it contains ginseng, royal jelly and B complex vitamins. Its sweeteners are acesulfame potassium and aspartame.

Another prominent energy drink, Extra Joss, is available in bottled versions, but these are not sugar-free, so they will not be taken up here. But the powdered version, the energy drink powder, IS sugar- free. Significantly, and laudably, this is the only version of the powdered energy drink - there is no sugared powder from Extra Joss. In any case, it comes in four-gram sachets, which are packed, for bulk consumers, in boxes, which hold six sachets. Extra Joss has, apart from caffeine and the usual energy drink ingredients, ginseng, royal jelly, and B complex vitamins. It is sweetened by aspartame and acesulfame potassium.

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Websites of Energy drinks and Energy shots

Those who would like to know more about the products we discussed can refer to these websites of the relevant companies, or which deal with them in greater detail:

• Bacchus Energy Drink
• Booster C Energy Shot
• Red Bull Energy Drink

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Coffee: A Leading Drink

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"Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with, " says American writer. Terri Guillemets. The Persian Hanbali jurist and Sufi Sheik Abd-al-Kadiroes beyond that, in a quote attributed to him: " No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness. " [Source] If one were to believe English author Alexander Pope, coffee would be the potential solution to political problems. "Coffee," according to him, "makes the politician wise."

Like other products we have tackled in this blog, coffee tops the list in several ways. "It is consumed either hot or cold by about one-third of the people in the world, in amounts larger than those of any other drink," according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. ["coffee." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.  Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.] That alone should make it prime material for this blog.

A broadcast (and podcast) by the British Broadcasting Corporation further reinforces coffee's premier position. "The global industry is worth at least 500 billion dollars a year - more even than gold...It's said to be the developing world's second most valuable traded commodity - outstripped only by oil."

The coffee article of Encyclopedia Britannica clarifies the reasons for the preference for coffee: "Its popularity can be attributed to its invigorating effect, which is produced by caffeine, an alkaloid present in green coffee in amounts between 0.8 and 1.5 percent for the Arabica varieties and 1.6 to 2.5 percent for Robusta." ["coffee." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.  Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.]

Sugar-free Coffee Products

As with other products, sweet or sweetened coffee products.

Not surprisingly, coffee has joined the rapidly-growing bandwagon for sugar-free products. Instant coffee mixes, which were originally 3-in-1 (coffee, cream and sugar), but, with the addition food supplements with touted health benefits, have risen to 5-in-1, 7-in-1, or 9-in-1 or so. Many brands of instant coffee mixes are now available sugar-free, and these are readily available in supermarkets and convenience stores.

San Mig Super Coffee has nine-gram 3-in-1 sachets, in mild or strong variants. The product can also be purchased in plastic packs containing ten sachets. San Mig uses sucralose (Splenda) as its sweetener.

On the other hand, Great Taste has a sugar-free version of Great Taste White. It is available in 17-gram sachets, and uses sucralose as its sweetener.

For its part, Jimm's coffee mix also has its own version of a sugar-free coffee mix. There is a 5-in-1 product, which contains, aside from coffee, creamer and sweetener (in this case, aspartame), Agaricus mushroom extract and Korean ginseng. It can be purchased in boxes containing 20 sachets.

Another brand, Nice Day! has two sugar-free versions. It's White product, apparently for those hoping for lighter skin, has gluthatione, a food supplement taken for this purpose and collagen, as well as the sweetener sucralose. In addition, it has, for dieters, it's Slim product, a 6-in-1 with CLA fat burner, L-carnitine, fiber, and the sweetener sucralose.

In addition, though, it has another version, a 10-in-1 product, Nice Day! Coffee Cleanse, which has coco sugar, a low glycemic index sweetener, instead of regular sugar. Nice Day! Coffee Cleanse contains extracts from ganoderma, grape seed, cranberry, sylimarin, spirulina and goji berry (aside from coco sugar).

Then, Glorious Blend has five different "coffee blend variants." 7-in-1 contains coffee, stevia (the sweetener), and the food supplements malunggay (moringa), mangosteen, calcium and gotu kola. The brand's 3-in-1 coffee is composed of coffee, non-dairy creamer, and, the sweetener stevia, a natural plant product which it uses for all of its coffee mixes. Glorious Blend 4-in-1 coffee includes a delightful blend coffee, a non-dairy creamer, and the sugar substitute stevia, and contains the food supplement malunggay. A different flavor is imparted by brown rice to the brand's 5-in-1 product, which contains malunggay, non-dairy creamer and coffee. Dieters would be interested in Glorious Blend Slimmax coffeed, which cantains L-carnitine, "which can boost weight loss, increase blood flow, reduce fatigue, and increase muscle mass." It can be purchased in bulk in boxes containing 20 sachets.

Apart from these sugar-free products, it is relevant to diabetics to mention another coffee mix which is not sugar-free, but contains a low glycemic natural sweetener, cocosap sugar (derived from the sap of coconut) - Optimo. Optimo is a a "3+3 coffee mix," containing instant coffee, cocosap sugar and non-dairy creamer - plus three food supplements, Ginkgo biloba, grapeseed and green tea extract.

