Consumer Reports – Caffeinated drink business gets a jolt

With names like Rockstar, Full Throttle and No Fear, caffeinated energy drinks are hot right now, accounting for some $744 million in annual sales. While they may especially appeal to young adults, the beverages often contain multiple stimulants, making them a poor choice for young children and pregnant women. They can also be risky if mixed with alcohol.

Consumer Reports recently tested a dozen carbonated energy drinks and found that some can provide a per-container caffeine jolt that’s the equivalent of two cups of coffee. Others can pile on the calories ‘ up to 260 per can or bottle.

Caffeine levels per 8-ounce serving ranged from 50 mg to 145 mg. By comparison, a cup of coffee has roughly 100 mg; a 12-ounce Coke about 35 mg. Caffeine intake up to about 300 mg a day is considered OK for most adults; children should be limited to well under 100 mg.

Celsius Energy Supplement, lemon lime, contained the most caffeine of the tested drinks at 145 mg per 8-ounce serving; and Archer Farms Energy Drink, fruit punch, (Target) contained the lowest at 50 mg per 8-ounce serving. According to CR’s trained testers, all of the drinks tested sweet, and many were a bit bitter.

Two of the tested products ‘ Celsius Energy Supplement and Enviga Sparkling Green ‘ claim to burn calories, and in a few manufacturer-funded studies, healthy adults worked off about 100 calories more on average after drinking them than after drinking a placebo. Other claims can be nonsensical. Red Bull, for example, says it ‘improves performance, especially during times of increased stress or strain,’ but high caffeine levels can actually cause anxiety.

DARK CHOCOLATE: WHICH BARS ARE BEST?

You might not hear, ‘Take two candy bars and call me in the morning,’ but chocolate, especially the dark kind, can do more than make you smile. According to Consumer Reports, dark chocolate is especially high in polyphenols, antioxidants that have been linked to cardiovascular benefits. The tasty treat may even help to lower some people’s blood pressure.

CR’s trained panelists tasted 14 dark-chocolate bars. The champion was Cacao Reserve Extra Dark with Cacao Nibs, by old standby Hershey. It has a big chocolate flavor with a smooth melt, and the nibs add an interesting crunch. It costs just 68 cents an ounce ($2.39 per bar) and bested some bars that cost nearly twice as much. Other very good bars that were also relatively inexpensive: Lindt, which has a complex flavor and a distinct snap when bitten; and Hershey’s Extra Dark, a tasty bar with no obvious flaws.