Friday July 4th, 2008
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The Latest Buzz
Posted by Su Avasthi on June 29, 2007 - 2:22am.
It was just after five o'clock, and I was ready for a nap.
We spent most of the afternoon hiking near Oregon's Willamette Valley, and then stopped off to taste some of the excellent wines in the region. But I was thirsty, fading fast, and there wasn't a iced latte for miles around.
When I went to buy a bottle of water, I noticed one called Potenza alongside regular bottles of water. Potenza billed itself as a caffeine-enhanced water. In fact, it claimed to be a "clean, refreshing, calorie-free alternative" to coffee, cola, and energy drinks.
Hydration and pep in one bottle? I couldn't resist. I bought one, chugged it down immediately, and waited for the 100 mgs of caffeine to do as it promised -- give me a boost equivalent to a cup of coffee.
In my case, I thought the water needed a little more mojo. Then again, I was wiped out and I'm fairly sure that a bottle of Potenza roused me more than plain water.
Later, I Googled "caffeinated water" and learned that there are a few other hopped-up H20s on the market, including Water Joe and BuzzWater.
But water is just the start. Caffeine enhancement is mighty popular these days, and it can be found in some unexpected places.
Earlier this year, someone cooked up a way to lace doughnuts and bagels with caffeine. Each Buzz Doughnut and Buzz Bagel contains about 100 mgs of caffeine. Not surprisingly, physicians -- who tend to frown on anything involving donuts -- aren't wild about this idea, perhaps because of the conflicting reports on caffeine's health benefits.
There are also a range of caffeinated mints and gum on the market. These are not to be confused with all the caffeine-enhanced beauty products out there, such as body wash and lip balm. And that's where I stopped poking around. I'd need a huge cup of coffee just to make sense of all these new caffeine-laced products.
Bottom line: For the time being, I'm sticking with lattes.... with a double-shot of espresso when I feel especially adventurous.
Topics:
- beverages
- caffeinated water
- caffeine
- drink
- drinking water
- health
- performance beverages
- sports drinks
- water
A while back I read an article about caffeine-laced underwear. Many thought that by wearing these caffeine-laced panties' they'd banish cellulite once and for all, since the caffeine in the underwear would be responsible for boosting metabolism and burning fat.
I had not heard about these coffee donuts, but I'm really not surprised, I don't think that this caffeine fascination is such a good thing, but I do love my coffee. :) Funny how far some coffee lovers are willing to go, though.
Wow, it seems like they are tring to lace everything with caffine now. Dont the kids have enough energy?!?! But for adults most do need alot of caffine to make it through the day.
For me I'll stick with my ice green tea!!
Su, thank you for trying and writing about my product Potenza. I'd like to make a few comments - Potenza is not intended to be a gimmick - it has a very definite function, purpose and value. It was created to truly offer a healthier alternative to energy drinks, cola, or coffee. It provides those that need the "pick me up" from a little bit of caffeine, an option without the sugars, calories, artificial sweeteners, teeth staining, stomach acidity, and chemicals associated with other caffeinated beverages. It is not intended to replace the hydration of regular water (although it does have some hydration value), and it is not intended to encourage more consumption of caffeine - it is intended to be a more benign alternative without all the "junk".
For those that are trying to reduce consuming the "Red Bull" type drinks, and cut out the 50grams of sugar in a Rockstar, Potenza is a useful alternative. For those with sensitive stomachs, Potenza offers a nonacidic alternative to coffee. For those trying to cut out the heavy dose of calories assoicated with a "mocha/frapuccino" type drink, Potenza will do that. For athletes in need of a slight caffeine boost, but not wanting the sugars or heaviness with some of the other options, Potenza offers that light preworkout boost. For college students studying all night, Potenza is a far cleaner way to go that drinking coffee , Pepsi or Red Bull all night. For those concerned about staining their teeth, Potenza eliminates that issue. We also tried to brand it in a much more upscale and mature way than the typical energy drink, to be inclusive of a more mature, health conscious, and feminine demographic.
I just wanted to make the point that while Potenza has no nutritional value, it was created in the spirit of "wellness", as an alternative to a bunch of other not so appealing options. It is a functional drink, that is not for everyone, but does have very clear value and purpose for some. I'm hopeful that we can develop it into a known national brand, similar to the success of some of these "not so good for you drinks"... I welcome any comments...
Jeff Epstein, Founder
Haley Brands, LLC