Since this article is about coffee, it is also pertinent to mention a product which does not fall under the category instant coffee mix, but is also coffee. I am referring to products served at dispensers in 7-11 convenience stores. These dispensers "dish out" brewed coffee (presumably sugared), sugar-free French vanilla cappuccino, mochaccino, and a non-coffee hot beverage, Hershey's hot chocolate.

There is still another sugar-free product, sold in Family Mart convenience stores. There is a Family Mart Collection Selected Coffee, which is "black" and "sugarless." The ingredients list only "coffee beans." There is no sweetener, so dieters and diabetics who prefer their coffee sweet can add sweetener.

Altogether, an abundant, and growing choice for diabetics and dieters. It is something to be glad about. At least for coffee, this sector is not left behind, or disadvantaged, compared to the rest of the population.

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Sugar-free Coffee Mix Websites

• Glorious Blend
• Great Taste
• San Mig
• Jimm's
• Optimo

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Jams, Jellies and the Good Things in Life

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Just like sugar and sweetess, jam and jelly generally bring favorable, positive connotations. One source has compared jam to happiness: "Happiness is like jam, you can't spread even a little without getting some on yourself. [Source]

William Boyd, in Any Human Heart, says that he is reminded of ambrosia, the food of the Greek and Roman gods: "Hot crumpets with butter and jam - what could be more ambrosial?" . Chinese-American writer adds jelly, marmalade and preserves to the mix: "The jelly - the jam and the marmalade, And the cherry-and quince-'preserves' she made! And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and pear, With cinnamon in 'em, and all things rare! - And the more we ate was the more to spare, Out to old Aunt Mary's! Ah!" [Source]

As for spreads containing chocolate, the goodness, and complementary connotations, have already been dealt with earlier in the blog. It goes without saying that it would be better for diabetics, and dieters, if these products were also available to them.

Jams, jellies, preserves and spreads are of course eaten with bread, in sandwiches. So before tackling the sugar-free versions of these food products, we will appreciate them more if we touch on their background.

A Brief Background

We are informed that a "jelly" is "a semitransparent confection consisting of the strained juice of various fruits or vegetables, singly or in combination, sweetened, boiled, slowly simmered, and congealed, often with the aid of pectin, gelatin, or a similar substance." ["jelly." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.]

On the other hand, "Jams are made from the entire fruit, including the pulp, while preserves are essentially jellies that contain whole or large pieces. Marmalade, usually made from citrus fruit, is a jellylike concentrate of prepared juice and sliced peel." [fruit processing." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.]

The same reference tells us that a "sandwich," which is usually where we put jams, jellies, marmalades and spreads, is "in its basic form, slices of meat, cheese, or other food placed between two slices of bread. Although this mode of consumption must be as old as meat and bread, the name was adopted only in the 18th century for John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who had sliced meat and bread brought to him at the gaming table so that he could continue to play as he ate." ["sandwich." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.]

Sugar-free Fruit Preserves, Marmalades and Spreads

As with the other food products or beverages with which we have dealt, sugar-free versions of these products did not come about until safe sugar substitutes had become available. In a way, the necessity of sugar-free versions of jams and jellies is less "urgent" than other products that we have taken up. Sandwiches can be filled or spread with "slices of meat, cheese, or other food placed between two slices of bread." [op. cit]

Butter, margarine, mayonnaise, or other spreads might be used if sweet ones are unavailable. Perhaps, this is the reason why, unlike soft drinks, instant cofee mixes, or other other products, jellies, jams or marmalades, or other sweet spreads are not yet that widely available in the country.

However, they are now available, albeit not yet that abundant, zas we will inform readers of this blog.

The most widely available supplier of preserves and marmalades that we have been able to encounter is the American company Smucker's. Blackberry, cherry and strawberry preserves (provided in 12.75-ounce or 361-gram glass jars) can be bought in several supermarkets in the metropolis. They are a most enticing choice for diabetics and dieters, especially positioned as they are among non-sugar free, and therefore forbidden jams, jellies and marmalades.

Another, which we have found in only one supermarket, is the French-made St. Dalfour, which is available in a 284-gram (10-ounce) glass jar. Three flavors are available: thick apricot, thick cut orange spread, and blackcurrant.

Then, there is D'Arbo Dietetic (produced by an Austrian company),  which, as the name indicates, is especially for those with restrictions in their diet. Its sugar substitute is not a zero-calorie one, but one which contains reduced calories (about a third those of sugar - sorbitol. The preserves available in supermarkets check by the author are apricot and blueberry.

Other than preserves and marmalades, only one other sweet spread has been found by the author in supermarkets. Surprisingly, this is not the common peanut butter, but rather a hazelnut-choco spread. The producer is a company that is already well-known to be dieter- and diabetic-friendly for still another product, chocolate bars: Valor. Valor Hazelnut-choco Spread, again an inviting alternative for this food category, can be purchased in 400-gram glass jars.

The products are still far from available everywhere, but this is a beginning, a favorable development for diabetics and dieters. Again, it amounts to an improvement in the quality of life for the people being served by of our blog.

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