There are plenty of energy drinks that will shock you from a drowsy stupor. Thing is, many have ingredients incomprehensible to all but chemistry PhD candidates.
Enter NEO SuperEnergy, a USDA certified organic energy drink made from fair-trade ingredients like guarana, green tea, and ginseng. It has electrolytes and vitamins and packs a 100mg caffeine punch, about the same as a cup of coffee.
Most of the ingredients are easily recognizable (although “cyanocobalim,” aka vitamin B12, is a bit tricky).
The product from Santa Monica delivers an energy boost with 15 grams of sugar and less than 60 calories per serving. Unlike most energy drinks that line your gas station fridge, NEO organic energy uses no artificial or synthetic ingredients.
I tried some and found the taste something of a mix between green tea and berries. It lacked the chemical flavor I’ve noticed in a lot of energy drinks. The carbonation level is about average.
As far as a boost goes, well, I’m a coffee drinker and knock back a few cups a day. NEO certainly has that familiar caffeine jolt and sat well on my stomach.
Like most energy drinks, it’s not cheap — it costs $60 for 24 eight ounce cans ($2.50 a can) available here. —Sean McCoy
