The Power of Power Beverages

Aging seniors also are prime candidates for energy drinks, such as Ensure Energy Drinks with lutein from Ross Products, Columbus, Ohio. There are also successful entries from the Irvine, Calif.-based Met-Rx (Met-Rx Protein Shake), and Mead Johnson, Evansville, Ind. (Boost Breeze Nutritional Energy Juice Drink).

New Ingredients

Innovative companies, such as SoBe (South Beach Beverage, now a division of Pepsico, N.Y.) firmly cemented energy drinks as a means of introducing adrenaline and other edgy ingredients to a relatively adventurous consumer base. Although Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, entered the fray with KMX Energy Drink and 180 energy drink, respectively, they were not received as well. The ingredients today’s consumers actively seek are primarily guarana, ginseng, taurine and B and C vitamins.

The public’s growing concerns about health and obesity in conjunction with the growing number of diabetics and carb- and calorie-conscious consumers motivated beverage manufacturers to address the caloric and glycemic properties of their beverages. This, plus the waning success of diet carbonated drinks, fed the development of a number of non-glycemic sweeteners such as sucralose. It also helped create a wave of flavor extensions for an interesting new shift in taste: Consumers are increasingly opting for less sweetness.

The success of this expanding niche beverage market isn’t totally free of controversy. Some of the energy drinks contain ingredients that generate concern for their potential for abuse or misuse. For instance, energy drinks are growing increasingly popular as cocktail mixers among the younger crowd. Mixing stimulants with alcohol can create a false sense of alertness and control that could lead to disaster.

Also, overdoses of stimulants such as ginseng and caffeine can have adverse effects on blood pressure. Joanne Larsen, R.D., notes that the changing perception of energy drinks as an “anytime” beverage can lead to consumers drinking more than one beverage daily, and recommends careful reading of the label.

Eau de “V” In between the sports drink and the energy drink categories lies enhanced water. Call it “plain water with a twist,” the twist being a little flavor, vitamins and minerals, plus a fortification or three. One success story in this class of beverages is the Glacéau “vitaminwater” line. Launched by Energy Brands Inc., Whitestone, N.Y., in 2000, the popular beverage comes in 14 flavors, each of which includes nutraceutical combos such as extra vitamin C and glucosamine for joint health or gingko for memory. All flavors include B vitamins, vitamin C and minerals yet provide only two and a half calories or less per ounce.